PokerStars Release 2027 European Poker Tour Schedule

The poker calendar, that used to be centered around PokerStars and their many live events, is now a little more open to other operators in the market, leaving ‘Stars to jostle for position alongside behemoths of the industry like WSOP and GGPoker, who own the World Series of Poker brand too.

Buy-Ins Change as Stars Listen to Players

“The EPT has set the standard in live poker for more than 20 years, and our job is to raise it.”

PokerStars have listened to player feedback a lot in the period since Joe Stapleton left the brand and effectively transferred to the World Series of Poker (WSOP). The calendar for events across the 2027 European Poker Tour (EPT) season now features five premier festival stops alongside many more regional destinations, of which three have been confirmed.

The biggest change this season is that for the first time in a decade and a half, the buy-in for each EPT Main Event has decreased from €5,300 to just €5,000. Those changes won’t be in place before the 2026 EPT Prague festival, but players can expect to see all the 2027 fall into line with the entry fees.

“The EPT has set the standard in live poker for more than 20 years, and our job is to raise it,” said Cedric Billot, the Associate Director of Live Events at PokerStars. “That starts with listening. Players told us the PokerStars Open at EPT stops had become too expensive, and €1,250 [for regional events] brings it back within reach while still letting us manage demand in our busiest venues. One consistent buy-in level for every PokerStars Open and a clean €5,000 for the EPT Main Event make the tour simpler to understand. This is only the start.”

Where is the EPT Heading in 2027?

The 2027 EPT schedule begins with a short trip to France for the returning EPT Paris Main Event and festival. The event, formerly won by British two-time WSOP winner Barny Boatman (below), will welcome players back to the French capital in February, with the series taking place between the 9^th and 20^th of that month.

From Paris, the European Poker Tour moves on to Monte Carlo, with the exclusive Monaco province turning host between April 21 and May 2 next year. The series takes place just a few weeks before the World Series of Poker is expected to kick off in Las Vegas, with WSOP Europe now moved to Spring, and likely to be between both the Paris and Monte Carlo stops of the EPT.

Barcelona is the cornerstone city of the European Poker Tour. Record attendances abound in the Catalan former Capital of Culture, and it is sure to be the most popular of the five stops on the 2027 EPT when it takes place after the summer break between August 15-28. Also looking to reel in thousands of entries is the returning EPT Malta festival, with Maltese poker fans welcoming the European Poker Tour back between September 28 and October 9 at the Hilton Malta in partnership with Portomaso Casino.

Finally, just as this year closes out with a trip to Prague, the EPT 2027 schedule ends in the Czech capital when the festival that makes everyone feel warm and fuzzy about either Thanksgiving or Christmas kicks off on November 28 and ends on December 9.

Regional Events to Boost Local Economies

As well as the main EPT tours, several other festivals will take place throughout the PokerStars season with an aim to bringing more and more players to regional stops, boosting the main tour too. So far, just three have been confirmed, but they are all exciting places to play poker.

The first PokerStars stop of the year isn’t in Paris, France but in Italy, as the stunning Lake Lugano plays backdrop duties to the PokerStars Open Campione between January 8-17. This is followed in March by one of the biggest events of the year, including EPTs. The Irish Open is always well attended and in 2027, will take place at the Royal Dublin Society in Dublin between March 18-29.

Finally, the inaugural PokerStars Open Namur takes place in Belgium between May 26-June 6, 2027 as a new location hopes to draw in what is a growing pool of Belgian players. In recent years, the country has produced stars at the felt, with former Tournament Director and WSOP Main Event finalist Kenny Hallaert and the popular high roller Thomas Boivin both hailing from the country.

PokerStars have reduced EPT Main Event buy-ins from €5,300 to €5,000 and standardized buy-ins to €1,250 across all PokerStars Open Main Event stops. In PokerStars Open High Roller events, the buy-ins have also been decreased to €2,500 at EPT festivals. Last year, Manuel Ferrari (below) heralded a signature year in his career as he took down the EPT Barcelona Main Event for $1.1 million.

With online satellites for the PokerStars Open Campione and the Irish Open already running on the PokerStars client, feeders into EPT Paris start from Sunday.

Here are all the European Poker Tour dates for your 2027 diary.