button in SafariIrish Open Heads to Marrakech With 36 Events and PokerNews Live Coverage
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The Irish Open is taking its show on the road, and Marrakech is the next destination as the long-running poker festival continues its international expansion.
From November 10-15, the Casino de Marrakech in Morocco will host the second stop of the Irish Open's 2026 international tour, with 36 events scheduled across six days. Buy-ins range from approximately €140 to €3,000.
The festival follows the Irish Open's announcement in April that it would expand beyond Dublin for the first time in its 46-year history, with international stops planned for Sydney, Marrakech and the United States.
The headliner of the Marrakech schedule is the €1,155 Irish Open Main Event, which features four starting flights and a €500,000 guarantee announced when the international tour was unveiled.
PokerNews will be on-site providing live reporting throughout the Main Event, bringing readers chip counts, key hands, eliminations and updates from the tournament floor as the field plays down to a champion.
IO Marrakech Full Schedule
The Marrakech festival marks another step in the Irish Open's plans to take its long-established Dublin event to players around the world.
The expansion was announced during April's Irish Open in Dublin, with Sydney hosting the first international stop in September and a United States debut planned for 2027.
Irish Open co-owner JP McCann previously explained that taking the festival global had been an ambition for more than a decade, with the organisers hoping to build the brand further ahead of its 50th anniversary in 2030.
Four Starting Flights for the Irish Open Marrakech Main Event
The Main Event gets underway at noon on Wednesday, November 11, with the first of four starting flights.
Players begin with 50,000 chips, while the opening three flights feature 40-minute levels. Day 1D, scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday, November 13, offers a faster route into Day 2 with its turbo structure.
Survivors from all four flights will combine at 1 p.m. on Saturday, November 14, before the tournament reaches its conclusion on Sunday, November 15.
There are also ten Main Event satellites scheduled throughout the festival, with buy-ins starting at approximately €140, giving players several opportunities to qualify for less.
High Rollers, Mixed Games and a North African First
There's plenty happening away from the Main Event, with the festival opening on November 10 with the €350 Hendon Mob Championship.
The tournament will be the first Hendon Mob Championship held in North Africa, following previous editions in South African cities including Cape Town and Johannesburg.
Higher-stakes players have two major tournaments to choose from. The €2,200 NLH High Roller begins on November 10, while the €3,000 Super High Roller gets underway on November 14, with both events running over two days.
The popular Mini Irish Open also makes the journey to Marrakech, with its €350 edition beginning on November 14. Other highlights include the €350 Africa's Cup, €550 Marrakech Cup, €250 Ladies Championship and €350 Seniors Championship.
PLO players haven't been forgotten either, with a 4/5/6 Card tournament, a two-day PLO event and a 6-Max Turbo all on the schedule.
For those who prefer No-Limit Hold'em, there are mystery bounties, progressive knockouts, freezeouts and plenty of turbo tournaments. The festival will also introduce the Irish Open's first NLH DeepStack Supersonic event, which features a 50,000 starting stack and 15-minute levels.
The full schedule and further festival information are available on the official Irish Open website.
