WSOP Circuit Returns to Horseshoe

The WSOP Circuit has returned to Horseshoe Council Bluffs in Council Bluffs, Iowa, opening a nearly two-week tournament series that runs through September 28, 2026. The stop features 18 official WSOP Circuit ring events, giving players from Iowa, Nebraska, and the surrounding region a full slate of opportunities to compete for a gold ring.

A Key Stop in the 2026 Circuit Season

The Council Bluffs series arrives at a significant point in the 2026 Circuit calendar. Every player who wins a WSOP Circuit ring during the 2026 season receives a $5,000 WSOP Paradise package, adding a major incentive on top of the ring itself. That structure links regional Circuit success directly to one of the year's largest international poker festivals.

$1,700 Main Event Begins September 25

The flagship tournament of the series, the $1,700 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event, starts Friday, September 25. The event offers two starting flights, giving players more than one chance to enter and pursue a WSOP Circuit Main Event title.

The Day One schedule is:

• Flight A: Friday, September 25 at 11 A.M.
• Flight B: Saturday, September 26 at 11 A.M.

Tournament details and the complete series lineup are available through the Horseshoe Council Bluffs WSOP Circuit schedule and the WSOP Live app.

18 Ring Events Across Nearly Two Weeks

While the Main Event is the marquee tournament, the schedule offers ring opportunities before and after the $1,700 centerpiece. Opening events include a $400 No-Limit Hold'em Monster Stack and a $400 Mini Main Event, with the Mini Main featuring four starting flights.

The schedule also includes a $400 40/40/40 event for players age 40 and older, a $400 Seniors event for players age 50 and older, and a range of additional No-Limit Hold'em tournaments. Players looking beyond No-Limit Hold'em can find Pot-Limit Omaha and Big O events, along with a six-max No-Limit Hold'em tournament, a Double Stack event, and a Black Chip Bounty tournament.

A $1,100 No-Limit Hold'em event on September 24 gives players a higher buy-in option before the Main Event begins the following day. After the Main Event, the series continues with more ring chances, including a $600 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack event and two final No-Limit Hold'em tournaments. The last ring event, a $400 NLH Double Stack Closer, is set for Sunday, September 27. When the series concludes on September 28, 18 official Circuit ring events will have been contested.

What Ring Winners Receive

Beyond the prestige of a gold ring, every 2026 WSOP Circuit ring winner earns an exclusive $5,000 WSOP Paradise package. The package includes entry into the $2,750 WSOP Circuit Championship Mystery Bounty at WSOP Paradise 2026, plus complimentary accommodations in the Bahamas.

WSOP Paradise 2026 is scheduled for Baha Mar in Nassau from December 2 through December 17, featuring 20 gold bracelet events and $120 million in guaranteed prize pools. The Circuit Championship Mystery Bounty opens the festival with a $2,750 buy-in and a $5 million guaranteed prize pool. More than 1,000 2026 Circuit ring winners are expected to gather in The Bahamas, giving Council Bluffs champions a chance to compete against fellow Circuit winners from around the world.

For players at Horseshoe Council Bluffs, that adds weight to every ring event on the schedule. A victory delivers a WSOP Circuit championship and a gold ring, along with a pathway to compete at WSOP Paradise with tournament entry and accommodations included.

Following the Action

Poker.Org is the official media partner of the WSOP Circuit and provides coverage of Circuit stops throughout the season, including on-the-ground reporting and Instant coverage. As the Council Bluffs Main Event approaches, fans can follow the action through the Poker.Org Instant Live Feed and the site's social media channels.

With 18 gold rings, a $1,700 Main Event, and a $5,000 WSOP Paradise package awaiting every ring winner, the Horseshoe Council Bluffs stop offers substantial incentive for tournament players from Iowa, Nebraska, and the surrounding region. By the end of the series, 18 new Circuit champions will have been crowned, each earning a place in the WSOP Circuit record books and a chance to continue their 2026 journey toward WSOP Paradise.