A record-breaking 5,003 entries made the 2026 Irish Open Main Event the largest in recent memory, producing a €4,852,910 prize pool at the Royal Dublin Society. Romania's Narcis Nedelcu outlasted the field to claim the title and €336,790.
Nedelcu entered through a PokerStars satellite at the €1,150 buy-in and brings serious credentials on both sides of the game: he recently won a SCOOP event online and has accumulated more than $2 million in live tournament earnings. He kept it simple after the win. "It's unbelievable," he said. "It's something so, so special that I can't describe it."
The last five players agreed to an ICM deal before continuing play for the trophy and an additional €70,227. Under the deal's structure, fifth-place finisher Oliver Gayko of Germany received €285,380, more than any player below Nedelcu. Runner-up Danilo Donnini of Italy earned €257,660.
Ireland's Daryl McAleenan collected €250,500, a prize that more than doubles his lifetime live tournament earnings. A long-time regular at this event, McAleenan has described the Irish Open as the one tournament smaller-stakes players are most likely to enter if they play just one event a year.
Francesco Gisolfi, a café worker from Salerno, Italy, qualified on PokerStars for €10. Sixth place paid €105,070.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Narcis Nedelcu | Romania | €336,790 |
| 2 | Danilo Donnini | Italy | €257,660 |
| 3 | Vasyl Palandiuk | Ukraine | €255,190 |
| 4 | Daryl McAleenan | Ireland | €250,500 |
| 5 | Oliver Gayko | Germany | €285,380 |
| 6 | Francesco Gisolfi | Italy | €105,070 |
| 7 | Isaac Barker | UK | €80,800 |
| 8 | Matthew Twomey | Ireland | €62,170 |
| 9 | Edward Dunphy | Ireland | €47,800 |
The 12-day festival ran March 26 through April 6 at the Royal Dublin Society, drawing players from 60 countries across 86 tournaments. The nine finalists represented six nations. The Main Event paid 736 spots; the minimum cash was €1,200, with payouts beginning on Day 2.
Several former champions exited before the final day: Dan Wilson in 27th (€15,870), Steve O'Dwyer in 16th (€24,120), and Weijie Zheng in 13th (€33,190).
The final four days were livestreamed across multiple channels, with James Hartigan, Joe Stapleton, PokerStars Team Pro Nick Walsh, and 2017 Irish Open champion Griffin Benger on commentary.
Irish Open Heads to Sydney and Beyond
This year's festival introduced the first-ever remote Day 1 for an Irish Open international event, tied to the inaugural Irish Open Sydney Main Event in September. The Sydney series runs at the Poker Palace with an AU$1,000,000 guarantee. The Irish Open is also set for Marrakech in November and the United States in 2027.
The Irish Open Afterparty, a new online series on PokerStars, runs April 12 to 20 with 69 events and more than $3 million in guarantees. Buy-ins range from $5.50 to $530.
