WSOP 2026 Commentary Team Announced: David Williams, Maria Ho, and Other Stars Join

WSOP 2026 Talent Team Announced

The 57th World Series of Poker (WSOP) is fast approaching, with poker players, qualifiers, and champions from around the globe converging on Las Vegas. As poker's "Super Bowl," the WSOP Main Event will return to ESPN, with approximately 100 hours of thrilling action scheduled to air. The WSOP team has meticulously assembled the strongest on-air roster ever to deliver a top-tier viewing experience for fans.

David Williams

David Williams has been a renowned figure in poker for over two decades, with live tournament earnings exceeding $9 million. His most notable achievement is finishing as runner-up in the 2004 WSOP Main Event, earning $3.5 million. Beyond poker, Williams has showcased his culinary talents — in 2016, he tied for second place on Season 7 of MasterChef, winning six cooking challenges. As a WSOP gold bracelet winner, Williams adds a multifaceted appeal to the commentary team.

Maria Ho

Maria Ho is a member of the Women in Poker Hall of Fame and one of the most recognizable faces in poker. With over $5 million in live tournament earnings, she has been the "last woman standing" twice in the WSOP Main Event and twice in the WSOP Europe Main Event, making her the only woman to achieve this feat four times. In 2023, she won the "Game of Gold" on Poker After Dark. Ho has also excelled in broadcasting, winning the Global Poker Award for "Commentator of the Year" in 2019. She has appeared on popular TV shows such as American Idol, Deal or No Deal, and The Amazing Race.

Lon McEachern & Norman Chad

Since 2003, the iconic duo of Lon McEachern and Norman Chad have witnessed countless historic WSOP moments, including Chris Moneymaker's victory, Jamie Gold's record-breaking Main Event win, and Joe Cada becoming the youngest Main Event champion at age 21. Together, they bring over 40 years of WSOP commentary experience and are the voices that poker fans around the world most look forward to hearing again.

Joe Stapleton

Joe Stapleton is known for his humorous style and has been active in poker commentary since 2009. In 2022, he and James Hartigan won the Global Poker Award for "Best Podcast." Stapleton will make his WSOP commentary debut in 2026, teaming up with Ali Nejad and Maria Ho to deliver more exciting moments for viewers.

Jeff Platt

Jeff Platt joined the WSOP team as a full-time member in January 2026. Before entering poker media, he worked as a sports journalist covering the San Antonio Spurs and the Dallas Mavericks. In 2018, he joined PokerNews as a journalist and podcast host, later hosting shows such as Friday Night Poker on PokerGO Studios. Platt is also a strong player in his own right, holding a WSOP Circuit ring, with live tournament earnings exceeding $800,000, and reaching a WSOP final table in 2021.

Ali Nejad & Nick Schulman

Ali Nejad is a veteran poker commentator, having worked on shows like Poker After Dark and the NBC National Heads-Up Championship. His most recent WSOP commentary was at the 2025 WSOP Paradise. Nick Schulman is a seven-time WSOP gold bracelet winner and a newly inducted member of the Poker Hall of Fame. He has provided commentary on top-tier events such as High Stakes Poker and the Triton Series. The duo's reunion will bring Hall of Fame-level commentary to the WSOP.

The 2026 WSOP will take place in May at the Horseshoe and Paris hotels in Las Vegas, with the Main Event final table featuring an all-new stage design.