Championship League Draw and Schedule

Snooker will be among the first sports to return to the calendar when restrictions are lifted on June 1st.

The Championship League draw is set to commence on Monday in Milton Keynes as the first snooker event since March takes place amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

A total of 64 players are hoping to participate at the Marshall Arena in the non-ranking tournament promoted by Matchroom Sport.

Many will debate the appropriateness of the timing, but World Snooker Tour chairman Barry Hearn has been intent on getting the action going again as soon as possible following the UK government’s decision to emerge from the lockdown in phases.

The last professional snooker on the Main Tour was the climax to the Gibraltar Open in March, which was concluded behind closed doors and won in somewhat bizarre circumstances by Judd Trump.

The world number one will head a field of mostly UK-based competitors in the Championship League draw, as the continuous hurdles surrounding travel affects the international crop of cueists on the circuit.

Ronnie O’Sullivan, Neil Robertson, Mark Selby, Stuart Bingham, and Mark Allen are other high-profile players in the line-up.

Trump has a strong affinity with the Championship League having triumphed in the invitational event a record three times since its inception in 2008.

However, the format has undergone several changes in order to facilitate the social distancing and isolation measures that are required to ensure a safe competition for all concerned.

This edition is scheduled to incorporate three phases, with the first boasting 16 groups of four players in each.

A round-robin format will produce 16 group winners, who will advance to phase two where there’ll be an additional four groups of four.

Those last four group winners will contest the Tournament Finals on June 11th, where £30,000 will be on offer for the champion.

Each of the first ten days will feature just two groups playing on two tables, meaning only eight players will be required to compete daily.

On-site accommodation at the Marshall Arena will house the players, and it also means that players will not be able to leave the venue, without prior permission from WST, until they lose.

Before being able to take part in the Championship League draw, all players – as well as staff – must test negative for COVID-19.

Live coverage will be provided worldwide as the sport attempts to capitalise on what is currently a rather barren sporting calender.

ITV4 will provide blanket coverage in the UK and Ireland, Eurosport has earned the rights for the European continent, while new streaming service Matchroom.Live will bring the tournament to fans across Africa, the Americas, and parts of Asia.

Championship League Draw and Schedule

Monday June 1

Table One Group 2

• Match 1 Judd Trump v David Grace
• Match 2 Daniel Wells v Elliot Slessor
• Match 3 Daniel Wells v David Grace
• Match 4 Judd Trump v Elliot Slessor
• Match 5 Elliot Slessor v David Grace
• Match 6 Judd Trump v Daniel Wells

Table Two Group 13

• Match 1 Stuart Carrington v Jak Jones
• Match 2 David Gilbert v Jackson Page
• Match 3 David Gilbert v Jak Jones
• Match 4 Stuart Carrington v Jackson Page
• Match 5 David Gilbert v Stuart Carrington
• Match 6 Jak Jones v Jackson Page

Tuesday June 2

Table One Group 9

• Match 1 Jack Lisowski v Oliver Lines
• Match 2 Luca Brecel v Robbie Williams
• Match 3 Luca Brecel v Oliver Lines
• Match 4 Jack Lisowski v Robbie Williams
• Match 5 Robbie Williams v Oliver Lines
• Match 6 Jack Lisowski v Luca Brecel

Table Two Group 3

• Match 1 Mark Davis v Mark Joyce
• Match 2 Michael Holt v Louis Heathcote
• Match 3 Michael Holt v Mark Joyce
• Match 4 Mark Davis v Louis Heathcote
• Match 5 Michael Holt v Mark Davis
• Match 6 Mark Joyce v Louis Heathcote

Wednesday June 3

Table One Group 12

• Match 1 Kyren Wilson v Chen Feilong
• Match 2 Ryan Day v Alfie Burden
• Match 3 Ryan Day v Chen Feilong
• Match 4 Kyren Wilson v Alfie Burden
• Match 5 Alfie Burden v Chen Feilong
• Match 6 Kyren Wilson v Ryan Day

Table Two Group 4

• Match 1 Mark King v Sam Baird
• Match 2 Joe Perry v Harvey Chandler
• Match 3 Joe Perry v Sam Baird
• Match 4 Mark King v Harvey Chandler
• Match 5 Joe Perry v Mark King
• Match 6 Sam Baird v Harvey Chandler

Thursday June 4

Table One Group 5

• Match 1 Mark Selby v Lee Walker
• Match 2 Liang Wenbo v Joe O’Connor
• Match 3 Liang Wenbo v Lee Walker
• Match 4 Mark Selby v Joe O’Connor
• Match 5 Joe O’Connor v Lee Walker
• Match 6 Mark Selby v Liang Wenbo

Table Two Group 14

• Match 1 Matthew Stevens v John Astley
• Match 2 Gary Wilson v Mitchell Mann
• Match 3 Gary Wilson v John Astley
• Match 4 Matthew Stevens v Mitchell Mann
• Match 5 Gary Wilson v Matthew Stevens
• Match 6 John Astley v Mitchell Mann

Friday June 5th

Table One Group 10

• Match 1 Ronnie O’Sullivan v Kishan Hirani
• Match 2 Chris Wakelin v Michael Georgiou
• Match 3 Chris Wakelin v Kishan Hirani
• Match 4 Ronnie O’Sullivan v Michael Georgiou
• Match 5 Michael Georgiou v Kishan Hirani
• Match 6 Ronnie O’Sullivan v Chris Wakelin

Table Two Group 15

• Match 1 Robert Milkins v Mike Dunn
• Match 2 Tom Ford v Ian Burns
• Match 3 Tom Ford v Mike Dunn
• Match 4 Robert Milkins v Ian Burns
• Match 5 Tom Ford v Robert Milkins
• Match 6 Mike Dunn v Ian Burns

Saturday June 6

Table One Group 1

• Match 1 Stuart Bingham v Jamie Clarke
• Match 2 Ricky Walden v Jordon Brown
• Match 3 Ricky Walden v Jamie Clarke
• Match 4 Stuart Bingham v Jordon Brown
• Match 5 Jordon Brown v Jamie Clarke
• Match 6 Stuart Bingham v Ricky Walden

Table Two Group 8

• Match 1 Ben Woollaston v Liam Highfield
• Match 2 Jimmy Robertson v Thor Chuan Leong
• Match 3 Jimmy Robertson v Liam Highfield
• Match 4 Ben Woollaston v Thor Chuan Leong
• Match 5 Jimmy Robertson v Ben Woollaston
• Match 6 Liam Highfield v Thor Chuan Leong

Sunday June 7

Table One Group 16

• Match 1 Neil Robertson v Ashley Carty
• Match 2 Kurt Maflin v Ken Doherty
• Match 3 Kurt Maflin v Ashley Carty
• Match 4 Neil Robertson v Ken Doherty
• Match 5 Ken Doherty v Ashley Carty
• Match 6 Neil Robertson v Kurt Maflin

Table Two Group 7

• Match 1 Anthony McGill v Craig Steadman
• Match 2 Barry Hawkins v Hammad Miah
• Match 3 Barry Hawkins v Craig Steadman
• Match 4 Anthony McGill v Hammad Miah
• Match 5 Barry Hawkins v Anthony McGill
• Match 6 Craig Steadman v Hammad Miah

Monday June 8

Table One Group 11

• Match 1 Mark Allen v Nigel Bond
• Match 2 Martin O’Donnell v Michael White
• Match 3 Martin O’Donnell v Nigel Bond
• Match 4 Mark Allen v Michael White
• Match 5 Michael White v Nigel Bond
• Match 6 Mark Allen v Martin O’Donnell

Table Two Group 6

• Match 1 Matt Selt v Sam Craigie
• Match 2 Ali Carter v Dominic Dale
• Match 3 Ali Carter v Sam Craigie
• Match 4 Matt Selt v Dominic Dale
• Match 5 Ali Carter v Matt Selt
• Match 6 Sam Craigie v Dominic Dale

Tuesday June 9

Phase Two (2 groups)

Wednesday June 10

Phase Two (2 groups)

Thursday June 11

Tournament Finals group

Featured photo credit: WPBSA