Will Kassouf's ban lifted, confirming his return to the World Series of Poker.

Will Kassouf has confirmed his return to the 2026 WSOP. He was escorted off the field and suspended after controversial behavior in the 2025 Main Event, but has now been cleared to participate in all WSOP events worldwide.

The "Bad Boys" event of the 2025 World Series of Poker Main Event will return to Las Vegas.

Will Kassouf has confirmed to PokerNews that he will return to the WSOP this summer, saying, "I will be there from the end of June to the middle of July to play in the final three weeks of the WSOP."

If you think his infamous exit from the Main Event last year earned him a ban, you're mistaken. Kassouf told PokerNews that he later spoke with the WSOP and was told he "can play in all WSOP events worldwide."

What happened last year?

This means that when the 2026 WSOP Main Event kicks off on July 2, the lobbies of Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas will not only be filled with the voice of Martin Kabrhel.

But what exactly happened last summer when Kassouf was escorted away by security?

Kassouf first became a household name in the poker world after his 17th-place finish in the 2016 WSOP Main Event, a run-of-the-mill play that ended in a now-infamous verbal altercation with Griffin Benger—a moment that has become part of the Main Event legend. Nearly a decade later, Kassouf is back in the spotlight, having once again reached the final stages of the World Series of Poker, ultimately finishing in 33rd place on Day 7.

However, Kassouf's controversial behavior began early in the tournament, starting on the second day of the group stage when he took a long period of contemplation while holding the second nut card.

Kassouf delayed the action at the table for over ten minutes with a King-high flush, until his opponent Sacha Cohen finally called the timer, at the cost of Kassouf's life in the Main Event. This event foreshadowed what was to come.

By day six, Kassouf briefly rose to the top of the chip leaderboard after winning a cold hand of Aces against Kings from Stephen Kehoe. However, his chip stack gradually dwindled, and he finished the day in 54th place out of 57 remaining players.

During this phase, Kassouf was called on the timer 23 times. Tournament officials eventually penalized him, reducing his decision time to 10 seconds per hand. This restriction was lifted in the final level, but Kassouf still only had 2,850,000 chips.

On the seventh day, more penalties were imposed, leading to a heated argument between him and Jack Effel, Senior Vice President of Poker Operations at the WSOP.

After being put on a 10-second timer again for his repeated long pauses, Kassouf argued that "Americans can't stand it" and claimed that he was being unfairly targeted.

Effel also dealt with Kassouf's issue during the 2016 Main Event, eventually calming the situation during a break. He offered to lift the restrictions if Kassouf was willing to "change your behavior." When Kassouf later moved to the live table, his timer was increased to 30 seconds, but tournament staff reserved the right to shorten it again if necessary.

He was then eliminated in a hand against Kenny Hallaert. Kassouf's pocket sevens couldn't hold on, losing to the PokerStars ambassador's K5, and his journey ended in 33rd place.

As he left the table, Kassouf told his opponents, "I'll remember all your faces," and said, "See you next year," before leaving to collect his $300,000 prize.

The crowd responded with chants of "Sha-la-la, hey hey, goodbye." After a round of media interviews, Kassouf was escorted off the field by security. He was subsequently banned from participating in the remainder of the 2025 WSOP.

Kassouf's statement

Following his widely publicized elimination, Kassouf stated on the PokerNews Podcast that he felt he was responding to how players and tournament staff treated him, rather than deliberately causing trouble.

“Every story has two sides,” Kassouf said. “I didn’t intentionally hate, insult, or call people by nicknames at the poker table. I was just responding to how I was treated.”

Kassouf specifically criticized the way officials handled the escalating situation, claiming he received inconsistent rulings and was told at the end of the sixth day that the seventh day would start again, only to be unfairly given a 10-second timer.

He also refuted speculation that his behavior was related to drugs or mental health issues.

“Absolutely no drugs,” Kassouf said. “It’s just me. I’m naturally energetic. Maybe I’m just different.”

He also seems unwilling to change his true colors. Kassouf compared himself to US President Trump, describing himself as "controversial, polarized, and chaotic," adding that people will continue to talk about him whether they love him or hate him.

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