Champion of Champions Snooker 2026 Today: Prize money, Monday schedule, format, how to watch for free - when is Ronnie O'Sullivan playing?
Some of the world’s top snooker players are hoping to win some big money in Leicester this week - and you can watch all the action for free.
First held in 1978 and revived in 2013, the Champion of Champions is a non-ranking snooker tournament that features the winners of World Snooker events over the last 12 months.
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This year’s tournament, being held in Leicester, is the 16th edition with Mark Selby returning as defending champion following his 10-5 over Judd Trump in the 2025 final.
Sadly no Scots will be playing in the competition, after John Higgins failed to qualify, but Ronnie O’Sullivan will be making an appearance thanks to his win at the World Seniors Championship in May.
Here’s everything you need to know about the tournament today.
When is the Champion of Champions 2026 snooker tournament?
The competition plays out from Monday, November 9, until Sunday, November 15.
Who is playing today at the Champion of Champions snooker tournament?
Here’s the lineup for today, Monday, November 9, when we’ll discover the group one semi-finalist.
From 1pm
- Mark Selby v Alfie Burden (first round)
- Barry Hawkins v Chris Wakelin (first round)
From 7pm
- Selby/Burden vs Hawkins/Wakelin (quarter-final)
When is Ronnie O’Sullivan playing in the Champion of Champions snooker?
The Rocket will play his group three opening game against Shaun Murphy in the 1pm session on Wednesday, November 11. The winner will play either Wu Yize or Chang Bingyu in the quarter-final.
What is the prize money for the Champion of Champions snooker tournament?
There’s a total of £440,000 up for grabs in the tournament, split as follows:
- Winner: £150,000
- Runner-up: £60,000
- Semi-final: £30,000
- Group runner-up (last 8): £17,500
- Group semi-final (last 16): £12,500
What are the groups in the Champion of Champions snooker?
Here’s how the players are broken up, with one player from each group advancing to the quarter-finals.
Group One
- Mark Selby
- Alfie Burden
- Barry Hawkins
- Chris Wakelin
Group Two
- Zhao Xintong
- Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
- Kyren Wilson
- Ali Carter
Group Three
- Shaun Murphy
- Ronnie O’Sullivan
- Wu Yize
- Chang Bingyu
Group Four
- Neil Robertson
- Judd Trump
- Jak Jones
- Panchaya Channoi
What’s the format of the Champion of Champions snooker?
Each of the first four days will see one player reach the semi-finals by advancing from four groups. To do so they will need to win two games in a single day.
The semi-finals then take place on Friday and Saturday, with the final on Sunday.
The first round is the best of seven frames, the quarter-finals and semi-finals the best of 11 frames, and the final the best of 19 frames.
How can I watch the Champion of Champions snooker?
The whole tournament will be available to watch live on ITV4 and there is a live stream on ITVX.
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