British Open Snooker 2026 Order of Play Today: Prize money, full Tuesday schedule, format, how to watch for free, is Ronnie O'Sullivan playing?

The British Open snooker got underway yesterday (Monday, August 31) and is the fourth tournament of the 2026/27 season.

Scotland's John Higgins safely made it through to the second round in Cheltenham yesterday. | Getty Images

First held as a ranking tournament in 1985, it disappeared from the professional snooker schedule in 2005, before returning in the 2021/2022 season.

Shaun Murphy was triumphant last year, beating Scotland’s Anthony McGill 10-7 in the final, and will be back to defend his title.

Read more: Snooker Rich List 2026: Here are the 11 biggest earners of the season - how much prize money have Wu Yize and John Higgins banked?

Meanwhile John Higgins is still in the hunt for another win to tie Steve Davis’ record of five titles, with fellow Scots Anthony McGill, Ross Muir and Liam Graham also playing.

Higgins safely made it through the second round yesterday, beating Iranian player Hossein Vafaei 4-1, and will enjoy a day off today.

Ross Muir is also through to the second round, while McGill and Graham will be playing their first round matches today.

Here’s everything you need to know about what’s happening today at this year’s event.

When is the British Open?

The British Open is held from August 31-September 6 at the Centaur Arena, Cheltenham.

What is the format of the British Open?

The competition is open to all tour card holders, with 128 players entering the first round.

The draw is completely random, meaning there are no seeds and high-ranked players can meet each other at any stage.

Many of the first round qualifying matches took place at the Leicester Arena between July 23-24, but those involving the best known players (including the world top 16) are played in the first couple of days of the competition itself before the second round matches.

The first four rounds are the best of seven frames (first to four), with the quarter-finals the best of nine frames (first to five), the semi-finals the best of 11 frames (first to six) and the final the best of 19 frames (first to 10).

Who is playing today at the British Open snooker?

Here’s who is playing today, Tuesday, September 1, in their qualifying first round matches. Scottish players in bold.

10am

• Gong Chenzhi vs He Guoqiang
• Jackson Page vs Jimmy Robertson
• Mark Joyce vs Jordan Brown
• Jak Jones vs Anthony McGill

1pm

• Yang Liu vs Duane Jones
• Chatchapong Nasa vs Chang Bingyu
• Lyu Haotain vs Xiao/Jiang
• Oliver Brown vs Zhao Xintong

3pm

• Joshua Thomond vs Artemus Zizins
• Mahmoud El Hareedy vs Liam Highfield
• Zhang Anda vs Chris Wakelin
• Wu Yize vs Kyren Wilson

7pm

• Steven Hallworth vs Ishpreet Singh Chadha
• Elliot Slessor vs Jamie Clarke
• Sean O’Sullivan vs Ding Junhui
• Mitchell Mann vs Jack Lisowski

9pm

• Ali Carter vs Thanawat Tirapongpaiboon
• Phil O’Kane vs Michael Holt
• Liam Davies vs Barry Hawkins
• Liam Graham vs Pang/Robertson
• Phil O’Kane vs Michael Holt

What is the prize money at the British Open snooker?

There’s a total prize pot of £502,000 up for grabs, broken down as follows:

• Winner: £100,000
• Runner-up: £45,000
• Semi-final: £20,000
• Quarter-final: £12,000
• Last 16: £9,000
• Last 32: £6,000
• Last 64: £3,000
• Highest break: £5,000

What is the schedule for the British Open snooker?

Here’s how the competition will play out:

• Monday, August 31 - Tuesday, September 1: Qualifying round
• Wednesday, Setember 2: 2nd round
• Thursday, September 3: Quarter-finals
• Friday, September 4 - Saturday, September 5: Semi-finals
• Sunday, September 6: Final

When is John Higgins playing next?

John Higgins will play his secind round match against Thailand’s Noppon Saengkham in the 10am session on Wednesday, September 2.

Is Ronnie O’Sullivan playing in the British Open 2026?

Ronnie O’Sullivan has withdrawn from the tournament for medical reasons and has been replaced in the draw by Mark Joyce.

What trophy is awarded at the British Open Snooker?

In 2022 the tournament trophy was renamed the Clive Everton Trophy in tribute to the popular commentator and longtime editor of Snooker Scene magazine.

How can I watch the British Open Snooker?

Live coverage of the tournament will be broadcast on Channel 5.

Who is favourite to win the British Open Snooker?

Zhao Xintong is the 10/3 favourite, followed by Judd Trump (4/1), Chang Bingyu (6/1), Mark Selby (6/1) and Wu Yize (8/1). John Higgins is a 14/1 outsider.

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