Today at the British Open Snooker 2026: Prize money, full Monday schedule, format, how to watch for free, is Ronnie O'Sullivan playing?

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

Shaun Murphy is the British Open defending champion. | 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.

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, Monday, August 31, in their qualifying first round matches.

1pm

• Ding Junhui (CHN) [15] v Anton Kazakov (UKR) [115]
• Xiao Guodong (CHN) [11] v Jiang Jun (CHN) [65]
• Shaun Murphy (ENG) [1] v Reanne Evans (ENG) [82]
• Mark Williams (WAL) [7] v David Gilbert (ENG) [31]

3pm

• Wu Yize (CHN) [2] v Liu Hongyu (CHN) [58]
• Florian Nüßle (AUT) [93] v Kyren Wilson (ENG) [8]
• Barry Hawkins (ENG) [10] v Deng Haohui (CHN) [124]
• Mark Joyce (ENG) v Mateusz Baranowski (POL) [85]

7pm

• Judd Trump (ENG) [3] v Dylan Emery (WAL) [72]
• Oliver Brown (ENG) [92] v Zhao Xintong (CHN) [5]
• Chris Wakelin (ENG) [13] v Luca Brecel (BEL) [44]
• Wang Xinbo (CHN) [117] v Patrick Whelan (ENG) (a)

9pm

• Ashley Carty (ENG) [106] v Si Jiahui (CHN) [16]
• Mark Selby (ENG) [9] v David Lilley (ENG) [60]
• Pang Junxu (CHN) [25] v Neil Robertson (AUS) [4]
• John Higgins (SCO) [6] v Hossein Vafaei (IRN) [28]

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

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

Ronnie O’Sullivan has withdrawn from the tournament for medical reasons and have 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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