PokerStars has confirmed dates for the 2026 World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP), which will run from September 6 to 30. The operator said the 2026 schedule marks the 25th edition of the online tournament series.
Ahead of the main series, PokerStars will run the third edition of “WCOOP Boot Camp” from August 2-17. The warm-up series includes 65 events across low and high buy-in tiers with more than $6.5 million guaranteed, with formats listed as NLHE, 8-Game, HORSE, PKO, and Mystery Bounty. Buy-ins range from $2.20 to $1,050, with satellites starting at $0.55.
PokerStars said the Boot Camp series will culminate on August 16 with two Main Events: the $109 NLHE Main Event Low with a $500,000 guaranteed prize pool, and the $1,050 NLHE Main Event High with a $300,000 guarantee.
As part of Boot Camp, PokerStars is again partnering with BBZ Poker for free coaching sessions on the BBZ Discord server from July 31 to August 14, held every Friday at 1pm CEST.
BBZ Poker founder Jordan “bigbluffzinc” Drummond said: “We’re excited to be partnering with PokerStars again. Our team of coaches is thrilled to play their role in preparing everyone for an incredible 2026 WCOOP Boot Camp series,” while PokerStars Ambassador Ben ‘Spraggy’ Spragg added: “Every amazing run I’ve had, including winning a WCOOP title, has come from preparation and putting the work in beforehand – reviewing hands, challenging decisions and constantly looking for small improvements. That’s exactly what WCOOP Boot Camp is about. It’s a chance to sharpen your game, build confidence, and arrive at WCOOP knowing you’ve done everything you can to give yourself an edge.”
Separately, PokerStars is also running a 20th anniversary edition of Sunday Million as a 10-week phased tournament with a $5 million guaranteed prize pool. Daily $109 Heats (Phase 1) are running through to the Finals (Phase 2) on September 6, with additional qualification routes including the Ticket Machine, satellites from $0.55, and “special edition Spin & Go’s” from $0.75. PokerStars said full WCOOP details and qualification routes will be released in the coming weeks.
