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Who Will Win the 2026 $25,000 Heads Up No-Limit Hold'em Championship?
It's almost time for the semifinals in Event #7: $25,000 Heads Up No-Limit Hold'em Championship at the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP), an event that, unlike any other, tests poker players on their ability to close out.
Just four players remain in the event that drew 128 runners for a prize pool of $3 million, leaving two matchups before a final round that will award a bracelet and $800,000. Japan's Ryuta Nakai and Russia's Nikita Kuznetsov will both be battling for a first bracelet, while all eyes will be on Dimitar Danchev battling Alex Foxen as the American pro looks for his fourth bracelet.
Foxen will have his work cut out for him on Day 3 as Danchev sits third on Bulgaria's all-time money list with $10.5 million in Hendon Mob earnings, and a victory would push him into second place.
Nakai, meanwhile, will look to add to his $2.5 million in live earnings, as Kuznetsov looks to bring six figures back to the homeland and add to his $4.5 million in earnings.
With the matchups already formed, Day 3 will get underway at 3:30 p.m. local time, with players returning with 4,800,000 in chips and blinds of 40,000/80,000.
$25,000 Heads-Up Championship Remaining Payouts
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $800,000 | ||
| 2 | $528,000 | ||
| 3 | $300,000 | ||
| 4 | $300,000 |
All four players are guaranteed a payday of at least $300,000, and they could ladder up to $528,000 with a runner-up finish.
Stay tuned as the PokerNews live reporting team is on-site and ready to see out the $25,000 Heads-Up Championship. Check out the live reporting hub for other 2026 WSOP highlights.