The Mediterranean Poker Party is returning to Cyprus this September, bringing 11 days of international poker action, major guaranteed prize pools and a packed tournament schedule to the newly renovated Merit Crystal Cove.
Running from September 17 to September 27, 2026, MPP 2026 is shaping up as one of the biggest live poker festivals of the autumn, with more than $10 million in guaranteed prize pools across the series. The festival combines several headline tournaments with a wide selection of side events, turbo formats, bounty tournaments and specialty games, giving players plenty of options throughout the 11-day schedule.
The festival will take place at the five-star, all-inclusive Merit Crystal Cove in North Cyprus, putting the poker action directly alongside the Mediterranean coastline. According to the organisers, the venue has been newly renovated for the 2026 edition, adding a premium resort experience to what is already a major stop on the international poker calendar.
A $10 Million Plus Poker Festival
The headline numbers immediately make MPP 2026 worth watching.
The schedule features several major tournaments with combined guarantees running into eight figures, led by the $5 million guaranteed Main Event. The Main Event carries a total buy-in of $5,400, made up of a $5,000 entry fee and a $400 fee, and comes with four starting flights before the tournament reaches Day 2.
The Main Event is not the only major attraction.
The festival opens with the Global Poker Championship, a $2,200 buy-in tournament carrying a $2 million guarantee. The event features four opening flights, including a turbo Day 1D, before the surviving players return for the final stages. Players begin with 100,000 chips, while the regular opening flights use 30-minute levels, with the final turbo flight moving to a 15-minute clock.
Another early highlight is the Luxon Pay Mystery Bounty, which features a $2,200 buy-in and a $500,000 guaranteed prize pool.
The tournament has three starting flights, including a turbo option, and combines traditional tournament poker with the additional excitement of mystery bounty prizes.
Later in the festival, players will also have the chance to compete in the Merit Poker Cup, which carries a $1 million guarantee from a $3,500 total buy-in.
The Mini Main Event offers a lower buy-in alternative while still providing a substantial $500,000 guarantee. At the top end of the schedule, the ONYX High Roller closes the festival with a $10,400 buy-in and a $500,000 guarantee.
The Global Poker Championship Gets Things Started
The first major tournament of MPP 2026 begins on September 17 with the Global Poker Championship.
Day 1A starts at noon, with Day 1B following at 6 PM. The tournament continues with Day 1C on September 18 before a turbo Day 1D begins at 8 PM that evening.
The structure gives players multiple opportunities to qualify for the later stages while maintaining a relatively deep opening structure. The first three flights use 30-minute levels, while the final flight switches to a 15-minute turbo format.
The starting stack is 100,000 chips, and late registration remains available during each starting flight. The final Day 2 is scheduled for September 19, with play continuing until the tournament reaches its final stages.
There is also a $1,100 Super Turbo scheduled for September 18, giving players another opportunity to get involved without committing to one of the festival’s larger buy-ins.
Mystery Bounty Adds Another Layer of Strategy
The Luxon Pay Mystery Bounty follows the Global Poker Championship and begins on September 19.
With a $500,000 guaranteed prize pool and a $2,200 buy-in, the tournament offers three starting flights: two regular flights and a turbo Day 1C.
Mystery Bounty tournaments add a completely different strategic element to the traditional tournament format. Players are not only fighting for their position in the main prize pool but also for the opportunity to collect mystery bounty rewards when eliminating opponents.
The tournament rules published by Merit Poker state that bounty amounts are determined according to the number of entries and the number of players remaining on Day 2. Players receive envelopes containing their mystery bounty prizes, while bounty tokens must be claimed before the tournament concludes.
The Mystery Bounty Final Day is scheduled for September 20.
Merit Poker Cup Brings a $1 Million Guarantee
The action continues with the Merit Poker Cup, which begins on September 20.
The tournament has a $3,500 buy-in and a $1 million guaranteed prize pool, with Day 1A starting at noon. Day 1B follows on September 21, giving players two opportunities to reach the money.
Both opening flights use 40-minute levels and a 100,000-chip starting stack.
The Merit Poker Cup reaches its Final Day on September 22, when the remaining players will compete for the title and the largest prizes.
The schedule also includes a 7-Handed Event starting on September 21, followed by its Final Day on September 22. The event has a $1,500 total buy-in and a 100,000-chip starting stack, offering a different format for players who prefer shorter-handed tables.
The Mini Main Event Offers a $500,000 Guarantee
September 22 introduces another important tournament for players looking for a more accessible entry point.
The Mini Main Event has a $1,650 total buy-in and a $500,000 guaranteed prize pool.
The tournament features two starting flights on September 22. Day 1A starts at 1 PM, followed by Day 1B at 6 PM.
Both flights use 20-minute levels and a 100,000-chip starting stack, with players reaching the money before advancing to the Final Day on September 23.
For players who want the atmosphere of a major festival without paying the $5,400 required for the Main Event, the Mini Main represents one of the most interesting options on the schedule.
The $5 Million Main Event Takes Centre Stage
The biggest tournament of MPP 2026 begins on September 23.
The Main Event carries a $5 million guarantee, making it the centrepiece of the entire festival.
The total buy-in is $5,400, while the starting stack is a substantial 200,000 chips. Day 1A begins at noon on September 23, with late registration remaining open until approximately 7:15 PM.
Day 1B follows on September 24, while Day 1C begins on September 25.
Players looking for one final opportunity to qualify will have access to Day 1D Turbo, which starts at 8 PM on September 25. The turbo flight uses 20-minute levels, compared with 40-minute levels in the regular opening flights.
The structure is particularly interesting for tournament specialists because the Main Event flights are scheduled to play down to the money.
According to Merit Poker’s tournament rules, Days 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D will play down to approximately the final 15% of the field, with all remaining players guaranteed a payout and advancing to Day 2.
Players are also allowed to enter multiple starting flights.
However, if a player qualifies for Day 2 with more than one stack, only the largest stack will continue playing. Any additional qualifying stack is removed from play, with the eliminated stack receiving the minimum cash payout if it has reached the money.
That format creates an interesting strategic option for players willing to fire multiple bullets. A player can potentially use an early flight to secure a relatively deep stack before taking another shot later in the schedule.
A 200,000-Chip Starting Stack
The Main Event’s 200,000 starting stack is another attractive feature.
Combined with the 40-minute levels used during the regular Day 1 flights, the structure is designed to give players plenty of room to maneuver during the early stages.
For players who prefer a slower and deeper approach, Day 1A, 1B and 1C are likely to be the preferred options.
The turbo Day 1D, on the other hand, provides a final opportunity for players who either arrived late in the festival or want to take a more aggressive route into Day 2.
Day 2 is scheduled for September 26 at 1 PM, with 60-minute levels, before the final day takes place on September 27.
Women’s Championship and Senior’s Event
MPP 2026 is not exclusively focused on its biggest buy-ins.
The festival also includes tournaments designed for specific player groups.
The Women’s Championship takes place on September 23 at 8 PM, with a $550 total buy-in and a 200,000-chip starting stack.
The following day, September 24, features a Senior’s Event for players aged 50 and over. The tournament has a $1,100 total buy-in, a 100,000-chip starting stack and begins at noon.
These events add variety to the schedule and give players opportunities to compete in fields built around different demographics and playing styles.
Plenty of Side Action
Players who bust one of the major events will not have to wait long for another tournament.
MPP 2026 includes a variety of side events, including a $1,100 Bounty Turbo, a $2,200 Deep Stack, a $1,650 Pot-Limit Omaha event and a $1,100 Double Board Bomb Pot.
The Double Board Bomb Pot is particularly different from the traditional No-Limit Hold’em events and should appeal to players looking for a more action-heavy format.
The festival also concludes with the Paradise Mystery Bounty, which starts on September 26 with three starting flights and continues into its Final Day on September 27. The tournament carries a $1,100 buy-in.
The ONYX High Roller Closes the Festival
The final major tournament of MPP 2026 is the ONYX High Roller.
Scheduled for September 27 at 1 PM, the tournament has a $10,400 buy-in, a $500,000 guaranteed prize pool and a massive 500,000-chip starting stack.
The event uses 30-minute levels and plays directly into the final day of the festival, creating an opportunity for high-stakes players to finish the series with one of its most prestigious tournaments.
With the Main Event Final Day also scheduled for 1 PM, September 27 will effectively become the climax of the entire festival, with major titles being decided across different levels of the schedule.
Early Bird Players Get a Stack Boost
One of the more interesting promotions at MPP 2026 is the Early Bird 10% Stack Boost.
Players who register before the start of an eligible tournament receive a 10% increase to their starting stack. For tournaments with multiple starting flights, the promotion applies specifically to Day 1A.
The promotion does not apply to satellites.
For the Main Event, that means a player registering before Day 1A could potentially start with 220,000 chips instead of 200,000.
In a deep-structured tournament, an additional 10% in starting chips can provide meaningful flexibility during the opening levels.
Special Tournament Rules
MPP also has several rules worth knowing before players arrive.
Major tournaments can begin as soon as 15 players are registered, while management reserves the right to make changes to structures and schedules if necessary.
The festival also uses a shot clock, which is implemented from the start of all tournaments according to the official schedule. Turbo Day 1s may also be played six-handed if capacity allows.
Main Event and High Roller players receive a Rabbit Hunting Card. The card can be used once during the tournament to see the remaining community cards after a hand has ended, but only by players who were involved in the hand.
Final-table rules are also strict. Electronic devices and personal items are not allowed on the final table, while deals are permitted only with management approval. Players are also prohibited from wearing promotional material or logos representing other poker clubs, institutions or organisations at the final table.
Accommodation at Merit Crystal Cove
One of the biggest selling points of MPP is that the poker festival is built around a resort experience.
The 2026 edition takes place at the newly renovated, all-inclusive Merit Crystal Cove, which combines the tournament venue with accommodation, restaurants, entertainment and leisure facilities.
The Merit Poker event page also advertises a free accommodation offer for eligible players, with players encouraged to contact the tournament team to check whether they qualify.
The venue is located around 6 kilometres from central Kyrenia and approximately 42 kilometres from Ercan Airport, making it relatively convenient for international visitors arriving for the festival.
For poker players travelling from Europe or the Middle East, the combination of a major tournament schedule and a five-star Mediterranean resort makes MPP a somewhat different proposition from a traditional poker festival held in a city-centre casino.
A Proven Destination for Major Poker Events
MPP is also benefiting from Merit Poker’s growing reputation as a destination for major international tournaments.
Recent festivals in North Cyprus have produced substantial fields and major payouts.
The 2025 Mediterranean Poker Party Main Event attracted 1,196 entries and generated a $5,740,800 prize pool from a $5,300 buy-in. Austria’s Daniel Thaller eventually won the tournament, taking $786,670 after a three-way deal at the final table. Romania’s Razvan Sabau also reached the final table and finished fourth for $316,000.
The 2024 edition was even larger.
The $5,300 Main Event attracted 1,260 entries, creating a $6,048,000 prize pool. Azamat Lamkov won the title and a $1 million first prize, while Romania’s Mihai Niste finished sixth for $170,000.
Those numbers provide an indication of the kind of field the 2026 Main Event could attract.
With the guarantee set at $5 million, the tournament would need roughly 926 entries at the $5,400 total buy-in to cover the guarantee before deductions and other considerations. The previous editions suggest that reaching and potentially exceeding the guarantee is a realistic possibility.
How Players Can Buy In
Players can buy into the MPP tournaments through Luxon Pay.
The official MPP website explains that players can create and verify a Luxon Pay account, fund it using their preferred payment method, select Mediterranean Poker Party from the platform’s Shop section and choose the tournament they want to enter.
After completing the purchase, players visit the Merit Casino desk upon arrival. Re-entries can also be purchased through the same system.
Satellites and live qualifiers provide another route into the larger events, potentially reducing the effective cost of playing tournaments such as the $5,400 Main Event.
What Makes MPP 2026 Stand Out
The biggest attraction of Mediterranean Poker Party 2026 is arguably the combination of scale and variety.
A player can arrive for the opening weekend and compete in the $2 million Global Poker Championship, switch to the Mystery Bounty, take a shot at the $1 million Merit Poker Cup, play the Mini Main Event and eventually enter the $5 million Main Event.
At the same time, the schedule offers turbo events, bounty formats, Pot-Limit Omaha, Double Board Bomb Pot, a Women’s Championship, a Senior’s Event and a $10,400 High Roller.
That makes MPP more than just a single flagship tournament. It is a complete poker festival designed to keep players at the tables for more than a week.
The combination of major guarantees, deep starting stacks, multiple starting flights and a five-star Mediterranean setting should make the 2026 edition particularly attractive to international players.
With the Main Event alone guaranteeing $5 million and the festival promising more than $10 million across the schedule, the Mediterranean Poker Party is set to be one of the major live poker destinations of September.
And with the final cards scheduled to be dealt on September 27, the stage is already set for an 11-day battle for trophies, major cashes and a place in the growing history of MPP.
For players looking for serious tournament poker without giving up the resort experience, Mediterranean Poker Party 2026 could be one of the most compelling stops on the live poker calendar this autumn.