A razor‑thin lead, an elite field, and a decision in paradise. The race for the title of “WSOP Player of the Year” is hard to beat for excitement.
From 2 to 17 December, the World Series of Poker Paradise 2026 will be played. Twenty bracelet events and $120 million guaranteed attract players to the Bahamas. It’s a fitting conclusion to a fantastic year. Beyond the prize money and bracelets, ranking points are also at stake.
The title of “WSOP Player of the Year” will be decided this year across the three live festivals. After WSOP Europe and the WSOP in Las Vegas, Shaun Deeb currently leads the field. But his 3,410 ranking points are only a very narrow lead. Naoya Kihara (3,388 pts) and Alex Foxen (3,381 pts) still have good chances to decide the title in their favour.
Justin Liberto, Joshua Arieh, Daniel Negreanu, Jesse Lonis, Eelis Paerssinen, Michael Moncek, Joshua Reichard, Benny Glaser, Nick Schulman, Calvin Anderson, Martin Zamani, and poker world champion Lucas Jumalon. The chasing field is packed with well‑known names, and every player has fought hard for their position.
“WSOP Paradise is the perfect setting for a dramatic finish to the year. I’m sitting a few hundred points back, but with big points available in the Bahamas, capturing a third Player of the Year title is absolutely within striking distance. It all comes down to how I perform in the season finale,” said Daniel Negreanu.
The eight‑time bracelet winner is not the only one playing for his third WSOP PotY title. For Shaun Deeb, it would also be title #3. On top of that, Deeb would be the first player to defend this prestigious title.
Along with the Binion Cup, a $100K Paradise Package awaits the winner. The same tournament package will go to the players in places #2 and #3. In total, prizes with a combined value of $1,000,000 will be distributed among the top 100.
Another $1,000,000 is at stake in the Ultimate WSOP Parlay promotion. Anyone who has already achieved a WSOP success can secure a bonus of up to $500,000 at WSOP Paradise.
Anyone who wants to be there at WSOP Paradise in December can find qualification opportunities around the clock on GGPoker. With the WSOP Express, there are four stages to secure a seat at the table. Qualification starts from just $0.50.
2026 World Series of Poker Paradise
Date: December 2–17
Location: Baha Mar, Nassau
Bracelet Events: 20
Prize Pool: $120,000,000 GTD
Satellites: on GGPoker
Website: wsop.com/paradise
–> WSOP Paradise 2026 Full Schedule
Top 15 WSOP 2026 POY Leaderboard – Current Standings
| Rank | Player | Country | Points | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shaun Deeb | USA | 3,410 | $100K Paradise Package |
| 2 | Naoya Kihara | Japan | 3,388 | $100K Paradise Package |
| 3 | Alex Foxen | USA | 3,381 | $100K Paradise Package |
| 4 | Justin Liberto | USA | 2,827 | $30K Super Main Event Package |
| 5 | Joshua Arieh | USA | 2,750 | $30K Super Main Event Package |
| 6 | Daniel Negreanu | Canada | 2,698 | $30K Super Main Event Package |
| 7 | Jesse Lonis | USA | 2,674 | $30K Super Main Event Package |
| 8 | Eelis Paerssinen | Finland | 2,638 | $30K Super Main Event Package |
| 9 | Michael Moncek | USA | 2,592 | $30K Super Main Event Package |
| 10 | Joshua Reichard | USA | 2,575 | $30K Super Main Event Package |
| 11 | Benny Glaser | United Kingdom | 2,554 | $30K Super Main Event Package |
| 12 | Nicholas Schulman | USA | 2,552 | $30K Super Main Event Package |
| 13 | Calvin Anderson | Mexico | 2,365 | $30K Super Main Event Package |
| 14 | Martin Zamani | USA | 2,280 | $30K Super Main Event Package |
| 15 | Lucas Jumalon | USA | 2,271 | $30K Super Main Event Package |
