PokerStars has officially announced the 2026 edition of its PokerStars Live League, bringing back a season-long leaderboard contest across its European live events calendar. With more than €250,000 in total prizes on offer, the league rewards consistent performance and high-volume play at every major stop throughout the year.
The league spans all European PokerStars live events, including European Poker Tour (EPT) festivals, PokerStars Opens, and the PokerStars-sponsored Irish Open. Players earn points based on their performance at each event, with the first chance to score points coming at PokerStars Open Campione, running now through February 1 at Casinò di Campione.
“We’re thrilled to launch the second edition of the PokerStars Live League and give players another shot at the leaderboard titles,” said Willie Elliot, PokerStars Live Events Customer Engagement Manager. “It adds a season-long challenge to every event, giving our community something extra to chase from the first tournament of the year all the way to the finale.”
Three Leaderboards, One Season-Long Race
The 2026 league maintains the three-tier structure from last year, based on buy-in level: High, Medium, and Low. Across the tiers, a total of €157,500 in PokerStars LIVE credit will be awarded to the top three players in each category:
High Tier (€4,900+ buy-ins)
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1st: €50,000 LIVE credit
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2nd: €25,000
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3rd: €12,500
Medium Tier (€1,000–€5,500 buy-ins)
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1st: €25,000
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2nd: €12,500
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3rd: €6,250
Low Tier (€1,200 and below)
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1st: €15,000
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2nd: €7,500
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3rd: €3,750
New for 2026, the top 30 finishers in each tier will also qualify for a special live freeroll with a €100,000 prize pool at the first EPT of 2027.
Updated Points System
Leaderboard points are awarded based on tournament buy-in, field size, and finishing position. Players earn points whether or not they cash, with in-the-money finishes using a formula tied to Global Poker Index rankings, now with slight adjustments.
The 2026 system places more emphasis on final-table appearances and tournament victories compared to the previous year. Buy-in ranges have also been tweaked: €1,000–€1,200 events count for both Low and Medium leaderboards, while tournaments priced €4,900–€5,500 now award points for both Medium and High tiers.
Setting the Benchmark
The inaugural PokerStars Live League in 2025 produced tight leaderboard battles. Enrico Camosci topped the High Tier with 4,025 points, followed by Klemens Roiter and Aleksejs Ponakovs. Gerard Rubiralta Cortes claimed the Medium Tier ahead of Petre Ionescu and PokerStars ambassador Kenny Hallaert. Steinn Thanh Du Karlsson won the Low leaderboard, with Andreas Froehli and David Docherty rounding out the podium.
Players can track their leaderboard standings throughout the year via the PokerStars Live app, with live updates starting at PokerStars Open Campione.
The 2026 PokerStars Live League promises a full year of competitive excitement, rewarding skill, consistency, and dedication across Europe’s premier poker stages.
