Last Updated on September 21, 2026 by Bala Kumar
The World Poker Tour is making history in South Korea. Through official licensee Khartes and in partnership with INSPIRE Entertainment Resort in Incheon, the WPT has announced WPT Seoul, running October 30 through November 9, 2026. It’s the tour’s first-ever event branded under the Seoul name, and it arrives alongside the grand opening of INSPIRE’s brand-new second-floor entertainment complex.
The series will be held at the YY Poker Club, a purpose-built, 70-table room described as Asia’s newest and most prestigious poker venue, complete with a dedicated livestream studio for broadcasting final tables around the world.
Where It’s Happening
WPT Seoul takes place inside INSPIRE Entertainment Resort, home to South Korea’s largest foreigner-only casino, located directly adjacent to Incheon International Airport. The resort’s new second-floor entertainment space — opening in time for the festival — brings together three venues under one roof:
The New INSPIRE Entertainment Space
| YY Poker Club | 70-table poker room + livestream studio |
| Daia | Exclusive junket room |
| Ultra Lounge | Nightclub & premium bar |
Beyond the poker floor, INSPIRE is a full integrated resort: a 1,275-room five-star hotel across three towers, the 15,000-seat INSPIRE Arena, the indoor Splash Bay water attraction, Discovery Park, and INSPIRE Mall. One thing to flag for travelers — despite the “Seoul” branding, INSPIRE sits in Incheon, roughly two and a half hours by public transport from central Seoul neighborhoods like Myeongdong and Gangnam.
Schedule at a Glance
WPT Seoul packs 46 events into 11 days, with buy-ins designed to span the full range of bankrolls — from KRW 300,000 (about $203) up to KRW 8 million (about $5,415).
| Festival dates | Oct 30 – Nov 9, 2026 |
| Total events | 46 across 11 days |
| Buy-in range | KRW 300,000 – KRW 8,000,000 (~$203–$5,415) |
| Championship dates | Nov 5 – Nov 9, 2026 |
| Championship buy-in | KRW 1,750,000 (~$700) |
| Championship guarantee | KRW 1,000,000,000 (~$715,000) GTD |
| Venue | YY Poker Club, INSPIRE Entertainment Resort |
| Tournament director | Danny McDonagh |
The Main Event: WPT Seoul INSPIRE Championship
The centerpiece of the festival is the WPT Seoul INSPIRE Championship, running November 5–9. For a buy-in of KRW 1.75 million (roughly $700), the tournament guarantees a KRW 1 billion prize pool — about $715,000 — making it one of the most accessible seven-figure-guarantee events on the Asian circuit this year. The final table will be livestreamed globally from the YY Poker Club’s dedicated broadcast studio.
Championship Snapshot
| Event | WPT Seoul INSPIRE Championship |
| Dates | November 5–9, 2026 |
| Buy-in | KRW 1,750,000 (~$700) |
| Guarantee | KRW 1,000,000,000 (~$715,000) |
| Final table | Livestreamed worldwide |
Why the Debut Matters
The WPT isn’t new to Korea — WPT Prime Korea has run multiple times on Jeju Island, most recently in November 2025, and 2024 saw both a spring WPT Korea series and a WPT Korea Championship in November. But those events, along with series like the PokerStars Asia Pacific Poker Tour Korea and Triton Jeju, have clustered on Jeju Island. WPT Seoul marks the tour’s first push into the greater Seoul/Incheon metro area — a meaningfully different market, given that most poker activity inside Korea itself has historically stayed underground, centered around hold’em pubs rather than licensed casino floors.
Hosting a flagship-branded stop this close to the capital, backed by a brand-new 70-table room and broadcast studio, signals real long-term investment from both the WPT and INSPIRE in building out Korea as a stop on the international live poker calendar.
Live Status — WPT Seoul 2026
| Announcement | Confirmed, July 20, 2026 |
| Registration | Room rates & info live on WPT / INSPIRE sites |
| Venue construction | New 2nd-floor space opening for the festival |
| Days until kickoff (from Sept 21, 2026) | 39 days |
| Most recent WPT stop | WPT Cyprus Championship — Farbod Nazari won, $368,900 |
Organizers note that preferential hotel room rates are available for a limited time for players planning travel — details are posted on the official WPT and INSPIRE Entertainment Resort websites.
Travel Basics
| Nearest airport | Incheon International Airport (adjacent) |
| Distance to central Seoul | ~2.5 hrs by public transit |
| On-site lodging | 1,275-room 5-star hotel, 3 towers |
| Casino access | Foreigner-only casino floor |
Bottom Line
WPT Seoul is a genuine landmark for the tour — its first branded stop in the South Korean capital region, built around a brand-new flagship poker room, an accessible KRW 1B guaranteed Championship, and a resort designed to keep players on-site between sessions. For grinders eyeing the fall Asian circuit, October 30 to November 9 at INSPIRE is now firmly on the map.
FAQs
1. When is WPT Seoul 2026?
WPT Seoul 2026 runs from October 30 to November 9, 2026, with 46 events scheduled across 11 days at YY Poker Club inside INSPIRE Entertainment Resort.
2. Where is WPT Seoul 2026 being held?
The festival will take place at YY Poker Club at INSPIRE Entertainment Resort in Incheon, South Korea. The resort is located next to Incheon International Airport and outside central Seoul.
3. What is the buy-in for the WPT Seoul INSPIRE Championship?
The WPT Seoul INSPIRE Championship has a KRW 1.75 million buy-in, roughly $700 based on the figures provided, with a KRW 1 billion guaranteed prize pool.
4. How many events are part of WPT Seoul 2026?
The festival features 46 events over 11 days, with buy-ins ranging from KRW 300,000 to KRW 8 million.
5. Will the WPT Seoul final table be livestreamed?
Yes. The final table of the WPT Seoul INSPIRE Championship is scheduled to be livestreamed worldwide from YY Poker Club’s dedicated broadcast studio.
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