From Free League Poker to the Biggest Stage in the World

Every summer, poker players from around the globe descend on Las Vegas with one goal: to chase a World Series of Poker bracelet. In 2026, the Free Poker Network players from across the country came to compete against the best in the world, and once again, our FPN family proved that dreams really can begin at your local free poker league.

🌟 Mystery Millions: From League Player to Day 2

One of the biggest stories of the summer belonged to Season Champion Ifran Mohammed. After earning his seat through FPN league play and the Seasonal Online Tournament, Ifran battled through an incredible field of more than 22,000 players to advance to Day 2 of the WSOP Mystery Millions.

Reaching the final 1,236 players, Ifran had already locked up a cash while chasing the $1 million first-place prize, a coveted WSOP Gold Bracelet, and the tournament's famous Mystery Bounties. His run perfectly demonstrated what is possible through the Free Poker Network.

💰 Big Cashes and Deep Runs

Larry Sundberg made one of the deepest runs of any FPN player, finishing 404th out of 11,933 entrants in the $1,500 Monster Stack and earning $7,000 after three days of competition.

Another outstanding performance came from Brian Brackett, who represents A House Suited 4 All in Indiana. Brian battled his way to Day 2 of the Gladiators of Poker before finishing an incredible 27th place, earning $8,300 in one of the largest fields of the summer. His deep run was one of the best finishes by an FPN player during the 2026 WSOP.

Justin Hollon added another WSOP cash to the FPN family, collecting $2,003 in the Mini Main Event.

FPN Director Dana Castaneda also cashed twice during the series, including a deep run in the WSOP Employees Event after bagging one of the tournament's biggest Day 1 stacks.

⭐ A Bucket List Moment

Sometimes the best memories aren't measured in dollars.

Dana had the opportunity to share a table with poker legend Daniel Negreanu, a dream for many poker players. She even invited Daniel to an upcoming FPN National Championship, creating one of the most memorable moments of the entire summer.

♠️ The World Series Main Event

The WSOP Main Event once again challenged our players with one of the toughest fields in poker.

Although no member of the FPN family advanced to Day 4, every player represented FPN with professionalism, determination, and class as they competed against the best players in the world.

Sometimes the scoreboard doesn't tell the entire story. Every hand played and every lesson learned helps prepare for the next opportunity.

⚔️ Gladiators of Poker

The Gladiators of Poker event brought one of the largest FPN groups of the summer to the tables.

Several players recorded cashes, including:

Brian Brackett $8,300
Dana Castaneda two Cashes totaling $1,300
Sue Hauglid $1,350
Lester Hauglid $ 1,200
Joel Smith $996
Tyler Kohlness $911

The biggest accomplishment belonged to Sue Hauglid, Lester Hauglid and Brian Brackett, who successfully bagged chips for Day 2 after surviving enormous starting fields. Their deep runs gave the entire FPN family something to cheer for throughout the weekend.

❤️ More Than Just Poker

The World Series of Poker is about much more than cashes and bracelets.

It's about lifelong friendships, unforgettable memories, and proving that anyone can start at a neighborhood Free Poker Network game and one day compete on poker's biggest stage.

Whether it was someone's first WSOP event or another chapter in a long poker journey, every FPN player proudly represented our community.

As one tournament ended, another dream began.

Congratulations to every member of the FPN family who represented us at the 2026 World Series of Poker. Thank you to everyone who followed our journey, shared our updates, and cheered from home.

We'll see you back in Las Vegas next summer.

Until then... keep playing, keep qualifying, and keep chasing the dream. 🍀

FPN Family Takes on the 2026 World Series of Poker