PokerStars Live Set for Hot, Spanish Summer with Festivals in Málaga, Barcelona

PokerStars is making Spain the ultimate destination for European poker players this summer with two huge festivals.

The mid-stakes PokerStars Open returns to Málaga June 22-28, 2026, with the monster European Poker Tour Barcelona kicking off the very next month from Aug. 16-29, 2026.

PokerStars Open Málaga offers a viable alternative for European poker players looking to avoid the long journey to Las Vegas for the World Series of Poker.

Meanwhile, EPT Barcelona is one of the biggest poker events in the world, and it’s possible to play the WSOP, take a few weeks off, and then head to sunny Spain for premier poker action.

PokerStars Returns to Andalusia for Málaga Event

Spain has always been a stronghold for PokerStars, and the company is looking to build on a successful first outing in Málaga.

In 2025, PokerStars Open Málaga debuted with 12 events and attracted thousands of entries, awarding millions in prize money. In the end, Manuel Ferrari outlasted 1,636 in the €1,100 buy-in main event to take down €206,300.

PokerStars has a long history in Spain, dating back to 2004 with the first edition of EPT Barcelona. The now-defunct PokerStars Estrellas tour featured stops in Spain, including Madrid, Valencia, Ibiza, San Sebastián, Alicante, Castellón, and Málaga.

Starting in 2025, PokerStars replaced the smaller regional tours with a unified PokerStars Open tour, where players can earn points to compete on overall leaderboards and win awards.

The full schedule for the 2026 PokerStars Open Málaga has yet to be revealed, but it’s safe to say the €1 million guaranteed main event will likely return.

EPT Barcelona Set to Dominate August

EPT Barcelona is arguably the crown jewel of the European Poker Tour, and it didn’t disappoint last year with a packed high roller event, a new PokerStars Open event, and millions of dollars in prize money.

Although EPT Barcelona takes place shortly after the WSOP ends, which no doubt affects participation by North American players, it has carved out a niche as the premier poker festival in August.

The €5,300 buy-in main event consistently attracts more than 2,000 entries, and the first-place prize is always well over a million euros. Last year, a French poker pro outlasted 2,045 entries to earn a first-place prize of €1.4 million.

The full schedule for EPT Barcelona has yet to be released, but some important dates are available on the EPT website. It’s worth noting how PokerStars separated the Open events from EPT tournaments:

PokerStars Live Kicks Off Later This Month With EPT Paris

While PokerStars isn’t heading to Spain until this summer, there’s a significant event on the schedule for later this month.

EPT Paris is set to run Feb. 18-March 1, 2026, at Le Palais des Congrès. That’s particularly noteworthy because last year the event was cancelled due to regulatory issues.

Longtime poker vet Barny Boatman won the 2024 EPT Paris main event for $1.38 million in spectacular fashion. By winning the tournament, he became the oldest EPT winner at 68. Thanks to the 2025 edition getting cancelled, he’s still the reigning French champion.

Here’s a look at the 2026 PokerStars Live schedule as it currently stands