World Series of Poker Returns to ESPN in 2026 with Live Main Event Broadcasts

The World Series of Poker has officially signed a multi-year agreement to bring the WSOP $10,000 no-limit hold’em main event back to ESPN platforms in 2026 and beyond. The deal sees the brands rekindle a partnership after splitting in 2021. The last nine players will be set on July 13, 2026, with a 20-day break before the next world champion is crowned during a three-night live finale airing from Aug. 3-5 on the network.

ESPN is set to air around 100 hours of original WSOP programming each year, with the main event broadcasts kicking off on day 1A and including at least six hours of daily coverage. Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions, creators of the popular ‘Manningcast’ football broadcast, has been engaged to ‘apply its signature storytelling lens to the poker table.’

The 2026 WSOP Main Event Schedule will bring back the “cliffhanger” format utilized during the November Nine era, which was first introduced in 2008 and ran for nine years. This time around, the break in play will be markedly shorter, lasting just a few weeks rather than several months.