The European Poker Championship (Poker EM) is returning to one of the most prestigious locations on the poker map. One of the highlights of the upcoming season will be the 35th edition of the popular festival, which will take place from July 14 to July 26, 2026, at the idyllic Casino Velden on the beautiful Lake Wörthersee in Austria.
Casino Velden has long been recognised as a European Poker Hotspot, combining first-class play with an incomparable Alpine lifestyle. Velden am Wörthersee, with its blend of elegance, fine dining, and spectacular natural scenery, including the shimmering lake, provides the perfect backdrop for high-stakes tournaments. The festival promises thirteen days of intense action, during which ten prestigious European Champion titles will be awarded.
Who Will Claim the Poker EM Championship Crown in the Main Event?
The central part of any festival is, of course, the Main Event Championship–the tournament that crowns the European Champion. The 2026 edition is scheduled from July 20 to 26. Players will compete for the coveted title with a buy-in of €2,500 + €250. This No Limit Hold’em tournament is expected to attract the largest number of players and generate the biggest prize pool.
The Main Event has also been the scene of epic victories in previous years. We recall the spectacular win at the last championship, which took place in July 2025. On that occasion, the Slovenian player Jan Župec won in grand style. With a buy-in of €2,500 + €250 and 311 entries, the prize pool was impressive, reaching €777,500. Župec overcame all competition with an exceptional performance and earned a remarkable €151,000, proving that high-quality European poker is increasingly shifting to the region.
Diverse Action with Prestigious Side Events
In addition to the Main Event, the Poker EM 2026 will feature a variety of exciting side events to satisfy players of all disciplines. A total of ten European Champion titles will be awarded, lending exceptional prestige to the festival.
Among the most anticipated tournaments are:
- Omaha Championship (July 19–20, Buy-in: €2,000 + €200): An opportunity for four-card enthusiasts to compete for the title in this extremely dynamic variant.
- PL Omaha High Roller Championship (July 21–22, Buy-in: €5,000 + €400): This prestigious event with an elevated buy-in will certainly attract the best and deepest fields of players seeking big prizes.
- Seven Card Stud Championship (July 20–21, Buy-in: €400 + €40): An event that preserves tradition and draws purists of classic poker. Test your memory and reading skills in this classic variant.
- Mystery Bounty Championship (July 24–25, Buy-in: €1,000 + €100): A popular new tournament format that introduces an element of luck and hidden prizes to the game. The thrill of the unknown adds an exciting twist to the tournament.
2026 European Poker Championship Full Schedule
| Date | Time | Event | Buy-In | Starting stack/blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, July 14 | 15:00 | NLH Welcome Event | €300 + €30 | 25k/25′ |
| Wednesday, July 15 | 15:00 | NLH Bounty €100 | €300 + €30 | 25k/25′ |
| 18:00 | NLH Senior European Championship (50 +) – Day 1 | €500 + €50 | 50k/50′ | |
| 20:00 | NLH Satellite EC Showdown am Wörthersee 10 Tickets Garantier! | €50 + €10 | 20k/15′ | |
| Thursday, July 16 | 14:30 | NLH One Hand Satellite Showdown | €60 | |
| 15:00 | NLH Showdown am Wörthersee – Day 1A | €500 + €50 | 100k/40′ | |
| 15:30 | NLH Senior European Championship (50 +) – Final Day | / | 30′ | |
| 15:00 | PL Omaha | €200 + €30 | 25k/20′ | |
| 20:00 | NLH Ladies European Championship – Day 1 | €300 + €30 | 50k/30′ | |
| Friday, July 17 | 15:00 | NLH EC Showdown am Wörthersee – Day 1B | €500 + €50 | 100k/40′ |
| 15:00 | NLH Ladies European Championship – Final Day | / | 45′ | |
| Saturday, July 18 | 15:00 | NLH EC Showdown am Wörthersee – Day 1C | €500 + € 50 | 100k/40′ |
| 18:00 | PL Omaha Satellite European Championship | €200 + €30 | 20k/15′ | |
| Sunday, July 19 | 15:00 | NLH EC Showdown am Wörthersee – Day 2 | / | 50′ |
| 15:30 | PL Omaha European Championship 8-handed – Day 1 | €2,000 + €200 | 50k/50′ | |
| 21:00 | NLH Turbo Freezeout | €300 + €30 | 30k/15′ | |
| Monday, July 20 | 14:00 | NLH 6-Handed European Championship – Day 1 | €800 + €80 | 100k/30′ |
| 15:00 | NLH EC Showdown am Wörthersee – Final Day | / | 60′ | |
| 15:15 | PL Omaha European Championship 8-Handed – Final Day | €2,000 + €200 | 50k/60′ | |
| 19:30 | PL Omaha High Roller Championship – Day 1 | €5,000 + €400 | 150k/30′ | |
| 20:00 | Limit Seven Card Stud European Championship – Day 1 | €400 + €40 | 10k/10k/20k | |
| Tuesday, July 21 | 12:00 | NLH Satellite High Roller | €500 + €50 | 30k/15′ |
| 15:00 | NLH 6-Handed European Championship – Final Day | / | 30′ | |
| 15:00 | Limit Seven Card Stud European Championship – Final Day | / | 40′ | |
| 15:15 | PL Omaha High Roller European Championship – Final Day | €5,000 + €400 | 150k/30′ | |
| 15:30 | NLH Satellite Main Event | €300 + €30 | 25k/25′ | |
| 17:00 | NLH One Hand Satellite High Roller | €550 | ||
| 18:00 | NLH High Roller European Championship – Day 1 | €5,000 + €400 | 150k/30′ | |
| Wednesday, July 22 | 12:00 | NLH Satellite Main Event | €300 + €30 | 25k/15′ |
| 15:00 | NLH European Poker Championship Main Event – Day 1A | €2,500 + €250 | 100k/60′ | |
| 15:00 | NLH High Roller European Championship – Final Day | €5,000 + €400 | 150k/30′ | |
| Thursday, July 23 | 12:00 | NLH Last Chance Satellite Main Event | €300 + €30 | 20k/15′ |
| 15:00 | NLH European Poker Championship Main Event – Day 1B | €2,500 + €250 | 100k/60′ | |
| 15:30 | PL Omaha Bounty € 300 | €800 + €80 | 50k/30′ | |
| 20:00 | NLH Turbo Freezout | €300 + €30 | 30k/15′ | |
| 21:00 | NLH High Roller Turbo | €2,000 + €200 | 30k/15′ | |
| Friday, July 24 | 15:00 | NLH European Poker Championship Main Event – Day 2 | €2,500 + €250 | 100k/60′ |
| 15:30 | NLH Wörthersee Poker Party – Day 1A | €300 + €30 | 50k/50′ | |
| 18:00 | NLH Mystery Bounty European Championship € 500 – Day 1 | €1,000 + €100 | 50k/30′ | |
| Saturday, July 25 | 15:00 | NLH European Poker Championship Main Event – Day 3 | / | 60′ |
| 15:00 | NLH Mystery Bounty European Championship € 500 Final Day | €1,000 + €100 | 50k/30′ | |
| 15:30 | NLH Wörthersee Poker Party – Day 1B | €300 + €30 | 50k/30′ | |
| Sunday, July 26 | 15:00 | NLH Wörthersee Poker Party – Final Day | / | 40′ |
| 15:30 | NLH European Poker Championship Main Event – Final Day | / | 60′ | |
| 15:30 | NLH Deepstack | €130 + €20 | 50k/20′ |
Previous Winners of the European Championship Main Event
| Year | Buy-In | Entries | Winner | Prize | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | €4,000 | 164 |  Sandra Naujoks | €174,500 | Germany |
| 2009 | €4,000 | 189 |  Martin Kabrhel | €190,320 | Czech Republic |
| 2010 | €4,000 | 155 |  Mihai Manole | €160,800 | Romania |
| 2011 | €4,000 | 145 |  Zoltán Szabó | €150,425 | Hungary |
| 2012 | €4,000 | 132 | Andrei One | €140,450 | Romania |
| 2013 | €3,000 | 117 | Lasell King | €92,035 | Germany |
| 2014 | €3,000 | 147 |  Artur Koren | €70,430 | Austria |
| 2015 | €4,350 | 169 |  Simon Boss | €182,600 | Switzerland |
| 2016 | €2,700 | 237 | Matthias Habernig | €109,00 | Austria |
| 2017 | €2,700 | 236 | Simon Boss | €120,000 | Switzerland |
| 2018 | €2,700 | 250 | Philipp Hartmann | €150,000 | Germany |
| 2019 | €2,700 | 240 | Christian Rudolph | €144,000 | Germany |
| 2022 | €2,750 | 246 | Christian Leichtfried | €114,135 | Austria |
| 2023 | €2,750 | 234 |  Nicola Angelini | €154,500 | Italy |
| 2024 | €2,750 | 253 | Harald Heigl | €135,200 | Austria |
| 2025 | €2,750 | 311 |  Jan Župec | €151,000 | Slovenia |
A Destination for Champions and Enthusiasts Alike
These events offer the ideal opportunity for players to test themselves in various formats and compete for one of the coveted European Champion titles.
Combined with the professional organisation of Casinos Austria, the stunning scenery, and a diverse selection of tournaments, the 35th European Poker Championship in Velden in the summer of 2026 is sure to be an unforgettable event and confirm its reputation as a must-visit destination for the poker elite and all enthusiasts of the game.
