Irish Poker Open Announces Global Tour Dates and Venues

If you’ve ever spent a week at the RDS in Dublin, you know the Irish Poker Open is less like a poker tournament and more like a massive, loud family reunion where everyone happens to be holding cards. That specific brand of energy is officially packing its bags. 

During Level 8 of the 2026 Main Event, the organizers dropped the news players have been speculating about for years: the Irish Open is going global. With a roadmap that includes Sydney, Marrakech, and a 2027 debut in the United States, the world’s oldest No Limit Hold’em festival outside of Vegas is finally exporting its famous "craic" to the rest of the world.

The international rollout isn't just a series of small satellites; these are full-scale festivals designed to stand on their own. The tour kicks off this September in Australia before heading to North Africa in November.

• Sydney, Australia (September 2026): Taking place at The Poker Palace, this 10-day festival will be anchored by a $1,000,000 guaranteed Main Event.

• Marrakech, Morocco (November 2026): The tour moves to the Casino de Marrakech for a six-day festival featuring a €500,000 guaranteed Main Event.

Co-owner Paul O’Reilly made it clear that while the poker is professional, the atmosphere is the priority:

The Irish Open is widely recognised as one of the best-run festivals in the world. But equally important is the unique atmosphere, the friendliness, warmth, and fun which is the hallmark of Irish hospitality.

he heart of the Dublin event has always been the Craic Den, a player lounge dedicated to live music and social games. Organizers plan to bring this "beating heart" to every international stop. As O’Reilly put it:

I know that, for many players, the off-the-felt fun in the Craic Den is the reason they keep coming back. We’re very excited that we can now introduce that experience to new audiences.

Looking further ahead, the festival will land on American soil in 2027. There’s a bit of history here; the Irish Open was founded in 1980 by Terry Rogers after he visited Benny Binion in Las Vegas. O'Reilly added: 

The game itself came from America... so being ‘international’ is in our DNA. We are also passionate about innovation, so exporting the brand is a very logical next step.

This isn't just about a few extra stamps in the passport; it's a calculated move toward the festival's 50th anniversary in 2030. Co-owner JP McCann explained that the strategy involves a mix of standalone trophies and global "Day 1s" that will feed directly into the Dublin Main Event. This means you could play your opening flight in Sydney and fly to Dublin for the final stages.

McCann stated: 

Paul and I took over this event over 10 years ago, and from day one the vision was clear, grow the Irish Open and take it global. Ultimately, our ambition is simple: to make the Irish Poker Open the biggest tournament in the world by its 50th anniversary.