Malta Poker Festival Autumn 2026: €1M Grand Event at Portomaso

The Malta Poker Festival Autumn 2026 is underway at the Portomaso Casino in St. Julian’s, Malta, running from October 23 to November 4, 2026. The headline event is the €600 MPF Grand Event, which carries a €1,000,000 guarantee. That’s the biggest Grand Event guarantee in the festival’s history and double last autumn’s €500,000.

Adding star power, Michael Mizrachi, the 2025 WSOP Main Event champion, is hosting the Grand Event from the opening flights through to the final table.

This year, the Malta Poker Festival is part of a joint festival with Mini Italian Poker Sport (Mini IPS) and Italian Poker Sport (IPS), offering a combined €3 million in guarantees.

Malta Poker Festival Autumn 2026 at a Glance

Detail	Information
Dates	October 23 – November 4, 2026
Venue	Portomaso Casino, St. Julian’s, Malta
Main event	MPF Grand Event
Buy-in	€600 (€530 + €70)
Guarantee	€1,000,000
Starting stack	60,000 chips
Blind levels	40 minutes
Format	Re-entry, 10 starting flights
Host	Michael Mizrachi
Final table	November 3, 2026
Combined festival guarantees	€3 million (MPF + Mini IPS + IPS)

Live Updates: Grand Event So Far

Day 1A (October 23): The opening flight is complete. Christian Di Caprio finished as chip leader with 1,105,000 chips, leading six players who advanced to Day 2.

Day 1D: EuroRounders reports that Hassibullah Hafizi finished on top of the Day 1D counts.

Combined entry numbers and the final prize pool will be confirmed once all Day 1 flights finish on November 1. We’ll update this page after Day 2.

MPF Grand Event 2026 Full Schedule

Date	Flight	Buy-in	Guarantee
Fri, Oct 23	Day 1A	€530 + €70	€1,000,000
Sat, Oct 24	Day 1B	€530 + €70	€1,000,000
Sun, Oct 25	Day 1C	€530 + €70	€1,000,000
Mon, Oct 26	Day 1D	€530 + €70	€1,000,000
Tue, Oct 27	Day 1E	€530 + €70	€1,000,000
Wed, Oct 28	Day 1F	€530 + €70	€1,000,000
Thu, Oct 29	Day 1G	€530 + €70	€1,000,000
Sat, Oct 31	Day 1H	€530 + €70	€1,000,000
Sun, Nov 1	Day 1I	€530 + €70	€1,000,000
Sun, Nov 1	Day 1J (Turbo)	€530 + €70	€1,000,000
Mon, Nov 2	Day 2	—	—
Tue, Nov 3	Final Table	—	—

Start times vary by flight. Check the official MPF schedule for exact times.

How the Grand Event Works

• Pick your flight: With 10 starting flights, including a late-night turbo on November 1, you can play on the day that suits you.
• Re-entry allowed: If you bust during late registration, you can buy back in.
• Bag and advance: Survivors from every flight combine for Day 2 on November 2.
• Final table on November 3: Mizrachi will be there to see the champion crowned.

Satellites: Get Into the Grand Event for €70

You don’t need to pay the full €600 buy-in. Nightly satellites run throughout the festival with a €60 + €10 buy-in, each feeding the next Grand Event flight.

Satellite	Date	Time	Buy-in
To Day 1B	Fri, Oct 23	21:00	€60 + €10
To Day 1C	Sat, Oct 24	21:00	€60 + €10
To Day 1D	Sun, Oct 25	21:00	€60 + €10
To Day 1E	Mon, Oct 26	21:00	€60 + €10
To Day 1F	Tue, Oct 27	21:00	€60 + €10
To Day 1G	Wed, Oct 28	21:00	€60 + €10

Satellites use 15,000-chip stacks and 15-minute levels, with re-entry allowed.

Tip: Satellites have a strong track record at the MPF. The 2026 Spring Grand Event champion, Robert McAdam, won his seat through a satellite before taking the title.

Side Events & Partner Tournaments

The Autumn 2026 schedule includes plenty beyond the Grand Event:

• IPS (Italian Poker Sport): Main Event with a €1,500,000 guarantee
• Mini IPS: €500,000 guaranteed
• The Hendon Mob Championship (final day October 28)
• H.O.R.S.E. mixed games, hosted by Jon Kyte
• MPF Seniors (50+), hosted by Paul “Rinty” Monaghan
• PLO Knights and Pot-Limit Omaha events
• MPF Knockout and Bounty Hunters
• MPF Halloween tournament, hosted by Tanya Masters
• Mystery High Roller Bounty, hosted by founder Ivonne Montealegre
• APAT Maltese Championship
• Midnight KO Hyper Turbos for late-night action

The festival wraps up on November 4 with the IPS Final Day and the MPF Last Chance event.

Meet the Host: Michael Mizrachi

Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi is one of poker’s best-known players and the 2025 WSOP Main Event champion. He’s hosting the MPF Grand Event throughout, from the opening flights to the final table, giving players a rare chance to share the room with a reigning world champion.

Malta Poker Festival Grand Event History

Edition	Entries	Prize Pool	Champion	Prize
2026 Spring	1,451	€684,390	Robert McAdam 🇬🇧	€104,475*
2025 Autumn	1,987	€903,498	Joris Ruijs 🇳🇱	€141,000
2025 Spring	1,202	€555,940	Aurelio Vallone 🇮🇹	€94,600
2022 Autumn	1,326	€636,450	Mirko Mostaccio 🇮🇹	€136,670*
2022 Spring	1,014	€486,720	Daniel Lakerveld 🇳🇱	€71,000
2018	1,366	€662,510	Emanuele Onnis 🇮🇹	€150,000

*After a final-table deal

Can 2026 set a new record? Last autumn’s Grand Event drew a record 1,987 entries and a €903,498 prize pool. With the guarantee now at €1,000,000, the field needs to grow again just to cover it.

Also in Malta This Week: Battle of Malta 2026

Players in Malta this week have two big festivals to choose from. The Battle of Malta Autumn 2026 runs at nearby Casino Malta from October 27 to November 4, with a record €1.5 million Main Event guarantee. Last year’s 10th-anniversary edition drew 6,039 entries from players in more than 70 countries.

Tip: Portomaso Casino and Casino Malta are both in St. Julian’s, so many players combine both festivals in one trip.

Travel Tips for Malta

• Getting there: Malta International Airport is about a 20–25 minute drive from St. Julian’s.
• Where to stay: Hotels around St. Julian’s and Portomaso Marina are walking distance from the casino.
• Weather: Late October and early November in Malta are usually mild, making it a pleasant time to visit.
• Bring ID: You’ll need a valid photo ID to register.
• Book early: With two major festivals running at once, hotels fill up fast.

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