PokerStars is reshaping its annual tournament calendar in 2026: for the first time in its history, the Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) will run entirely in March, taking place March 1–25, 2026. The announcement came late in 2025, giving players plenty of time to adjust their schedules.
The 18th edition of SCOOP will launch more than two months earlier than usual. According to PokerStars, the change is designed to create a clearer, more player-friendly tournament calendar.
Why Move SCOOP to March?
PokerStars outlined several reasons behind the decision in an official blog post:
1. A More Coherent Yearly Schedule
The operator regularly reevaluates the timing of its major online festivals. Early March allows SCOOP to fit more naturally into a streamlined sequence of events.
2. Stronger Player Activity in Early Spring
May has traditionally been a challenging month for online poker:
- warmer weather,
- more outdoor and holiday activities,
- reduced online volume,
- and a crowded live-event period.
March, by contrast, tends to be more active online and has fewer competing distractions.
3. Fewer Conflicts With Live Poker
SCOOP 2026 will begin right after EPT Paris concludes and will finish before the Irish Open kicks off. March does not feature any major PokerStars-sponsored live tour stops, minimizing scheduling conflicts.
What Do We Know About the Schedule?
PokerStars will publish the full schedule and guarantees in early 2026, but a few key points are already confirmed:
- the familiar three-tier buy-in structure (Low, Medium, High) returns,
- long-standing flagship events will remain central to the series.
Expected Prize Pool – How Big Will SCOOP 2026 Be?
SCOOP 2025 featured $60 million in guarantees, a decline from earlier years. The 2026 figure has not yet been revealed, but given the improved timing, PokerStars is expected to either:
- keep the guarantee at $60 million, or
- increase it slightly, possibly toward the $65–70 million range.
Potential Clash With a Major Rival – WSOP Super Circuit
The move to March raises another point of interest: SCOOP may overlap with GGPoker’s WSOP Super Circuit, depending on how GGPoker schedules its 2026 edition.
In 2025, GGPoker ran:
- the WSOP Super Circuit from March 2–31, with $100M GTD,
- and the GG World Festival in May, offering $250M GTD.
If similar dates return in 2026, two of the year’s biggest online series could partially coincide.
Summary
PokerStars’ decision marks a significant shift in the global online poker calendar. By moving SCOOP to March, the operator aims to:
- capitalize on higher spring player activity,
- reduce clashes with major live events,
- and establish a clearer structure for the year’s first quarter.
The full schedule and prize pool details will be released in early 2026.
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