For millions of online poker players, the Sunday Million is more than just another weekly tournament. It has been the dream event on PokerStars for nearly two decades, creating life-changing scores and launching countless poker careers.
Now, for the first time since 2017, PokerStars is bringing that iconic brand back to the live poker tables.
The operator has announced the return of Sunday Million Live, with the festival taking place at Casino di Campione in Italy from October 2nd to October 12th, 2026. The headline event features a €250 buy-in and a €1,000,000 guaranteed prize pool, giving players another chance to compete for one of poker’s most recognisable titles away from the virtual felt.
Why the Sunday Million Matters
When the Sunday Million first launched in 2006, it helped redefine online tournament poker.
At a time when million-dollar guarantees were still relatively rare, PokerStars created a weekly event that offered recreational players the opportunity to compete for six and seven-figure payouts from a modest buy-in. It quickly became the tournament every online grinder wanted to win.
Over the last 20 years, the Sunday Million has awarded billions in prize money, crowned thousands of champions, and become one of the most prestigious online poker tournaments in the world. Even players who have won major live titles often list a Sunday Million victory among their proudest achievements.
The Return of Sunday Million Live
The upcoming festival will mark only the second time PokerStars has transformed its flagship online tournament into a live event.
The original Sunday Million Live debuted in 2017 before disappearing from the live calendar for almost a decade.
Its return forms part of PokerStars’ 25th anniversary celebrations and recreates many of the features that made the first edition successful. Rather than requiring everyone to travel for the opening stages, players can qualify through a mixture of online and live Day 1 flights before joining together in Italy for the latter stages of the tournament.
A Hybrid Format That Gives More Players a Chance
One of the biggest attractions of Sunday Million Live is its hybrid structure.
Players can begin their tournament journey online through qualifying flights before travelling to Casino di Campione if they progress. Others can enter through live starting flights held during the festival itself.
The format keeps travel costs down for many players while preserving the excitement of reaching a live final stage alongside hundreds of survivors from across Europe and beyond.
It’s an approach that blends the accessibility of online poker with the atmosphere that only a live tournament can provide.
Why Casino di Campione?
Casino di Campione sits on the shores of Lake Lugano in northern Italy and has become an increasingly popular destination for major European poker festivals.
Its modern tournament facilities and location close to the Swiss border make it easily accessible for players travelling from across Europe.
For PokerStars, it provides a fitting venue for the return of one of the company’s most historic tournament brands.
A New Generation Gets Its Chance
When Sunday Million Live was first held in 2017, poker looked very different.
Streaming was still developing, poker vlogs were only beginning to explode in popularity, and many of today’s biggest content creators had yet to establish themselves.
Since then, a new generation of players has discovered poker through YouTube, Twitch and social media. Many know the Sunday Million only as an online event, making this year’s live edition their first opportunity to chase the title in person.
It also arrives at a time when live poker continues to enjoy strong attendance across Europe, with major festivals regularly attracting record-breaking fields.
More Than Just Nostalgia
Although the return will undoubtedly appeal to long-time PokerStars players, Sunday Million Live is more than a nostalgic revival.
The €250 buy-in keeps the tournament accessible for recreational players while the €1,000,000 guarantee ensures there is plenty at stake. Combined with online qualification routes, it gives players with modest bankrolls a realistic pathway into one of the biggest live events of the autumn.
That accessibility has always been at the heart of the Sunday Million brand.
For nearly twenty years, the tournament has represented the idea that anyone can turn a relatively small buy-in into a career-defining score. Bringing that philosophy back to the live arena is likely to generate significant interest from both online specialists and live tournament regulars.
A Welcome Return
PokerStars has launched countless successful tournament series over the years, but few names carry the same weight as the Sunday Million.
After almost nine years away from the live calendar, its return is likely to be welcomed by players who remember the original event and by a new generation eager to experience it for themselves.
Whether you’re qualifying online or buying in directly in Italy, Sunday Million Live promises to be one of the standout poker festivals of 2026 and another reminder of why the Sunday Million remains one of poker’s most enduring brands.
