Royal Dublin Society Hosts the Action From March 26 to April 6
The 2026 Irish Open is taking over the Royal Dublin Society in Ballsbridge for 12 days of tournament poker, cash games, and side events, running March 26 through April 6. Co-sponsored by PokerStars and PaddyPower, the festival spans 86 tournaments, up 17 from last year, making it the biggest poker festival in Europe this year.
The RDS venue runs 24/7 for the duration. A dedicated cash game area with 50-plus tables has its own bar and food station and never closes. At peak capacity, at least 280 poker tables will be in play across a footprint roughly the size of a football field, with the Main Hall handling the bulk of tournament action and Hall 2 opening as additional space from Tuesday, March 31.
Flagship Events and Guarantees
| Tournament | Guarantee | Dates | Flights | Re-Entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main Event | €2,500,000 | March 29 – April 6 | 5 | Single per flight |
| Mini Irish Open | €1,000,000 | March 26 – April 6 | 14 | Unlimited |
| Luxon Pay Mystery Bounty | €1,000,000 | March 26 – 31 | 4 | Single per flight |
| Super High Roller | €10,000 buy-in | April 1 – 2 | – | Unlimited |
| Ladies High Roller | €1,150 buy-in | April 5 – 6 | – | Single |
| Deaf Championship | €200 buy-in | March 26 – March 28 | – | Single |
The Main Event carries a €2.5 million guarantee across five starting flights beginning March 29, with the final table playing out on Monday, April 6. Each flight allows a single re-entry.
The Luxon Pay Mystery Bounty, which made its festival debut in 2025, fires first on the schedule at noon on March 26. The Mini Irish Open opens the same day across a record 14 starting flights, with unlimited re-entries available throughout the festival.
Players looking to satellite into the Main Event can qualify online via PokerStars, Paddy Power, or the iPoker network. A total of 17 live satellites for the Main Event will run at the RDS from March 29 to April 4. Additional satellites will also take place for the Luxon Pay Mystery Bounty and the various High Roller tournaments. All live satellites use a milestone format, awarding seats once a player reaches either 50,000 or 100,000 chips depending on the buy-in. In 2025, more than 1,300 players punched their tickets to the Main Event through online satellites.
New Formats and Added Events
The 2026 schedule introduces a range of formats, several of which have never been played competitively in Ireland. New arrivals include Kings and Queens, Cuatro Knockouts, Old Dogs and Young Pups, the Sviten Special, Flip and Go, a Shoot-out Championship, and a Triathlon Championship.
The festival is also running a dedicated track for deaf players framed as a "festival within a festival," anchored by the €200 Deaf Championship. Other new additions include a Ladies High Roller, a Mixed 8-Game Championship High Roller, a PLO Five Card event, and the returning APAT Championship.
Registration and Payment
The registration desk opens at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 26. Photo ID is required for all registrations.
Luxon Pay is the official payment provider. European players can pre-register for all 86 tournaments online in advance through their Luxon Pay account by logging in, clicking Shop, and navigating to Irish Open tournaments. Re-entering on the same day is straightforward: open the previous transaction and select "send again," or return to the tournament list and click "re-enter," then collect a new seat assignment at the registration desk.
Players can also register through the PokerStars client or, for the Main Event only, via a Paddy Power account. On-site registration is available for those paying with cash, including USD, CAD, and GBP sterling, or a bank debit card. Credit cards and Amex are not accepted. Wire transfers to the cage carry a €10,000 minimum.
Late registration is open for the first eight levels on most tournaments. For the Main Event and Mini Irish Open, late reg extends through the first ten levels.
The PokerStars Live app handles tournament registration, cash game table management, live clock updates, seat draw information, and real-time entrant counts. Players can create a profile in advance and check in on arrival by scanning a QR code.
Luxon Pay is also running a Main Event seat raffle throughout the festival. Any player who buys into a tournament using their Luxon Pay account between March 26 and April 2 is entered. Four separate draws cover different buy-in windows, each awarding a €1,150 Main Event seat.
Cash Games
The dedicated cash game area runs around the clock with 50-plus tables, an automated registration system, its own bar, and a tea, coffee, and food station. Any variant is available subject to demand, with games starting at €1/€2 NLH and PLO. Chip transfers to the cage are supported directly via Luxon Pay under the "Irish Open chip transfers" option in the account’s Shop section. Winnings can be paid out as a combination of funds to a Luxon Pay account and cash.
Broadcast
Live stream coverage begins Friday, April 3 and runs through the Main Event final table on Monday, April 6. James Hartigan and Joe Stapleton anchor the broadcast alongside PokerStars Team Pro Nick Walsh and 2017 Irish Open champion Griffin Benger, with Irish poker personalities expected to join throughout. The stream airs on the PokerStars YouTube channel, PokerStars Twitch, the PokerStars LIVE Facebook page, and the Irish Open YouTube channel.
Getting There
The Aircoach Route 702/703 connects Dublin Airport directly to Merrion Road outside the RDS in roughly 30 to 40 minutes, with fares running approximately €8 to €13 each way. Taxis from the airport take around 20 to 30 minutes and cost approximately €30 to €40. On-site parking at the RDS is available 24 hours at €10 per day.
Hotels near the venue are expected to sell out well in advance. The Herbert Park Hotel and Clayton Ballsbridge are the closest properties to the RDS. Dublin may also see heavier-than-usual demand around March 31 if Ireland advances to the World Cup play-off final. Early booking is advised. The official travel partner is MainEventTravel.com.
