PokerStars Live League Returns in 2026 With €250,000 in Prizes
PokerStars has confirmed the return of the PokerStars Live League for 2026, once again adding a season-long leaderboard race across its European live events calendar. With more than €250,000 in total prizes on offer, the league rewards consistency and volume across the year, with points available at every major stop.
The PokerStars Live League runs across all European PokerStars live events, including European Poker Tour (EPT) festivals, PokerStars Opens, and the PokerStars-sponsored Irish Open.
Players earn points throughout the year based on performance, with the first opportunity to get on the board coming at PokerStars Open Campione, which began today and runs through to February 1 at Casinò di Campione.
“We’re excited to bring back the PokerStars Live League for its second edition and give our players another go at claiming the leaderboard titles,” said Willie Elliot, PokerStars Live Events Customer Engagement Manager.
“The league adds a season-long edge to every stop on the calendar and gives the community something extra to chase from the first event of the year right through to the finale.”
Three Leaderboards, One Season-Long Race
As with last year, the league is split into three tiers based on buy-in level: High, Medium, and Low. Across the three leaderboards, a total of €157,500 in PokerStars LIVE credit will be awarded to the top three finishers in each category.
High Tier
- Eligible events: €4,900 buy-in and above
- First place: €50,000 PokerStars LIVE credit
- Second place: €25,000
- Third place: €12,500
Medium Tier
- Eligible events: €1,000 to €5,500 buy-in
- First place: €25,000
- Second place: €12,500
- Third place: €6,250
Low Tier
- Eligible events: €1,200 buy-in and below
- First place: €15,000
- Second place: €7,500
- Third place: €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, set to take place at the first EPT of 2027.
Updated Points System for 2026
Leaderboard points are awarded based on three factors:
- Tournament buy-in
- Field size
- Finishing position
Players earn points whether or not they cash, while in-the-money finishes use a formula based on Global Poker Index rankings, with minor adjustments.
For 2026, PokerStars has tweaked the system to place greater emphasis on final-table appearances and tournament wins compared to the 2025 edition.
Buy-in ranges have also been adjusted so that events in the €1,000 to €1,200 range count toward both the Low and Medium leaderboards, while tournaments priced between €4,900 and €5,500 award points for both Medium and High tiers.
Last Year’s Champions Set the Benchmark
The inaugural PokerStars Live League produced tight races across all three tiers in 2025, with the final stop of the year — PokerStars Open Cannes — proving decisive in the final standings.
Enrico Camosci claimed the High Leaderboard with 4,025 points, edging out Klemens Roiter, while Aleksejs Ponakovs finished third.
Spain's Gerard Rubiralta Cortes topped the Medium Leaderboard ahead of Petre Ionescu and PokerStars ambassador Kenny Hallaert.
In the Low category, Steinn Thanh Du Karlsson secured first place, followed by Andreas Froehli and David Docherty.
Players can track their progress and monitor the leaderboard races throughout the year via the PokerStars Live app, with live updates available from PokerStars Open Campione onward.
