There are poker tournaments, and then there is EPT Barcelona.
For more than two decades, Barcelona has been one of the defining destinations on the European Poker Tour calendar. It was the location of the very first EPT event in 2004, and it remains the only city to have hosted an EPT stop in every year the tour has operated.
In 2026, that tradition continues.
The PokerStars European Poker Tour returns to Casino Barcelona from August 16 to August 29, bringing two weeks of tournament poker to the Catalan capital. The festival combines the PokerStars Open with the main EPT schedule, creating a huge programme that ranges from affordable satellites and €825 events to a €100,000 Super High Roller. The centrepiece is, as always, the €5,300 EPT Barcelona Main Event, which runs from August 22 to August 29.
For recreational players, professional tournament grinders, high rollers and poker fans simply looking for a memorable summer trip, Barcelona offers an unusual combination: world-class poker, enormous fields, a spectacular venue and one of Europe’s most attractive cities.
Here is everything you need to know about EPT Barcelona 2026.
When is EPT Barcelona 2026?
The full festival runs for two weeks, from August 16 through August 29, 2026, at Casino Barcelona in Port Olímpic.
The event is effectively divided into two connected festivals. The PokerStars Open gets things started, before the EPT’s flagship tournaments take over the second half of the schedule.
The most important dates
| Tournament | Dates | Buy-in |
|---|---|---|
| PokerStars Open Main Event | August 16–22 | €1,650 |
| PokerStars Cup | August 20–21 | €825 |
| PokerStars Open High Roller | August 21–23 | €2,700 |
| EPT Super High Roller | August 21–23 | €100,000 |
| EPT Main Event | August 22–29 | €5,300 |
| EPT Mystery Bounty | August 25–27 | €3,250 |
| EPT High Roller | August 27–29 | €10,300 |
The official schedule also contains a large number of side events, qualifiers and alternative formats, including Pot-Limit Omaha, mixed games, freezeouts, hyper turbos and additional high-stakes No-Limit Hold’em tournaments.
That makes the festival much bigger than the Main Event alone.
The €5,300 EPT Barcelona Main Event
For most players, the Main Event is the reason to travel to Barcelona.
The tournament has a €5,300 buy-in and begins on August 22. It runs through August 29, with multiple starting flights before the field is gradually reduced to the final table.
The final prize pool for 2026 will depend on the number of entries, so it would be misleading to present a €10 million figure as an official guarantee at this stage.
However, recent history provides an excellent indication of the scale.
In 2024, the Main Event attracted 1,975 entries and generated a €9,578,750 prize pool. Stephen Song won the tournament for €1,290,386.
The 2025 edition went even further.
A total of 2,045 entries created a €9,918,250 prize pool, making it one of the three largest Main Events in EPT history. Thomas Eychenne eventually defeated Romania’s Stefan-Sebastian Ionita heads-up. The two reached a deal, with Eychenne taking €1,217,175 and Ionita €1,117,175.
In other words, a field of around 2,000 players and a prize pool close to €10 million is no longer unusual for Barcelona.
That is one of the biggest attractions of the tournament.
Barcelona Has a Record-Breaking History
The numbers behind EPT Barcelona are remarkable.
The 2022 Main Event remains the largest EPT Main Event ever, attracting 2,294 entries and producing an €11,125,900 prize pool.
The 2023 edition attracted another huge field of 2,120 entries and generated €10,282,000.
The 2019 event also passed the 1,900-entry mark, while the 2024 and 2025 editions continued the extraordinary trend of Barcelona producing some of the biggest tournaments in European poker.
PokerStars reported in 2025 that the Barcelona Main Event had already accumulated more than 23,500 entries across its first 19 editions, and the 25,000th entry was reached during the 2025 tournament.
There is therefore a very real possibility that EPT Barcelona 2026 will once again challenge the €10 million mark in prize money.
Previous EPT Barcelona Main Event Winners
Barcelona’s history is also filled with some of the most recognisable names in European poker.
The first champion was Sweden’s Alexander Stevic, who won the inaugural event in 2004 for €80,000.
Since then, the list has included world-class professionals from across Europe and beyond.
| Year | Champion | Country | First Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Alexander Stevic | Sweden | €80,000 |
| 2005 | Jan Boubli | France | €426,000 |
| 2006 | Bjørn-Erik Glenne | Norway | €691,000 |
| 2007 | Sander Lylloff | Denmark | €1,170,700 |
| 2008 | Sebastian Ruthenberg | Germany | €1,361,000 |
| 2009 | Carter Phillips | USA | €850,000 |
| 2010 | Kent Lundmark | Sweden | €825,000 |
| 2011 | Martin Schleich | Germany | €850,000 |
| 2012 | Mikalai Pobal | Belarus | €1,007,550 |
| 2013 | Tom Middleton | UK | €924,000 |
| 2014 | Andre Lettau | Germany | €794,058 |
| 2015 | John Juanda | Indonesia | €1,022,593 |
| 2016 | Sebastian Malec | Poland | €1,122,800 |
| 2017 | Sebastian Sorensson | Sweden | €987,043 |
| 2018 | Piotr Nurzynski | Poland | €1,037,109 |
| 2019 | Simon Brändström | Sweden | €1,290,166 |
| 2022 | Giuliano Bendinelli | Italy | €1,491,133 |
| 2023 | Simon Wiciak | France | €1,134,375 |
| 2024 | Stephen Song | USA | €1,290,386 |
| 2025 | Thomas Eychenne | France | €1,217,175* |
*2025 result after a heads-up deal. The original first-place allocation was higher.
There were no traditional EPT Barcelona Main Events in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Giuliano Bendinelli Comeback
If there is one Barcelona story that perfectly captures the tournament’s personality, it may be the 2022 victory of Giuliano Bendinelli.
The Italian entered the final stages in an almost impossible position, falling to just one big blind during the final table.
Instead of being eliminated, Bendinelli mounted one of the most extraordinary comebacks in recent EPT history and eventually won the title.
He took home €1,491,133 from a record 2,294-entry field.
That edition remains the largest EPT Main Event ever by entries.
Stephen Song’s Barcelona Victory
The 2024 edition produced another memorable champion.
American Stephen Song defeated Britain’s Andrew Hulme heads-up after an enormous tournament featuring 1,975 entries.
Song ultimately collected €1,290,386, while Hulme took €1,165,614.
The final hand was particularly dramatic. Song’s A♣7♥ defeated Hulme’s pocket eights after a 5♦3♦6♦ flop was followed by the 4♠ turn, completing Song’s straight.
Song’s victory was significant beyond Barcelona. He became the first American in almost a decade to win an EPT Main Event.
Thomas Eychenne: The Defending Champion
The defending champion heading into Barcelona 2026 is France’s Thomas Eychenne.
Eychenne defeated a field of 2,045 entries in 2025, producing the biggest live tournament result of his career at the time.
His route to the title was particularly impressive because the final table was extremely balanced. Romania’s Stefan-Sebastian Ionita started the final day as chip leader, but Eychenne eventually took control of the heads-up battle and completed the victory.
The 2026 Main Event will therefore have a familiar question hanging over it:
Can anyone become the first player to win two EPT Main Events at the same venue?
That achievement has never been accomplished at Barcelona.
How Can You Qualify for EPT Barcelona?
The €5,300 buy-in is substantial, but players do not necessarily have to pay the full amount directly.
PokerStars offers multiple qualification routes, including online satellites and the Power Path system.
The festival itself also contains live satellites that can turn a much smaller investment into a Main Event seat.
The 2026 schedule includes several €1,155 EPT Main Event seat-only qualifiers, as well as other satellite routes. The schedule also contains qualifiers for the PokerStars Open Main Event and High Roller.
This is particularly important for recreational players.
Instead of travelling to Barcelona with €5,300 earmarked for a tournament, a player can attempt to win their seat online or after arriving in Spain.
Power Path
PokerStars’ Power Path is another route into major live tournaments.
The system allows players to progress through different levels and potentially turn a relatively small online investment into a package for an EPT event.
PokerStars has previously highlighted players who reached Barcelona through Power Path qualification, including players who started their journey from extremely small amounts or free opportunities.
For anyone looking to play Barcelona without committing the full Main Event buy-in upfront, satellites are therefore worth investigating well before the festival begins.
What Other Tournaments Are Worth Playing?
One of the best things about Barcelona is the variety.
The €1,650 PokerStars Open Main Event is an obvious alternative to the €5,300 EPT Main Event. It starts on August 16 and runs through August 22.
In 2025, the equivalent PokerStars Open Main Event attracted an enormous 5,035 entries, producing a €7,251,840 prize pool. The winner, Alexis Nicolai, collected €772,000.
That tournament alone demonstrates why Barcelona is attractive to recreational and semi-professional players.
There is also the €825 PokerStars Cup and the €2,700 PokerStars Open High Roller.
At the opposite end of the spectrum is the €100,000 EPT Super High Roller.
The €10,300 EPT High Roller is another major attraction for professionals, while the €3,250 Mystery Bounty offers a completely different format with additional bounty prizes.
For players interested in Pot-Limit Omaha and mixed games, the schedule also contains several alternatives to traditional No-Limit Hold’em.
Where Is EPT Barcelona Held?
The tournament is played at Casino Barcelona, located at:
Marina 19–21, Port Olímpic, 08005 Barcelona, Spain.
The poker festival is hosted in the casino’s annex at Hotel Arts, putting the event directly on Barcelona’s waterfront.
This is arguably one of the best tournament locations on the EPT calendar.
The Mediterranean is right outside, the Olympic Port is packed with restaurants and bars, and the city centre is only a short metro or taxi journey away.
It means players can spend an entire day playing poker and still have Barcelona’s beaches, nightlife and restaurants immediately outside the venue.
Where Should You Stay During EPT Barcelona?
Accommodation is one area where planning ahead is particularly important.
The tournament takes place during the peak summer season, and Barcelona is already one of Europe’s busiest tourist destinations.
Hotel Arts Barcelona
Hotel Arts is the obvious luxury option.
It is located at the same Marina 19–21 address as Casino Barcelona and is effectively the ultimate EPT hotel for players who want to minimise travel.
Historically, PokerStars has described Hotel Arts as the official/preferred accommodation for the Barcelona festival, with the casino effectively attached to the property.
The biggest advantage is simple: after playing poker for 12 or 14 hours, you can go upstairs instead of crossing Barcelona.
Sofitel Barcelona Skipper
Sofitel Barcelona Skipper is another excellent five-star option.
It is located at Av. del Litoral 10, close to the Olympic Port and roughly a couple of hundred metres from Casino Barcelona. The hotel sits beside the beach and offers pools, restaurants and a rooftop area.
For players who want luxury but do not manage to secure a room at Hotel Arts, this is probably one of the strongest alternatives.
H10 Marina Barcelona
H10 Marina Barcelona hotel is one of the better choices for players looking for a balance between location and price.
The four-star property sits in the Olympic Village, close to the beaches, Casino Barcelona, restaurants and public transport. It also has a rooftop pool and views across the city and sea.
It is particularly attractive for players who are planning to stay for the entire two-week festival rather than just the Main Event.
Hotel SB Icaria
Hotel SB Icaria is another practical option in the Olympic Village.
It is slightly further from the casino than Hotel Arts or Sofitel but remains within easy walking distance and keeps players close to the waterfront.
ibis Styles Barcelona City Bogatell
ibis Styles Barcelona City Bogatell is worth considering for visitors looking for a more affordable modern hotel.
It is located in Poblenou, close to the coast and well connected to the rest of Barcelona.
Unite Hostel Barcelona
Unite Hostel Barcelona provides a much more budget-friendly option.
Located on Avenida d’Icària, it is particularly suitable for younger players, satellite qualifiers or anyone who would rather spend their bankroll at the poker tables than on a five-star room.
The best areas to stay
For maximum convenience, look around:
- Port Olímpic
- Vila Olímpica
- Barceloneta
- Poblenou
The closer you stay to Casino Barcelona, the more useful it becomes when tournaments run deep into the night.
Getting to Barcelona
Barcelona-El Prat Airport is the main international gateway.
It is approximately 12 kilometres from the city centre, with daily flights connecting Barcelona to major destinations around Europe and beyond. PokerStars also offers travel assistance and airport transfers through PokerStars Travel.
The airport is connected to Barcelona by metro, Aerobus, train and taxi.
For EPT players arriving with luggage and potentially substantial poker equipment or cash, a taxi or pre-booked transfer is the easiest option.
Once inside Barcelona, public transport is excellent.
The closest metro station to Casino Barcelona is Ciutadella | Vila Olímpica, served by Line 4.
From the centre of Barcelona, reaching the casino by metro is straightforward, while taxis are plentiful around the Olympic Port.
What Do You Need to Enter the Tournament?
Players must have a PokerStars Live account to participate in EPT tournaments.
PokerStars recommends creating and verifying the account before arriving to avoid registration queues.
Players must also be at least 18 years old and bring a valid government-issued passport or ID.
There is another important consideration for players planning to use cash.
Casino Barcelona requires a Source of Funds declaration for cash transactions used for tournament or cash-game buy-ins. PokerStars recommends preparing the necessary documentation in advance.
For high rollers, this is particularly important because the festival includes €25,000, €50,000 and €100,000 events.
What Happens When You’re Not Playing?
This is where EPT Barcelona really separates itself from many other poker stops.
You are not trapped in a casino complex outside the city.
Casino Barcelona sits directly on the Mediterranean.
The Olympic Port has restaurants, bars and nightlife, while Barceloneta Beach is nearby. Central Barcelona can be reached quickly by metro or taxi.
PokerStars also organises off-the-felt activities around the festival, including wellness sessions, social events, entertainment and other activities for players and guests.
That creates a unique atmosphere.
A player can play Day 1 of the Main Event during the afternoon, go for dinner beside the sea, return for the evening session and then walk back to the hotel.
If they bust, there is an entire city waiting outside.
If they survive, Barcelona becomes the backdrop for the next six or seven days.
How Long Should You Stay?
For someone playing only the Main Event, a stay of around eight or nine nights makes sense.
The Main Event starts on August 22 and runs through August 29, so players who make a deep run could theoretically be in Barcelona for the entire week.
For players who want to explore the wider festival, staying from approximately August 20 through August 29 is even better.
That allows time for:
- PokerStars Cup
- PokerStars Open High Roller
- Main Event satellites
- EPT Super High Roller action
- EPT Main Event
- Mystery Bounty
- EPT High Roller
- Cash games
- Barcelona sightseeing and nightlife
For recreational players who qualify through a satellite, extending the trip can turn the tournament into a proper summer holiday.
Why EPT Barcelona Remains One of Poker’s Biggest Events
The appeal of EPT Barcelona cannot be explained by prize money alone.
Yes, there is the possibility of a €10 million-plus prize pool.
Yes, the winner could potentially take home well over €1 million.
Yes, some of the world’s best players will be competing for six- and seven-figure prizes.
But Barcelona offers something that few other major poker festivals can replicate.
It combines a genuinely elite poker tournament with a world-class holiday destination.
The event has history. It has enormous fields. It has satellites that allow ordinary players to dream about playing against the world’s best. It has €100,000 Super High Rollers. It has beaches, restaurants, nightlife and Mediterranean weather.
And it has produced some extraordinary champions.
Alexander Stevic started the story in 2004 with an €80,000 victory.
Giuliano Bendinelli turned one big blind into €1.49 million.
Stephen Song survived a volatile final table to win more than €1.29 million.
Thomas Eychenne became the latest champion after navigating more than 2,000 entries in 2025.
Now Barcelona is ready for another chapter.
EPT Barcelona 2026: The Bottom Line
Dates: August 16–29, 2026
Venue: Casino Barcelona, Port Olímpic
Main Event: €5,300
Main Event dates: August 22–29
PokerStars Open Main Event: €1,650
PokerStars Cup: €825
EPT Mystery Bounty: €3,250
EPT High Roller: €10,300
EPT Super High Roller: €100,000
Minimum age: 18
Airport: Barcelona-El Prat
Nearest metro: Ciutadella | Vila Olímpica
The final 2026 Main Event prize pool will only become known once registration closes, but recent history makes the scale easy to appreciate. The 2024 event produced €9.58 million in prize money from 1,975 entries, while 2025 reached €9.92 million from 2,045 entries.
If Barcelona continues its extraordinary growth, another massive field is almost inevitable.
And perhaps that is the best way to describe EPT Barcelona.
It is not simply another stop on the European Poker Tour.
It is where the EPT started, where some of its biggest tournaments have been played and where thousands of players return every summer chasing the same dream: turning one poker tournament into the biggest score of their lives.
In 2026, the next chapter begins on August 16.
And somewhere inside Casino Barcelona, one player will eventually sit down at the final table knowing that they are only a few hands away from becoming the newest name on one of European poker’s most prestigious trophy lists.