It's All Crushers Atop the WSOP Player of the Year Standings; Deeb Still Hanging in There

The 2026 World Series of Poker Player of the Year (POY) race sees Alex Foxen leading the field with 2,720 points. Foxen's performance includes a bracelet win and five final table appearances this summer, solidifying his position at the summit.

Nick Schulman has ascended to second place with 2,550 points, narrowly missing the top spot after finishing runner-up in the $10,000 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw Championship to Koji Fujimoto. Josh Arieh, the 2021 Player of the Year, is positioned third with 2,457 points, boosted by his recent second-place finish in the $50,000 Poker Players Championship. Benny Glaser, who bested Arieh in that event, is close behind with 2,407 points, and two-bracelet winner Eelis Parssinen occupies fifth with 2,310 points.

Shaun Deeb, a two-time POY winner and pre-series favorite, holds eighth place with 2,019 points. Deeb entered the summer with a points advantage from two runner-up finishes and a ninth-place score at WSOP Europe in April. Although he has only two cashes during the current WSOP in Las Vegas, these include a second and a fifth-place finish, demonstrating his continued competitiveness. The WSOP POY race considers a player's top 15 point scores across WSOP Europe, WSOP Las Vegas, and WSOP Paradise events.

Deeb has eight total cashes, six from WSOP Europe. He is within striking distance of the top, with the potential to significantly improve his standing with strong finishes in upcoming events, provided the leading players do not extend their own runs.