International Championship 2026 Qualifying Day 3
The final day of qualifying for the 2026 International Championship in Leicester opened with Shaun Murphy producing a dramatic comeback and Chang Bingyu delivering a near-perfect display. In the afternoon session, two Ukrainian players — Anton Kazakov and Michael Larkov — take on major opposition as they bid for spots at the main event in Nanjing.
Morning Session Results (September 19)
Murphy 6-4 Zhao Hanyang — the most dramatic match of the morning. The 2005 world champion lost the first three frames, with Zhao compiling a break of 107 in the third. A surprise exit loomed. But Murphy rallied superbly, winning six of the next seven frames with breaks of 78, 74, 77, and 59 to book his place in the main draw. Fresh from his semi-final run at the English Open, the 43-year-old continues to show his fighting qualities.
Chang Bingyu 6-0 Quinn F. — the Wuhan Open champion was flawless, whitewashing Northern Ireland’s Fergal Quinn with six consecutive breaks of 54, 73, 79, 81, 93, and 50. It was one of the most dominant performances across the entire qualifying campaign — Quinn was simply outclassed.
O’Connor 6-5 Bai Yulu — Joe O’Connor survived a tough test against the two-time women’s world champion, edging through in a decider with a top break of 100. Bai Yulu continues to push established professionals close but remains unable to cross the line at the qualifying stage.
Gary Wilson 6-2 Ng On Yee — Wilson recovered from 0-2 down to reel off six frames on the bounce, compiling a top break of 97. For Ng On Yee, who staged that memorable comeback against Nüßle at the NI Open qualifiers, this tournament ends at the first hurdle.
Afternoon Session — Ukrainians in Action
The afternoon session (14:30 BST) features two Ukrainian players facing high-profile opponents:
Ali Carter v Anton Kazakov 🇺🇦. The newly crowned English Open champion, riding a wave of confidence after his Brentwood triumph, takes on 23-year-old Kazakov — a former WSF Junior World Champion (2022) and European Team Champion (2025, alongside Larkov). It is a stern test of Kazakov’s credentials against a player at the peak of his form.
Chris Wakelin v Michael Larkov 🇺🇦. The defending Scottish Open champion and world number 13 meets 17-year-old Larkov, who is navigating his debut professional season. After falling 1-4 to Robbie Williams in the NI Open qualifiers, Larkov faces an even steeper challenge against one of the tour’s most consistent performers.
Also in the afternoon session: Anthony McGill v Liam Davies (the English Open quarter-finalist), Stan Moody v Panchaya Channoi, and David Lilley v Reanne Evans.
What’s Next: Scottish Open Qualifying Starts Tomorrow
IC qualifying concludes today. Tomorrow, September 20, the same Mattioli Arena hosts the start of qualifying for the BetVictor Scottish Open 2026 (main event: December 14–20, Edinburgh). Among the first-round entrants is Ukraine’s Iulian Boiko, who faces Egypt’s Mahmoud El Hareedy at 10:00 BST.
The International Championship main stages run from October 31 to November 7 in Nanjing, China. Wu Yize (China) is the defending champion. Total prize fund: £825,000, with £175,000 for the winner.
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