Exciting news for Asian poker fans! The Ace Poker League (APL) X P1 Osaka 2026, scheduled to take place in Osaka, Japan, from February 19 to 23, will be broadcast live. The first broadcast is set to begin on the afternoon of February 19, and poker fans worldwide can watch in real-time via the YouTube channel '2ACE'.
This event is a joint international poker initiative by Korea's Ace Poker League and Japan's P1 Circuit, with five days of intense competition held at the Umeda Sky Building Tower East. APL is one of the most influential poker leagues in Korea and Asia, and this Osaka event holds significant meaning as the first major international tournament to be held in Japan's Kansai region.
Strengthening Asian Poker Cooperation Through Joint Korea-Japan Hosting
APL X P1 Osaka 2026 is the result of collaboration between the Korean and Japanese poker communities. Ace Poker League, a host known for successfully organizing numerous events in Korea, has partnered with Japan's P1 Circuit to host a large-scale international tournament in Osaka. P1 Circuit is an active poker organization in Japan, and this event is expected to open a vibrant platform for Korea-Japan poker exchange.
An event official stated, "This collaboration was made possible with the aim of creating a venue for players from both Korea and Japan to compete and interact." He added, "We will continue to contribute to the development of the Asian poker scene by regularly hosting joint Korea-Japan tournaments." In fact, players from across Asia, including Japan, China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, have already registered for this tournament, in addition to Korean players.
Main Event Guarantees 40 Million Yen
The highlight of APL X P1 Osaka 2026 is the Main Event. With a buy-in of 80,000 yen (approximately 700,000 KRW) and a guaranteed total prize pool of 40 million yen (approximately 350 million KRW), the Main Event will run from February 20 to 23 through multiple Day 1 flights. Last year's APL Osaka Main Event saw a record field of 781 participants, and an even larger turnout is expected this year.
In addition to the Main Event, various other events are prepared, including the Mini Main Event (buy-in 40,000 yen, 10 million yen guaranteed prize pool) and the Mystery Bounty (buy-in 35,000 yen, 5 million yen guaranteed prize pool). The Mystery Bounty format, where players receive random bounty prizes for eliminating opponents, has recently gained popularity worldwide.
Live Broadcast on YouTube Channel '2ACE'
One of the key features of this tournament is its live streaming. APL plans to broadcast the entire event live on its YouTube channel '2ACE', starting with the first broadcast on February 19 and covering major matches up to the Main Event final table in real-time. Professional commentators will appear on the live broadcast to analyze game situations and explain key hands and strategies.
Dual commentary in Korean and Japanese is expected, with English subtitles also reportedly being prepared. This is a thoughtful gesture to allow poker fans across Asia to enjoy the tournament without language barriers. APL has experience successfully broadcasting past events held in Korea, so high-quality broadcast production is anticipated for this Osaka event as well.
Held at Osaka's Umeda Sky Building
The Umeda Sky Building, where the tournament will be held, is one of Osaka's representative landmarks, consisting of twin towers standing 173 meters tall. The tournament will take place in the Crystal Hall located in the Tower East of the building, which is optimized for large-scale poker events with its spacious layout and state-of-the-art facilities.
The Umeda area is Osaka's largest transportation hub, with JR Osaka Station, Hankyu Umeda Station, and Subway Umeda Station all within walking distance. It is also easily accessible for international participants, taking about 50 minutes by express train from Kansai International Airport. The vicinity of the venue is densely populated with various accommodations and restaurants, and it's also close to the famous Dotonbori entertainment district, making it a convenient environment for tournament participants to combine with Osaka sightseeing.
Last Year's Main Event Champion Was Korean
In the APL Osaka tournament held in May 2025, Korean player Chai Sihoo emerged as the Main Event champion. Chai Sihoo became the final winner among 781 participants, winning a prize of 6 million yen (approximately 52 million KRW). At that time, 70 players entered the prize money, and Korean players showed remarkable performance.
This year, due to the joint hosting by Korea and Japan, the competition between players from both countries is expected to be even fiercer. Japanese local players are also expected to present a strong challenge based on home advantage. Several renowned Japanese players, including last year's Mini Main Event champion Nishimura Hiroya, are reportedly participating.
Spreading Live Broadcast Culture in Asian Poker
Live streaming of poker tournaments has been rapidly spreading in the Asian region recently. The Asian Poker Tour (APT) broadcasts its major events live on its own YouTube channel, APT TV, and the Japan Open Poker Tour (JOPT) also regularly broadcasts final table matches. Amidst this trend, APL's live broadcast of the Osaka event is expected to strengthen communication between the Korean and Japanese poker communities and provide an opportunity for more fans to engage with poker.
A poker industry official emphasized, "Live streaming is a key tool for popularizing poker," adding, "Especially in Asia, with its diverse languages and cultures, high-quality broadcasts with multilingual commentary are crucial." If APL's current initiative proves successful, it is highly likely that poker tournaments held in various Asian countries will adopt similar broadcast systems in the future.
The first broadcast of APL X P1 Osaka 2026 can be watched on the YouTube channel '2ACE' starting February 19. Detailed tournament schedules and participation information can be found on the Ace Poker League official website.
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