English Open Snooker 2026 Preview: Everything You Need to Know
The 2026 English Open brings together a strong field for the latest instalment of the BetVictor Home Nations Series, with former champions, current title contenders and emerging players all competing for one of the season’s ranking titles.
The tournament has been a regular fixture on the professional snooker calendar since 2016 and forms part of the Home Nations Series alongside the Northern Ireland Open, Scottish Open and Welsh Open.
This year’s tournament is particularly open because defending champion Allen has withdrawn for personal reasons, while Ronnie O’Sullivan is also absent. That leaves several major names competing for the trophy, including Judd Trump, Zhao Xintong, Mark Selby, Wu Yize, Neil Robertson and Kyren Wilson.
With the opening matches underway, attention now turns to who can handle the pressure across a demanding week and emerge as the latest English Open champion.
When Is The English Open Snooker 2026?
The English Open Snooker 2026 takes place from Monday 7 September to Sunday 13 September at the Brentwood Centre in Brentwood, England. The tournament begins with the opening rounds before progressing through the last 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals, culminating in the final on Sunday 13 September.
The tournament proper features the leading seeds alongside players who came through qualifying. Matches from the round of 64 through to the last 16 are played over the best of seven frames. The quarter-finals and semi-finals are best of 11, while the final is played over the best of 17 frames.
That format means there is little room for a slow start in the early rounds, while the longer matches later in the week give experienced players more opportunity to demonstrate their tactical ability and composure.
Where Is The English Open Snooker 2026 Held?
The 2026 English Open is being held at the Brentwood Centre in Brentwood, Essex. The venue has become the established home of the tournament, with the 2025 edition also staged there.
The move to Brentwood followed previous editions being held at venues including Manchester, Barnsley, Crawley and Milton Keynes. The Brentwood Centre has therefore become an increasingly familiar setting for the English Open and provides the tournament with a dedicated venue for its multi-table opening rounds and later single-table stages.
For spectators, the early rounds feature several matches across the venue, before the competition becomes increasingly focused on the leading players as the draw progresses towards the final weekend.
Who Won The English Open Snooker Last Year?
Mark Allen won the 2025 English Open, defeating Zhou Yuelong 9-8 in a dramatic final at the Brentwood Centre. Allen led 6-2 after the opening session and later moved 7-3 ahead, but Zhou fought back strongly to lead 8-7. Allen then won the final two frames to secure the Steve Davis Trophy.
The victory gave Allen his 12th ranking title and his first ranking-event victory since the Players Championship in February 2024. He also collected the £100,000 winner’s prize.
Allen was due to return to Brentwood to defend his title in 2026 but withdrew from the tournament for personal reasons. As a result, a new English Open champion will be crowned this year.
What Is The Prize Money For The English Open Snooker?
The English Open 2026 has a total prize fund of £550,400, with £100,000 going to the champion. The tournament also awards £5,000 for the highest break.
The main prize-money breakdown is:
- Winner: £100,000
- Runner-up: £45,000
- Semi-finalists: £21,000 each
- Quarter-finalists: £13,200 each
- Last 16: £9,000 each
- Last 32: £5,400 each
- Last 64: £3,600 each
- Last 96: £1,000 each
- Highest break: £5,000
The financial rewards make progression through the draw significant for players across the professional rankings. The English Open is also the first of the four Home Nations Series events for the season, with an additional £150,000 BetVictor bonus available to the player who accumulates the most prize money across the four tournaments.
Who Is The Favourite to Win The English Open Snooker?
Judd Trump and Zhao Xintong are among the leading contenders for the 2026 English Open. Mark Selby and reigning world champion Wu Yize are also prominent contenders, while Neil Robertson and Shaun Murphy feature among the next group of players in the market.
Trump is a former English Open champion and enters the tournament after another strong period on the professional circuit. Selby is another former winner, while Robertson has also lifted the Steve Davis Trophy. Wu Yize brings the added status of reigning world champion to a field that includes several of the sport’s biggest names.
The draw also includes Kyren Wilson, Mark Williams, Ding Junhui, Jack Lisowski, Barry Hawkins, Stuart Bingham and Zhou Yuelong, meaning there are plenty of potential threats beyond the leading names in the outright market.
The English Open’s best-of-seven opening matches can produce surprises, while the longer quarter-finals, semi-finals and final place a greater emphasis on consistency and match management. With Allen absent and O’Sullivan also missing, the 2026 competition offers a genuine opportunity for a new champion to take centre stage.
Bet on the English Open at Bet442
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The tournament offers a variety of potential markets, although odds and availability can change as the competition progresses.
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