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ESPN Brings Back WSOP in Multi-Year Deal

Lou Monaco

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Publish Date: Mar 26, 2026

Fact checked by: Sara Jane Gamelli

Key Points

ESPN, WSOP announce multi-year agreement.
Poker's biggest event will be across ESPN's multi-platforms, highlighted by a 3-night live finale for the Main Event Final Table, Aug. 3-5.
The 2026 World Series of Poker runs from May 26-July 13 at Horseshoe Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas.

ESPN is all in for the The World Series of Poker (WSOP).

Again.

The worldwide leader in sports and the WSOP announced Thursday they have reached a multi-year agreement to bring poker’s most prestigious event back to ESPN platforms, highlighted by a three-night live finale for the Main Event Final Table, Aug. 3-5 from 9 p.m. to Midnight ET.

ESPN first broadcast the WSOP Main Event 39 years ago (1987) and has been a broadcast partner in every decade including the last Final Table broadcast they aired in 2020.

The full 2026 World Series of Poker runs from May 26 to July 13 at Horseshoe Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas.

Poker cards and casino chips

“Welcoming the World Series of Poker back to ESPN is a meaningful moment for fans and for us,” said Ashley O’Connor, Vice President, Programming & Acquisitions, ESPN in a news release. “We’re excited to showcase the intensity and unpredictability of this tournament across our platforms.”

Broadcasting will begin on July 2 with Day 1A of the Main Event and ESPN platforms will feature approx. 100 hours of original programming per year.

Once the tournament reaches the final table on July 13, play will be paused.

The finalists will come back 20 days later for the live, three-day televised finale. During the 20-day break, ESPN will air specially curated prime-time episodes to build momentum and introduce the final table competitors to their global audience.

“No pair beats ESPN and the World Series of Poker. The legacy of this collaboration helped the game explode and we can’t wait to deliver inspiration through world class content to a new generation of viewers," said Ty Stewart, CEO of the WSOP.

In 2025, Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi won the WSOP Main Event. defeating John Wasnock in heads-up play on July 16, earning the $10 million first-place prize and his eighth WSOP bracelet.

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