Beyond individual bracelets, the WSOP Player of the Year (POY) award honors the most consistent performer across the entire series. With the Main Event still to come, the 2026 race is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent memory.

Current Standings (as of June 25)

How POY Points Work

Players earn points based on finishing position, field size, and buy-in, so deep runs in large or high buy-in events are worth the most. For 2026, the award counts a player's 10 best results, with a maximum of one online event contributing to the total — a format designed to reward sustained live excellence rather than sheer volume.

The Contenders

Alex Foxen has set the pace, banking his fourth career bracelet and a string of deep runs to open a lead at 2,720 points. Josh Reichard surged into second after capturing his maiden bracelet in the $2,500 NLH, proving how a single big result can reshape the leaderboard. Veterans Nick Schulman y Naoya Kihara round out the top four, both within striking distance.

The Main Event Wild Card

The biggest variable is still to come. The $10,000 Main Event — with its enormous field and August final table — carries more POY points than almost any other event. A deep run there could vault a player from outside the top 50 into the lead, which means the 2026 POY title may not be decided until the final table plays out on August 5. Defending champion Shaun Deeb will be looking to climb back into the conversation as well.

We will track the contenders down the stretch — check our bracelet roundup for the latest results.