Scottish Open Snooker 2026 Qualifiers: When will we know the full lineup, how to watc h the qualifying matches, and how to see the biggest stars take to the baize in Edinburgh

Formerly known by a number of other names - including the International Open, Matchroom Trophy and Players Championship - the Scottish Open snooker competition dates back to 1981.

Marco Fu is one of the starts hoping to qualify for this year's Scottish Open snooker. | Getty Images

It became the Scottish Open in 1998 when it was held at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre, moving to Edinburgh’s Royal Highland Centre in 2004.

Since then it’s been held at a number of venues, including the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in Glasgow, the Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility, and back to Glasgow in the Commonwealth Arena and Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome.

Champions over the years have included Ronnie O'Sullivan, Stephen Hendry, Marco Fu, Peter Ebdon, Jimmy White and Mark Selby. The defending champion is Chris Wakelin who beat Chang Bingyu 9–2 in last year’s final.

This year it’s returning to Scotland’s Capital, where it has been played since 2022.

Here’s everything you need to know - including how to go.

When does the Scottish Open snooker take place in 2026?

The tournament starts on Monday, December 14, with the final being played on Sunday, December 20.

Where is the 2026 Scottish Open snooker being played?

The tournament is held at Edinburgh’s Meadowbank Sports Centre.

Who plays in the Scottish Open Snooker?

A total of 64 players compete in the main draw of the tournament - 32 qualifiers and the top 32 players in the world. That means you’re likely to see local hero John Higgins, new world champion Wu Yize, world number one Zhao Xintong , and a host of other stars like Judd Trump Mark Williams and Kyren Wilson. We still don’t know if Ronnie O’Sullivan will play as he has pulled out of a string of tournament “for medial reasons”.

When are the Scottish Open 2026 qualifiers being held?

Qualifying will take place from September 20-23 September at the Leicester Arena in Leicester, England.

How many players play in the Scottish Open snooker qualifiers?

A total of 80 players will take part in the qualifiers. There are 32 first round matches, with the 16 winners facing the 16 highest seeded players in the second round. The 16 winners will go on to qualify for the tournament proper.

Can I watch the Scottish Open snooker qualifiers?

The qualification tournament will be streamed on HBO Max

Can I get tickets to see the Scottish Open snooker 2026 in Edinburgh?

Tickets are still available for for all days, starting at just £15 for a single session, here.

You have the option of playing for a single evening session, or just the evening session.

The most expensive ticket price is for the evening of the final, which costs £50.

Can I watch the Scottish Open on television?

Don’t worry if you can’t make it to Edinburgh, you can catch all the action on television.

It will be broadcast on Eurosport which is available for free to Sky and Virgin Media customers. You can watch it on other platforms for £30.99 per month.

What is the format?

It’s a straight knock-out tournament, with matches being the best of seven frames (first to four) until the quarter-finals which are best of nine (first to five). The semi-finals are then the best of 11 frames (first to six) and the final the best of the last 64 being the best of 17 (first to 9) over two sessions of play.

What is the prize money at the Scottish Open snooker 2026?

There is a total of £550,000 will be up for grabs, with the winner getting £100,000, the runner-up: £45,000, the semi-finalists £21,000, quarter-finalists £13,200.

Even getting to the last 16 will win you £9,000, last 32 £5,400 and last 64 £3,600. The player with the highest break gets a bonus of £5,000.

What trophy is awarded at the Scottish Open snooker?

The winner will lift the Stephen Hendry Trophy, named after the Scottish seven-time world champion.

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