The Champion of Champions is not a WST event, it is a Matchroom event. Whatever happens during that competition doesn’t impact the rankings nor the seedings.
Still. as an “elite” lucrative event it often “produces” interesting and very competitive matches. It’s also usually well attended by the fans who have the certainty to witness some of the very best players in action.
Groups Confirmed For Sportsbet.io Champion of Champions
The groups and schedule are now set for the 2026 Sportsbet.io Champion of Champions. Defending champion Mark Selby begins his title defence in front of a home crowd when the action starts at Leicester’s Mattioli Arena on Monday 9 November.
Snooker’s 16 best title-winners from the past year will compete in Leicester across seven days for one of the most prestigious trophies in the sport. Play gets under way at 1pm on Monday and is live on ITV in the UK.
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Group Stages (Best-of-Seven)
Monday 9 November – Group One • Mark Selby (England) vs Alfie Burden (England) • Barry Hawkins (England) vs Chris Wakelin (England)
Leicester’s own Mark Selby opens the week as defending champion. He also arrives as reigning UK Champion. His first opponent is Alfie Burden, whose Snooker Shoot Out triumph in December made him the oldest first-time ranking event winner in the sport’s history. Welsh Open champion Barry Hawkins and Scottish Open champion Chris Wakelin complete a group that promises a spectacular start to the week.
Tuesday 10 November – Group Four • Neil Robertson (Australia) vs Panchaya Channoi (Thailand) • Judd Trump (England) vs Jak Jones (Wales)
World No. 1 Judd Trump leads Group Four after titles at the German Masters and Shanghai Masters. He was runner-up here last year and returns to Leicester looking to go one better. Former Champion of Champions winner Neil Robertson faces one of the stories of the week in Panchaya Channoi. The 18-year-old Thai star makes her debut on the big stage after winning the World Women’s Snooker Championship in May. Jak Jones also qualified twice over, as winner of the British Open and the Championship League.
Wednesday 11 November – Group Three • Shaun Murphy (England) vs Ronnie O’Sullivan (England) • Wu Yize (China) vs Chang Bingyu (China)
Group Three features a blockbuster opener: Shaun Murphy against Ronnie O’Sullivan, the event’s record four-time winner. O’Sullivan returns as World Seniors Champion, while Murphy was runner-up at the Crucible this year. In the other match, reigning World Champion Wu Yize faces fellow Chinese star Chang Bingyu. Chang makes his first Champion of Champions appearance after winning his maiden ranking title at the Wuhan Open.
Thursday 12 November – Group Two • Zhao Xintong (China) vs Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (Thailand) • Kyren Wilson (England) vs Ali Carter (England)
The group stages close with one of the strongest groups of the week. Zhao Xintong comes to Leicester after a remarkable season that included the World Grand Prix, Players Championship and Tour Championship. He meets World Open champion Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, one of the most entertaining players on tour. Masters champion Kyren Wilson takes on English Open winner Ali Carter in the second match.
Format Each day’s two opening matches are best-of-seven, starting from 1pm. The winners meet in the evening session at 7pm in a best-of-11 group final, with a semi-final place on the line. The semi-finals are on Friday 13 and Saturday 14 November at 7pm. The best-of-19 final is played over afternoon and evening sessions on Sunday 15 November.
Ronnie has qualified for the event as World Seniors Snooker Champion. He’s in the draw … but will he play? I’m not sure. He’s won this event four times. He played in it last year, but had withdrawn in 2023. Time will tell.
2 thoughts on “The 2026 Champion of Champions – Groups and Schedule”
I won’t be happy if he plays, because it might be detrimental for the upcoming UK which is a lot more important. This one has good players, as in tournament winners, but the women’s champion is also there (which reminds me: has she done anything with her tourcard?), and so is the senior champ, another relatively weak contennder. Yes, I know that’s how Ronnie qualified, and I’m not happy about it.
Personally, I wish he plays. Why? Precisely because it is competitive snooker against top players, without the pressure of rankings and this, far from being detrimental, could prove to be very valuable “practice” instead and something that could help restoring his confidence a bit.
I won’t be happy if he plays, because it might be detrimental for the upcoming UK which is a lot more important. This one has good players, as in tournament winners, but the women’s champion is also there (which reminds me: has she done anything with her tourcard?), and so is the senior champ, another relatively weak contennder. Yes, I know that’s how Ronnie qualified, and I’m not happy about it.
On another note: hope, you’ll get well soon.
Personally, I wish he plays. Why? Precisely because it is competitive snooker against top players, without the pressure of rankings and this, far from being detrimental, could prove to be very valuable “practice” instead and something that could help restoring his confidence a bit.