button in SafariWill the 2026 CEP Barcelona Main Event Break Its Attendance Record Again?
The Barcelona stop of the Campeonato Espana de Poker (CEP) is always the tour's most popular, and that means a massive crowd is expected to again descend on the Casino Barcelona this August. Running from August 3-17, the CEP Barcelona marks the 20th anniversary of this long-running event.
A host of satellites to the Main Event, from July 27-31, serve as a way to warm up for the fortnight-long festival before the real fun and games begin.
CEP Barcelona August 2026 Key Dates
- €330 Opening Event: August 4-8
- €250 Mini CEP: August 8-10
- €660 Super Mystery Bounty: August 9-10
- €500 Main Event: August 10-17
- €1,000 High Roller: August 15-17
All the CEP Barcelona tournaments are expected to be well-attended, but everyone has their eye on the €500 buy-in CEP Barcelona Main Event. Three years ago, 1,960 players (including re-entries) bought in, setting a new record for the CEP.
Last year, a staggering 2,182 entries were processed, making it the largest-ever CEP Main Event in the Spanish tour's long history, and the first-ever CEP Main Event to surpass 2,000 entries.
That massive CEP Barcelona Main Event ended in a three-handed deal. Arnau Pradas bowed out in third and collected €60,225, with fellow Spaniard Marc Casamacchi losing heads-up but still receiving €72,900. Argentinian Matias Arroyo became the CEP Barcelona champion, earning a career-best €86,875. Those are incredible prizes considering the tournament's €500 buy-in.
| Rank | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matias Arroyo | Argentina | €86,875* |
| 2 | Marc Casamacchi | Spain | €72,900* |
| 3 | Arnau Pradas | Spain | €60,225* |
| 4 | Fernando Santamaria | Spain | €31,000 |
| 5 | Mehdi Rebaid | Tunisia | €25,000 |
| 6 | Robin Marault | France | €21,500 |
| 7 | Jordi Jimenez | Spain | €18,500 |
| 8 | Alexis Jihan Chagian | France | €16,000 |
| 9 | Juan Jose Oliva | Argentina | €13,700 |
*Reflects a three-handed deal
CEP Barcelona August 2026 Full Schedule
Expand the table below to reveal the full schedule of events, side events, and satellites taking place at the Casino Barcelona during the CEP. Those unfamiliar with Spain-based tournaments may be surprised by the later-than-usual start times.
If you're attending CEP Barcelona, you'll get plenty of time to sleep in or to explore the beautiful city of Barcelona before you hit the tables and try to emulate Arroyo's success.
The CEP Barcelona concludes just as the PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) Barcelona festival bursts into action. This year's EPT Barcelona runs from August 16-29. Like the CEP Barcelona Main Event, the EPT Barcelona Main Event will be something else.
Last year €5,300 EPT Barcelona Main Event saw Thomas Eychenne take home €1,217,175 after a heads-up deal with Sebastian Ionita (1,117,175). The 2,045-strong field created an impressive €9,918,250 prize pool, almost topping €10 million.
PokerNews will have more on EPT Barcelona in the coming days.
