WSOP Player of the Year 2026: Deeb, Kihara, Foxen Go to Paradise

The 2026 WSOP Player of the Year race is shaping up as one of the tightest finishes in the award's history. Heading into WSOP Paradise at Baha Mar in The Bahamas (December 2-17), Shaun Deeb leads with 3,410 points, just 22 points ahead of Naoya Kihara and 29 ahead of Alex Foxen. For the first time, results from WSOP Europe, the summer series in Las Vegas, and WSOP Paradise all count toward one title, and the final festival of the year will decide it.

Quick answer: Shaun Deeb (3,410 points), Naoya Kihara (3,388), and Alex Foxen (3,381) lead the 2026 WSOP Player of the Year standings. The winner will be decided at WSOP Paradise, December 2-17, 2026. Only a player's best 15 results in open live bracelet events count.

Here is a full breakdown of the leaderboard, the scoring rules, and what each contender needs. Want to sharpen your own tournament game? Start with our guide to ICM strategy.

2026 WSOP Player of the Year Standings

According to PokerNews' pre-Paradise leaderboard, the top 10 stood as follows:

1. Shaun Deeb (USA) – 3,410
2. Naoya Kihara (Japan) – 3,388
3. Alex Foxen (USA) – 3,381
4. Justin Liberto (USA) – 2,827
5. Joshua Arieh (USA) – 2,750
6. Daniel Negreanu (Canada) – 2,698
7. Jesse Lonis (USA) – 2,674
8. Eelis Parssinen (Finland) – 2,638
9. Michael Moncek (USA) – 2,592
10. Joshua Reichard (USA) – 2,575

Further down, Benny Glaser, Nick Schulman, Calvin Anderson, Martin Zamani, and reigning Main Event champion Lucas Jumalon round out the top 15. A gap of roughly 550 points separates the top three from the chasing pack, which makes this effectively a three-player race unless someone further back goes on a deep run.

How WSOP Player of the Year Points Work

The scoring rules have a big impact on strategy, especially for the leaders:

• Open live bracelet events only. Online bracelet events and restricted-entry events, such as Seniors and Ladies, do not count.
• Best 15 results. Only a player's top 15 scores count. Once a player has 15 strong results, a small cash may not move their total at all.
• One score per event. Players earn points only once per event, even with multiple re-entries or cashes.
• Final table defined as nine. For POY purposes, the top nine finishers make up a final table.

The best-15 rule is crucial. Because Deeb, Kihara, and Foxen already have many scoring finishes, they need deep runs, not minimum cashes, to replace their lowest results and add points.

The Contenders

Shaun Deeb

Deeb is the defending Player of the Year and also won the title in 2018. A third win would make him only the second three-time winner. A mixed-game specialist with nine bracelets, he is well positioned at Paradise, which has expanded its mixed-game offering this year.

Naoya Kihara

Kihara is chasing history as the first Japanese player to win WSOP Player of the Year. He has three career bracelets and has been one of the most consistent performers across 2026's series.

Alex Foxen

Foxen, one of the most decorated high rollers in the game, sits just 29 points back. The Paradise schedule includes a $100K NLH Super High Roller and a $250K WSOP Invitational, giving him plenty of chances to score big.

Daniel Negreanu and the chase pack

Negreanu sits sixth. He has said he believes a strong Paradise could put a third title within reach, though the gap means he likely needs multiple final tables. Liberto and Arieh are also capable of mounting a late charge.

The 2026 WSOP Paradise Schedule

WSOP Paradise moves this year from Atlantis to Baha Mar. Poker.org reports that the series features 20 bracelet events and $120 million in total guarantees. Key events include:

• Event #1: $2,500 Circuit Championship Mystery Bounty ($5M GTD, December 2)
• Event #4: $10,000 GGMillion$ NLH Championship ($20M GTD, December 5)
• Event #6: $250,000 WSOP Invitational ($10M GTD, December 5)
• Event #9: $100,000 PLO Super High Roller ($5M GTD, December 8)
• Event #11: $100,000 NLH Super High Roller ($10M GTD, December 9)
• Super Main Event: $25,000 buy-in, $50M GTD, beginning December 10
• Event #13: $25,000 9-Game Mix Championship ($2M GTD, December 10)

Nine of the 20 events cost $10,000 or less, up from four in 2025, and the schedule includes five PLO events, a dealer's choice event, and 8-Game and 9-Game mixes. That mix favors versatile players such as Deeb, while the high rollers suit Foxen.

Prizes for the Leaderboard

The 2026 winner will receive the new Binion Cup. WSOP is also distributing $1 million in leaderboard prizes to the top 100. The top three each receive a $100,000 WSOP Paradise package, and finishers 4 through 15 each receive a $30,000 Super Main Event package.

What This Race Teaches Tournament Players

Even if you are not chasing a bracelet, the POY race offers lessons for your own game:

• Volume and variance. Elite players play huge schedules because tournament results swing wildly. Proper bankroll management makes that volume sustainable.
• Versatility pays. Mixed-game skills open more scoring opportunities. Our poker training videos cover formats beyond hold'em.
• Composure under pressure. Final tables with big pay jumps reward a strong poker mental game.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is leading the 2026 WSOP Player of the Year race?

Shaun Deeb leads with 3,410 points ahead of WSOP Paradise, followed by Naoya Kihara (3,388) and Alex Foxen (3,381).

When will the 2026 WSOP Player of the Year be decided?

The race concludes at WSOP Paradise, which runs December 2-17, 2026, at Baha Mar in The Bahamas.

Do online bracelet events count toward WSOP POY?

No. Only open live bracelet events count. Online bracelets and restricted events such as Seniors and Ladies are excluded.

Has anyone won WSOP Player of the Year three times?

Only one player has. Shaun Deeb, a winner in 2018 and 2025, would become the second three-time champion with a 2026 win.

Conclusion

With 29 points separating the top three, the 2026 WSOP Player of the Year race will come down to deep runs at Baha Mar. Follow the action, and use it as motivation to sharpen your own game with our ICM strategy guide and the full library of DeucesCracked training content.