The race for poker’s highest individual honor is underway after the World Series of Poker revealed the eight finalists for the 2026 Poker Hall of Fame.
Following public voting, the final ballot now passes to the Hall of Fame’s 33 living members, who will decide which candidates join poker’s most exclusive club. This year’s process is also historic because of a major voting overhaul that could see multiple inductees announced instead of the traditional single winner.
2026 Poker Hall of Fame finalists
The eight finalists for the Class of 2026 are:
- Justin Bonomo
- Shaun Deeb
- Isaac Haxton
- Jason Koon
- Mike Matusow
- Isai Scheinberg
- Chris Moorman
- Scott Seiver
Several names appear on the ballot for the first time after becoming eligible by turning 40, including Bonomo, Deeb, Haxton, Koon and Moorman. Deeb, who captured the 2025 WSOP Player of the Year title, is widely viewed as one of the strongest first-year candidates thanks to an outstanding résumé spanning tournaments, mixed games, and online poker.
Bonomo’s poker achievements also make him difficult to overlook. One of the most successful tournament players in history, his candidacy is expected to generate discussion, although Hall of Fame voting is intended to recognize poker accomplishments rather than personalities.
Meanwhile, Scheinberg could finally receive the recognition many believe is long overdue. The founder of PokerStars transformed online poker during the early 2000s, helping fuel the global poker boom. Previous one-player induction limits often left industry figures competing against elite players for a single place, but this year’s expanded voting system may improve his chances.
Matusow returns to the ballot for a record 12th nomination, while Seiver earns another opportunity after narrowly missing out last year.
A new voting system for 2026
For the first time, the Hall of Fame is no longer restricted to inducting only one person each year.
Each of the 33 living Hall of Fame members receives four votes. Any nominee collecting at least 22 votes will automatically earn induction. If nobody reaches that mark, the candidate with the highest total will become the sole inductee.
In theory, as many as six finalists could be welcomed into the Hall of Fame this summer, potentially clearing a backlog that has frustrated players and fans for years.
The Class of 2026 will be revealed during the 2026 WSOP Main Event final table.
What is the Poker Hall of Fame?
Created in 1979 by Benny Binion, the Poker Hall of Fame celebrates the players and industry figures who have made a lasting impact on the game.
Originally housed at Binion’s Horseshoe in downtown Las Vegas, the Hall of Fame is now represented at Horseshoe Las Vegas on the Las Vegas Strip.
The inaugural class included legendary names such as Johnny Moss, Nick Dandolos, Wild Bill Hickok and author Edmond Hoyle, whose name became synonymous with the rules of card games.
Since 2009, candidates have needed to meet a defined set of criteria. Players must:
- Be at least 40 years old.
- Have competed against elite opposition.
- Have played for high stakes.
- Have earned the respect of their peers through consistent success.
- Have stood the test of time.
Non-players can also be inducted if they have made a lasting contribution to poker’s growth and development.
Recent Poker Hall of Fame inductees
Recent years have seen several modern greats receive the game’s highest honor:
- 2025: Nick Schulman and Michael Mizrachi
- 2024: Patrik Antonius
- 2023: Brian Rast
- 2022: Layne Flack
- 2021: Eli Elezra
- 2020: Huck Seed
- 2019: David Oppenheim and Chris Moneymaker
The Hall of Fame also includes many of poker’s defining figures, including Doyle Brunson, Phil Hellmuth, Phil Ivey, Daniel Negreanu, Stu Ungar, Johnny Chan, Erik Seidel, Jen Harman and Barbara Enright.
With a deeper class than ever before and a voting system designed to recognize more than one deserving candidate, the 2026 ceremony could become one of the most significant Hall of Fame announcements in the event’s history. Whether it is first-time nominees like Deeb and Koon, online poker pioneer Scheinberg, or long-time contender Matusow, several careers may soon receive poker’s ultimate seal of approval.
