EPT Barcelona 2026: Manuel Ferrari Triumphs in Record-Breaking Main Event

The tables at Casino Barcelona were the stage for an extraordinary display of poker skill this week as the European Poker Tour (EPT) crowned a new champion. While the name Ferrari is typically linked to high-speed racing, it was 34-year-old Manuel Ferrari from Caldonazzo, Italy, who took the chequered flag on the poker felt. Competing against a field of 1,823 entries, Ferrari showcased dominance to win the 2026 PokerStars EPT Barcelona €5,300 No-Limit Hold’em Main Event. His victory came with a massive payday of $1,162,886, marking the biggest achievement of his professional career to date.

The tournament generated a total prize pool of $10,301,290, ensuring that the top 271 players would not leave empty-handed. The atmosphere turned tense during the bubble phase, which ended when Mohamed Zazri’s pocket fives were beaten by Josep Ruiz’s A-8. High-profile names were scattered throughout the deep runs, including poker legend John Juanda in 15th place and Romain Lewis in 22nd. Ferrari, however, maintained his momentum from the penultimate day, where he already held the chip lead among the final 13 contenders.

Numbers and facts

The 2026 edition of the Barcelona Main Event proved its prestige by becoming the seventh-largest Main Event in the 22-year history of the EPT. The diversity of the final table was a testament to the tour’s global reach, featuring representatives from Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, China, Ireland, and Lebanon. Nicolas Chouity, who won the EPT Grand Final back in 2010, was aiming for a historic second title but ultimately fell in sixth place. He earned $323,582, which stands as the third-largest score of his career, bringing his lifetime earnings to over $6.3 million.

When the action reached the final three players, a deal was struck between Manuel Ferrari, Lukas van Eeden, and Jose Criado. At that moment, only about six big blinds separated the stacks of the top and bottom players. They agreed to redistribute the remaining prize pool, leaving the trophy and $116,284 to play for. Ferrari eliminated Criado in a classic coin flip, where his A-10 outdrew Criado’s pocket sevens. This set up a heads-up battle against van Eeden, where Ferrari held a 3:2 lead that he eventually expanded to a 5:1 ratio before the final hand.

Background

Manuel Ferrari’s rise in the poker world has been consistent. In 2025, he won the PokerStars Open Malaga for $243,434, and just this January, he secured a High Roller title in Campione for another $102,424. With this latest triumph in Barcelona, his total live earnings have surged to nearly $1.7 million. Speaking to officials after his win, Ferrari expressed his satisfaction with achieving a long-term professional goal.

"I have a new trophy in my collection now. I’ve worked towards this goal and finally it happened, so I’m super happy." - Manuel Ferrari, EPT Barcelona Champion

Beyond the financial reward, the win provided Ferrari with 2,160 Card Player Player of the Year points. This boost moved him into the top 100 of the global rankings for 2026. His runner-up, 40-year-old Dutch entrepreneur Lukas van Eeden, also experienced a life-changing result. Entering the tournament with a previous best score of just $15,000, van Eeden walked away with nearly $1.1 million, proving that the EPT remains a place where significant breakthroughs are possible for non-professionals as well.

Why it matters for German players

For German players, the EPT Barcelona represents one of the few opportunities to participate in world-class live tournaments with massive prize pools, as such large-scale events are rare within Germany due to the strict GlüStV 2021 regulations. While players in Germany are restricted by a 1,000 Euro monthly deposit limit and a 1 Euro per spin limit on virtual slots, international live events like the EPT allow for much higher stakes. However, to prepare for such stages, German residents are legally required to use online platforms listed on the GGL whitelist. These licensed operators ensure player protection through the LUGAS system and the OASIS lock file, providing a safe environment for those looking to hone their skills before traveling to major stops in Spain or Monte Carlo.

What it means for GGL-licensed casinos

The success of European players like Ferrari often sparks renewed interest in poker among the German gaming community. For GGL-licensed casinos, this translates into a need for high-quality, regulated poker offerings that comply with German law. Operators must ensure that their marketing does not promise the unrealistic stakes found in international live play but rather emphasizes the safety and fairness of the German regulated market. The integrity shown at the EPT Barcelona final table serves as a positive example for the industry, reinforcing the idea that players should seek out legitimate, licensed environments rather than unregulated offshore sites from MGA or Curacao jurisdictions.