WSOP Returns to ESPN With Live Main Event Coverage

WSOP is taking its Main Event back to ESPN in 2026 under a new multi year agreement. Coverage starts July 2 and will run across ESPN platforms with a live three night finish in early August.

Good to Know

• ESPN will air about 100 hours of original WSOP programming each year.
• Main Event coverage starts with Day 1A on July 2.
• Final table play pauses on July 13, then resumes live from August 3 to August 5.

ESPN Gets WSOP Back With a Bigger Main Event TV Plan

Instead of saving the biggest change for the end, WSOP is building the whole broadcast around the Main Event from the first hand. Under the new deal, every tournament day gets at least six hours of programming. That gives poker fans far more than highlight packages. It also gives ESPN a steady summer sports property with daily storylines, player profiles, chip swings, bad beats, and table drama.

A big twist comes once the final table is set. Play will stop on July 13, then restart 20 days later for a live finale on August 3, 4, and 5 from 9 p.m. to midnight EST. During that gap, ESPN plans to air curated prime time episodes that introduce the finalists and build interest before cards go back in the air. For poker, that means more time to turn finalists into known names rather than just chip counts.

WSOP is also trying to lift production quality closer to what fans expect from major league sports. Omaha Productions is part of that plan. The company is known for projects including Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli, plus Netflix shows like Quarterback and Receiver. In poker terms, that could mean a stronger mix of live action, player background, pressure moments, and cleaner storytelling around the Main Event final table. ESPN announced the agreement on Thursday, while WSOP framed it as part of a broader push under current owner NSUS Group.

For WSOP, timing matters here. The brand changed hands in late 2024 when Caesars closed the sale of WSOP intellectual property rights to NSUS Group for $500 million, while Ty Stewart stayed on as CEO. Bringing the Main Event back to ESPN now fits that new ownership phase and the goal of putting poker in front of a wider mainstream audience again. ESPN also has history with WSOP, dating back decades, so the network gives the series familiar ground plus broader reach.

Ty Stewart, CEO of the WSOP, said: “The World Series of Poker is a global phenomenon that transcends the gaming category, and our goal is to bring it to the widest possible audience. Returning to ESPN – the home of our most iconic moments since 1987 – allows us to showcase the human drama of the Main Event like never before. With our new ownership’s commitment to growth, this is the perfect time to bring the ‘World Championship’ back to the biggest stage in sports.”

Ashley O’Connor, Vice President, Programming & Acquisitions at ESPN, said: “We’re proud to welcome the World Series of Poker back to ESPN. Poker is filled with unexpected storylines, and nobody is better equipped to showcase the stories that unfold throughout a tournament more than ESPN. Bringing the WSOP back reflects our continued commitment to delivering premium competition and that connects with fans in new and exciting ways.”

From an iGaming and poker business angle, the value goes beyond television. More live coverage can lift interest in online satellites, poker content, brand partnerships, and cross platform engagement around the WSOP Main Event. It also gives casual viewers a simpler entry point into No Limit Holdem, which still works best on television when production makes stack pressure, player reads, and elimination spots easy to follow. That wider exposure has long mattered for poker traffic, and WSOP clearly wants that effect again.

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