The Shanghai Masters has just wrapped up — and snooker is already moving on. On August 8, the China Open 2026 begins in Taiyuan — and this is not just another tournament. It’s the return of one of the most iconic events on the snooker calendar after a six-year absence. And it comes with one of the largest prize funds of any ranking event this season.
Back After Six Years
The China Open ran as a ranking event from 2005 to 2019 — 18 consecutive editions. Then COVID-19 hit, the tournament was suspended, and it vanished from the calendar for six years. In 2026, it returns: new venue, new city, record prize money.
For the first time in the event’s history, the tournament will be held in Taiyuan — the capital of Shanxi province in northern China. The venue is the Riverside Sports Centre. The city is hosting professional snooker for the first time, but the scale of the arena and level of preparation are fully up to top-tier standards.
The most successful players in China Open history remain Mark Selby and Mark Williams — three titles each. Will either of them add a fourth?
Prize Money: The Biggest Ranking Event Fund of the Early Season
| Stage | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| Winner | £250,000 |
| Runner-up | £100,000 |
| Semi-finalists | £50,000 each |
| Quarter-finalists | £25,000 each |
| Last 16 | £15,000 |
| Last 32 | £10,000 |
| Last 48 | £7,500 |
| Last 80 | £5,000 |
| Last 112 | £2,500 |
| Total fund | £1,200,000 |
£250,000 for the winner — more than the Shanghai Masters (£210,000) and more than most ranking events this season. For comparison: the English Open pays its winner just £100,000. The China Open is on a different level.
Format: Tiered — Like the UK Championship
The China Open returns with a tiered format, similar to the UK Championship and the World Championship:
- Top 16 — straight into the final stages in Taiyuan, no qualifying required;
- Players ranked 17–48 — two qualifying rounds in Leicester;
- Remaining players — four qualifying rounds.
146 players in total, including amateurs on wild cards. All matches up to and including the semi-finals are best of 11 (first to 6 frames). The final is best of 19 (first to 10 frames), played over two sessions.
Two Chinese wild cards receive places in the Taiyuan draw directly — drawn against two qualifiers. The winners advance to the last 32.
All Top 16 Confirmed — A Record 12 Chinese Players in the Draw
All 16 of the world’s top-ranked players have confirmed their participation. Among them: Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins, Mark Williams, Ding Junhui, Neil Robertson, Mark Selby, Judd Trump, and Zhao Xintong.
World champion Wu Yize and Si Jiahui received direct seedings into the main draw. A particularly notable detail: a record 12 Chinese players have made the main draw — never before have so many Chinese players appeared in a single ranking event.
The defending champion is Neil Robertson, who won the China Open 2019 — the last edition before the hiatus.
Favourites
Judd Trump arrives in Taiyuan fresh off his Shanghai Masters victory — in the best possible form. He whitewashed Higgins 6–0, beat world champion Wu Yize 10–6, and won the final 11–6. Form and motivation are both there.
Zhao Xintong — world No. 2 and 2025 World Champion. In Shanghai, he reached the semi-finals with back-to-back whitewashes (Ding 6–2, Robertson 6–0). But Taiyuan is a ranking event — where every result counts towards the world rankings. Motivation is at maximum.
Wu Yize plays on home soil in front of the loudest support imaginable. The 22-year-old world champion will want to prove that his Shanghai loss to Trump was just one bad day.
Neil Robertson as the defending champion. 44 years old, world No. 3 — and he knows how to win in China. His comeback from 2–5 down in Shanghai showed his competitive fire hasn’t faded.
Ronnie O’Sullivan — a special case. After the Shanghai Masters, he skipped the Wuhan Open and the English Open. The China Open is his next scheduled event. If he arrives in form — he’s dangerous for anyone.
What Makes This Tournament Special
The China Open is not just another ranking event with big prize money. It’s the revival of a tradition that lasted 18 years and was interrupted by COVID at its peak. In 2019, the arena in Beijing was packed, CCTV-5 broadcast to millions. Now — Taiyuan, a new city, a new chapter.
12 Chinese players in the draw means every day of the tournament will feature home heroes for the local crowd. It’s an atmosphere that can’t be replicated in Britain.
First-Round Schedule — China Open 2026, Taiyuan
All times shown in BST (British Summer Time). Local Taiyuan time is BST +7 hours.
Saturday, August 8
6:00 AM BST
| Player 1 | Player 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Ding Junhui 🇨🇳 | v | David Gilbert 🏴 |
| Mark Williams 🏴🏴 | v | Zhou Yuelong 🇨🇳 |
11:30 AM BST
| Player 1 | Player 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Barry Hawkins 🏴 | v | Liu Hongyu 🇨🇳 |
| Wu Yize 🇨🇳 (WC 2026) | v | Yao Pengcheng 🇨🇳 |
Sunday, August 9
6:00 AM BST
| Player 1 | Player 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Xiao Guodong 🇨🇳 | v | Hossein Vafaei 🇮🇷 / Wild Card |
| Judd Trump 🏴 (No. 1) | v | Noppon Saengkham 🇹🇭 |
11:30 AM BST
| Player 1 | Player 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Shaun Murphy 🏴 | v | Matthew Selt 🏴 |
| Ronnie O’Sullivan 🏴 | v | Jackson Page 🏴🏴 |
Monday, August 10
6:00 AM BST
| Player 1 | Player 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Neil Robertson 🇦🇺 (Defending) | v | Chang Bingyu 🇨🇳 |
| Si Jiahui 🇨🇳 | v | Jiang Jun 🇨🇳 |
11:30 AM BST
| Player 1 | Player 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Kyren Wilson 🏴 | v | Aaron Hill 🇮🇪 |
| Mark Selby 🏴 | v | Pang Junxu 🇨🇳 |
Tuesday, August 11
6:00 AM BST
| Player 1 | Player 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Mark Allen 🇮🇪 | v | Anthony McGill 🏴 / Wild Card |
| John Higgins 🏴 | v | Stuart Bingham 🏴 |
11:30 AM BST
| Player 1 | Player 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Wakelin 🏴 | v | Tom Ford 🏴 |
| Zhao Xintong 🇨🇳 (WC 2025) | v | Zhang Anda 🇨🇳 |
Matches Not to Miss
O’Sullivan v Page (Sunday August 9, 11:30 AM BST) O’Sullivan’s first match after a long break — he skipped the Wuhan Open and English Open. Page is a dangerous young player who has qualified for every tournament this season. A fascinating opener for both.
Zhao v Zhang Anda (Tuesday August 11, 11:30 AM BST) Zhao Xintong — 2025 World Champion, in superb form after Shanghai. Zhang Anda — one of the most underrated Chinese players on tour. A Chinese derby on home soil.
Ding v Gilbert (Saturday August 8, 6:00 AM BST) Ding Junhui’s first China Open match since going over a year without a ranking title on home soil. Gilbert is a tough, experienced opponent.
Trump v Saengkham (Sunday August 9, 6:00 AM BST) The reigning Shanghai Masters champion gets straight to work. Thailand’s Noppon Saengkham is no pushover in a first-round draw.
Where and When to Watch
- Dates: August 8–16, 2026;
- Venue: Riverside Sports Centre, Taiyuan, China;
- TV/Streaming: BBC (UK), Eurosport, WST Play (wst.tv), Stan Sport (Australia);
- Time zone: Taiyuan is UTC+8. First sessions at 1:00 PM local = 6:00 AM BST / 3:00 PM AEST.
Full match schedule, results, and daily tournament coverage at snooker.news from August 8.
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