The four day 1 starting flights are in the books for the 2026 World Series of Poker main event, and this year’s world championship is already guaranteed to be at least the seventh-largest field ever in the tournament’s 57-year history.
There have already been 8,077 entries made in this year’s big dance, with late registration open through the first two levels for day 2ABC (Monday, July 6) and day 2D (Tuesday, July 7).
It takes just 492 more entries to eclipse the 2019 field of 8,569 players. That goal seems within reach, as 1,041 players entered on day 2 in 2025. A comparable showing this time around would leave the field as the fourth-largest yet. The top turnout remains the 10,112 entries made in 2024.
2026 Not Likely To Top 2025’s Numbers
Michael Mizrachi
Last year’s no-limit hold’em world championship attracted a total of 8,694 entries across its four Day 1 flights.
The 2025 WSOP main event finished with 9,735 players, making for a $90,535,500 prize pool. Michael Mizrachi emerged victorious in the end, capping off a legendary summer that also saw him win his record fourth $50,000 Poker Players Championship title. Mizrachi secured $10,000,000 and his eighth bracelet in the main event and has since earned his ninth.
For this year’s main event to outstrip last year’s, 1,658 players would need to show up during the day 2 registration period.
Each buy-in contributes $9,300 to the prize pool, which already eclipses $75.1 million in 2026. Expect that total to grow considerably by the time registration closes for good on July 7.
The four starting flights completed so far in 2026 looked as follows when compared with last year’s podium showing:
Day 1A – 772 (down 16.4 percent from 923 in 2025)
Day 1B – 1,038 (down 5.3 percent from 1,096 in 2025)
Day 1C – 1,573 (down 6.3 percent from 1,678 in 2025)
Day 1D – 4,694 (down 6.1 percent from 4,997 in 2025)
Total 2026 Day 1 Turnout: 8,077 entries (down 7.1% from 8,694 in 2025)
Here is a look at the ten largest WSOP main events of all time (by field):
| Year | Champion | Entries | Prize Pool | Top Payout |
| 2024 | Jonathan Tamayo | 10,112 | $94,041,600 | $10,000,000 |
| 2023 | Daniel Weinman | 10,043 | $93,399,900 | $12,100,000 |
| 2025 | Michael Mizrachi | 9,735 | $90,535,500 | $10,000,000 |
| 2006 | Jamie Gold | 8,773 | $82,512,162 | $12,000,000 |
| 2022 | Espen Jorstad | 8,663 | $80,782,475 | $10,000,000 |
| 2019 | Hossein Ensan | 8,569 | $80,548,600 | $10,000,000 |
| 2026 | TBD | 8,077 and counting | TBD | TBD |
| 2018 | John Cynn | 7,874 | $74,015,600 | $8,800,000 |
| 2010 | Jonathan Duhamel | 7,319 | $68,798,600 | $8,944,310 |
| 2017 | Scott Blumstein | 7,221 | $67,877,400 | $8,150,000 |
| 2011 | Pius Heinz | 6,865 | $64,531,000 | $8,715,638 |
Photo credits: WSOP, PokerGO
