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THE FACES OF THE WSOP: MEET THE 2026 WSOP TALENT TEAM

Meet the new faces of the WSOP broadcasting team, including David Williams, Maria Ho, Joe Stapleton, Jeff Platt, and Lon McEachern & Norman Chad. Returning to the commentary booth for the 2026 WSOP, Ali Nejad and Poker Hall of Fame inductee Nick Schulman look to highlight their talents on poker's biggest stage.

Las Vegas, Nevada (May 12, 2026) - The 57th annual World Series of Poker (WSOP) is quickly approaching, as grinders, qualifiers, and champions from all over the world get ready to make the trip to the poker capital of the world: Las Vegas. As the WSOP Main Event, the Super Bowl of poker, gets set to make its return to ESPN, the 2026 WSOP has become one of the most anticipated events in recent memory. With around 100 hours of WSOP Main Event action set to be broadcast on the world’s biggest sports channel, ESPN, Team WSOP has been working tirelessly to assemble one of the best lineups of onscreen talent for the year’s biggest poker series and serve as full-time talent for the WSOP moving forward. For rabid poker fans and casual viewers, get familiar with who is set to appear by the poker tables during the 2026 WSOP. Meet the faces of the World Series of Poker David Williams is all smiles at the poker table. David Williams A household name in the poker world for over two decades, David Williams’ accomplishments span even beyond the poker table. Owning over $9 million in live tournament earnings, Williams is most known for his runner-up finish in the 2004 WSOP Main Event, where he scored $3.5 million after finishing runner-up to champion Greg Raymer. Finishing one spot short of a WSOP Main Event title is not the only aspect of Williams that makes him well-equipped to work on the WSOP broadcast team. When not making deep runs and appearing on poker productions like Poker After Dark’s Game of Gold, Williams can also be found tearing it up in the kitchen. In 2016, on the seventh season of the hit cooking show MasterChef, Williams finished as a co-runner-up, winning six cooking challenges as he displayed his talents on camera. A WSOP bracelet winner with talents at the poker table, in front of the camera, and seemingly everywhere else, Williams is a welcome addition to the WSOP Talent Team. Mario Ho showcasing her broadcasting skills at the WSOP. Maria Ho A Women in Poker Hall of Fame inductee who has long been one of the best broadcasters in poker, Maria Ho is one of the most recognizable faces in poker, and looks to bring her talents to the WSOP. A cash game crusher who also holds over $5 million in live tournament earnings, Ho is one of the most accomplished women to ever pay the big blind, appearing on some of poker's most-watched productions like Poker After Dark and No Gamble, No Future. At every WSOP Main Event, the title of Last Woman Standing garners great interest among poker players and viewers. Finishing as Last Woman Standing twice in the WSOP Main Event and twice in the WSOP Europe Main Event, Ho is the only woman to serve as Last Woman Standing four times. In 2023, Ho won Poker After Dark’s Game of Gold, competing with the likes of Daniel Negreanu, Josh Arieh, and fellow WSOP broadcast team member David Williams. Away from the felt, Ho remains one of poker’s most accomplished broadcasters, regularly appearing on poker productions aired on CBS Sports, PokerGO, and ESPN. In 2019, Ho won the Global Poker Award for Broadcaster of the Year, a testament to her abilities in front of the camera. Outside of poker, Ho has also appeared on some of the most popular televised productions, including American Idol, Deal or No Deal, and The Amazing Race. Lon McEachern (center) and Norman Chad (right) pictured with actor Vince Vaughn. Lon McEachern & Norman Chad Considered by many as the official voices of the WSOP, the pair of Lon McEachern and Norman Chad return to the WSOP and, in turn, ESPN at the 2026 WSOP. Since 2003, McEachern and Chad have covered some of the WSOP’s most iconic moments, including Chris Moneymaker’s industry-shaking victory in the 2003 WSOP Main Event, Jamie Gold’s record-breaking WSOP Main Event win in 2006, and Joe Cada becoming the youngest WSOP Main Event champion in history in 2009 at just the age of 21. With a combined total of over 40 years of experience covering poker’s grandest stage, poker fans around the world cannot wait to see poker’s most iconic duo grace their television screens once again. Joe Stapleton battling at the 2023 WSOP. Joe Stapleton Owning a comedic flair that has graced both poker broadcasting booths and stand-up comedy stages for years, Joe Stapleton is set to make his WSOP broadcasting debut at the 2026 WSOP. Since 2009, Stapleton has been a fixture in the world of poker commentary, known for the professional-quality comedic wit he brings to both online and live poker commentary. A testament both for his love of the game and humor, in 2022 Stapleton, along with fellow poker commentator James Hartigan, received the Global Poker Award for Best Podcast for Poker in the Ears. Teaming up with the likes of Ali Nejad and Maria Ho, Stapleton, referred to many fans simply as “Stapes”, is set to cover even more memorable poker moments, but this time at the WSOP. Jeff Platt doing what he does best at the WSOP. Jeff Platt A beloved full-time member of Team WSOP since January 2026, Jeff Platt is set to return once again to WSOP audiences and continue his role as one of poker broadcasting’s most popular figures. Before entering the world of poker journalism, Platt refined his craft in the sports world, serving as a sports anchor and reporter covering the San Antonio Spurs and his favorite sports team: the Dallas Mavericks. In 2018, Platt transitioned to poker media when he became a reporter and podcast host for PokerNews. The same year, Platt took his talents to PokerGO Studios, hosting popular productions such as Friday Night Poker, The Big Blind, and No Gamble, No Future. While certainly talented in front of the camera, Platt is also known to display his skills on the felt. A WSOP Circuit ring winner with over $800,000 in live tournament earnings, Platt’s poker accolades also include reaching a WSOP final table in 2021 and multiple deep runs in the WSOP Main Event. 2026 WSOP Commentary Team Ali Nejad (left) and Nick Schulman (right) team up once again to provide commentary at the WSOP. Ali Nejad A veteran of poker commentary, Ali Nejad has been a fixture in poker broadcasting for years.  Known for appearances on productions like Poker After Dark and NBC’s National Heads-Up Championship, Nejad is no stranger to the WSOP broadcasting booth, having made regular appearances at WSOP events, most recently commentating at WSOP Paradise 2025. Along with his regular appearances on poker productions, Nejad’s broadcasting resume also features appearances on ESPNU and HLN. Nejad is most known for his talents as a poker broadcaster, but has also displayed his acumen on the felt. Having dropped out of UC Berkeley to play poker full-time, Nejad made a living for years from high-stakes cash games.Teaming up with new Poker Hall of Famer Nick Schulman behind the commentary booth, the duo of Nejad and Schulman is sure to leave viewers with many memorable moments. Nick Schulman One of the two newest members of the Poker Hall of Fame, Nick Schulman is a seven-time WSOP bracelet winner, two-time WSOP Circuit ring winner, and has a presence perfect for the broadcasting booth. When not cementing his legacy as one of the best poker players alive, Schulman can regularly be found providing world-class poker commentary not only at the WSOP, but on major productions including High Stakes Poker, Super High Roller Cash Game, and at the Triton Poker Series. Teaming up once again with Ali Nejad to create more memorable WSOP moments, viewers and fans are already looking forward to the Hall of Fame-quality commentary Schulman is set to provide.