These Players Are Dominating the WSOP Player of the Year Race in 2026

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The 2026 World Series of Poker is barely halfway complete, but the battle for the coveted WSOP Player of the Year (POY) title is already shaping up to be one of the most exciting races in recent memory. With multiple bracelets awarded, countless final-table appearances, and several elite professionals putting together career-defining summers, the leaderboard has become increasingly competitive.

Leading the charge are Nick Schulman, Alex Foxen, and Naoya Kihara, three players who have combined for four bracelets and numerous deep tournament runs. However, with major events like the Main Event and Poker Players Championship still ahead, the race remains wide open.

Current WSOP Player of the Year Standings

As of June 18, 2026, Nick Schulman sits atop the official WSOP Player of the Year leaderboard with 2,002 points. Alex Foxen trails closely behind with 1,902 points, while Japan’s Naoya Kihara occupies third place with 1,686 points.

Top Ten WSOP Player of the Year Standings

Rank	Player	Country	Points
1	Nick Schulman	USA	2,002
2	Alex Foxen	USA	1,902
3	Naoya Kihara	Japan	1,686
4	Dennis Weiss	Germany	1,686
5	Justin Liberto	USA	1,646
6	Chris Hunichen	USA	1,609
7	Shaun Deeb	USA	1,602
8	Stephen Hubbard	USA	1,579
9	Joshua Arieh	USA	1,541
10	Richard Alsup	USA	1,408

Several accomplished professionals remain firmly in contention, including seven-time bracelet winner Josh Arieh, high-stakes specialist Chris Hunichen, and reigning two-time POY champion Shaun Deeb.

Nick Schulman Leads the Way

Poker Hall of Famer Nick Schulman has enjoyed one of the finest summers of his career. His victory in the $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. event earned him his eighth WSOP bracelet and catapulted him into the lead of the Player of the Year standings.

Schulman’s success did not stop there. Earlier in the series, he finished runner-up in the $1,500 Limit Badugi event and added two additional final-table appearances, including a fifth-place finish in the prestigious $10,000 Big O Championship.

At 41 years old, Schulman has now captured bracelets in four consecutive years, a remarkable accomplishment in today’s highly competitive mixed-game environment.

Following his latest victory, Schulman remarked that he believes he is only now reaching his peak after dedicating most of his life to the game.

With over 2,000 points already accumulated, the veteran remains the player everyone else is chasing.

Alex Foxen Continues His High-Stakes Dominance

Alex Foxen entered the 2026 WSOP as one of the favorites for Player of the Year, and he has lived up to expectations.

Foxen secured his fourth career bracelet by winning the $10,000 Super Turbo Bounty event. His triumph came shortly after his wife, Kristen Foxen, won her sixth bracelet, making the Foxen household one of the biggest stories of the summer.

In addition to his bracelet victory, Alex Foxen has produced several impressive finishes:

Third place in the $25,000 Heads-Up Championship for $300,000.
Fifth place in the $600 No-Limit Hold’em/PLO event for $55,305.
Sixth place in the $100,000 High Roller for $522,347.

His consistent performances across multiple formats have placed him second in the standings with 1,902 points.

Foxen’s ability to compete successfully against the toughest high-stakes fields in poker makes him a serious contender to capture his first WSOP Player of the Year title.

Naoya Kihara’s Stunning Resurgence

Japan’s Naoya Kihara has been one of the biggest surprises of the 2026 WSOP.

Already the owner of a bracelet from 2012, Kihara added two more titles this summer by winning:

The $10,000 2-7 No-Limit Draw Lowball Championship.
The $10,000 Limit Seven Card Stud Championship.

Those victories have propelled him into third place in the POY race with 1,686 points.

Interestingly, Kihara revealed that he had seriously considered retiring from tournament poker before this remarkable run.

Following his second bracelet victory, the 44-year-old admitted that he planned to continue competing for at least another two or three years.

His comeback story has quickly become one of the highlights of the entire series.

Dennis Weiss Quietly Climbs the Rankings

Germany’s Dennis Weiss is tied with Kihara at 1,686 points and has quietly assembled one of the strongest résumés of the summer.

Weiss captured the $1,500 Limit Hold’em title for $133,704 and followed it with several additional deep runs, including:

Runner-up in the $1,500 Limit Razz event for $90,354.
Fifth place in the $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo tournament for $56,738.

Consistency rather than headline victories has placed Weiss firmly among the top contenders.

Shaun Deeb Cannot Be Ignored

Defending Player of the Year champion Shaun Deeb has had a relatively slow start compared with previous summers.

Surprisingly, Deeb has recorded only one cash so far during the 2026 WSOP. However, that lone result was a significant one—a final-table appearance in the $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball Championship worth $99,557.

Despite limited results, Deeb still ranks seventh with 1,602 points.

His reputation as one of poker’s most relentless grinders makes him a dangerous threat as the series progresses.

History is not on his side, though. No player has ever successfully defended the WSOP Player of the Year title, making his quest for back-to-back championships particularly compelling.

Major Changes to the WSOP Player of the Year Format

The WSOP introduced a completely revamped Player of the Year system in 2026.

Instead of being determined solely during the Las Vegas summer series, points are now accumulated across three flagship festivals:

WSOP Europe

Prague — March 31 to April 12

WSOP Las Vegas

Paris Las Vegas and Horseshoe Las Vegas — May 26 to July 15

WSOP Paradise

Bahamas — December 1 to December 18

Only a player’s best 15 results count toward the final standings.

In addition, the total prize pool for the Player of the Year competition has increased to an impressive $1 million.

The top three finishers will each receive a $100,000 package to WSOP Paradise, while players finishing fourth through fifteenth earn packages worth $30,000.

This expanded structure ensures that the race will continue well beyond the summer months.

Major Events Still Remain

Although the current leaderboard offers an early glimpse of the contenders, the biggest tournaments of the year are still ahead.

Several prestigious events remain on the schedule, including:

The $10,000 WSOP Main Event.
The $50,000 Poker Players Championship.
Multiple High Roller tournaments.
The entire WSOP Paradise festival in December.

Because only a player’s top 15 results count, one exceptional week can dramatically change the standings.

Spanish superstar Adrian Mateos recently won the $250,000 Super High Roller for $4.33 million and currently sits outside the top ten. Another deep run could instantly move him into championship contention.

Meanwhile, Brazilian star Yuri Dzivielevski continues his impressive form after securing his fifth bracelet, although family commitments will prevent him from participating in the Main Event.

Final Thoughts

The 2026 WSOP Player of the Year race is already delivering compelling storylines. Nick Schulman has emerged as the early leader, Alex Foxen continues to dominate high-stakes events, and Naoya Kihara has enjoyed one of the most remarkable comebacks in recent memory.

However, with numerous marquee tournaments still to come and an entirely new season-long format in place, the race remains far from decided.

Whether it is a seasoned veteran like Shaun Deeb making another charge or a rising star breaking into the top ten, the battle for the 2026 WSOP Player of the Year promises to provide poker fans with drama right through the final event in Paradise this December.

For the latest WSOP results, bracelet winners, tournament schedules, and daily Player of the Year updates, stay tuned to PokerClubGames for comprehensive coverage throughout the 2026 World Series of Poker.