Four-time winner Ronnie O’Sullivan won’t feature in the 2025 Champion of Champions after the lineup was officially revealed on Thursday.
Alfie Burden will instead be invited to compete in the prestigious invitational tournament for the first time in his career.
There was some controversy last week when the criteria was initially announced by the tournament promoters, Matchroom Sport.
During the Northern Ireland Open, it was published that the Home Nations Series tournament would represent the last opportunity for players to qualify through winning a title.
The other available spot was to be awarded via the world rankings list, which to everyone looked like an obvious attempt to shoehorn O’Sullivan into the lineup.
The Rocket, of course, hasn’t captured a piece of silverware since lifting the World Grand Prix trophy at the beginning of 2024.
O’Sullivan, the current world number five, came close at the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters in the summer but was ultimately denied glory in the deciding frame of the final by Neil Robertson.
Matchroom Sport has often faced criticism for its selection process for the Champion of Champions, with the world rankings used in previous years for top-ups instead of actual winners of events.
It’s understandable that they would prefer the biggest names in the sport to be involved, and there don’t come any better ticket-sellers than O’Sullivan.
But the literal name of the tournament would imply that the field should comprise only winners from the previous 12-month period.
When the criteria was initially announced last week – which many would argue was too late anyway – there was immediate uproar surrounding the absence of Alfie Burden from the 16-strong lineup.
The Londoner memorably won his maiden world seniors title in May to seemingly guarantee his Champion of Champions spot.
Indeed, every world seniors champion since 2019 had been invited to participate in the lucrative competition.
Jason Francis quickly questioned the decision, saying: “The 2025 [World Seniors] champs was played under an agreement between WST and WSS [World Seniors Snooker].”
“Up until today, Alfie was in at number 22 as shown on the ITV graphic. Number 21 was the women’s world champion who is in.
“The issue today is that Alfie has been removed from all publicity and a new criteria has been published with no mention of him.
“The world seniors champion has a contractual right to be on that list, so I am sure it is merely an oversight they will correct.”
Corrected it has been, although whether it’s because pressure has been put on the Matchroom Sport to reverse its decision or if O’Sullivan has simply turned down his invitation is unclear.
At any rate, the Champion of Champions criteria has been updated and the lineup for the 2025 edition finally looks set in stone.
Who is in the 2025 Champion of Champions draw?
Mark Williams returns as the defending champion having got his hands on the trophy for the first time in 2024 by beating Xiao Guodong in the final.
UK champion Judd Trump, Masters winner Shaun Murphy, and world champion Zhao Xintong will be joined by Neil Robertson – a winner of the so-called fourth major in Saudi Arabia in the summer.
Xiao is back for a second crack having successfully defended his Wuhan Open crown, while fellow Chinese potters Lei Peifan and Bai Yulu are also involved after their respective victories in the Scottish Open and the World Women’s Championship.
Marquee names Mark Selby, John Higgins, Kyren Wilson, and Mark Allen have been invited as well after getting their hands on silverware in the most recent period.
Stephen Maguire is back at a Champion of Champions for the first time since 2021 courtesy of his triumph at the ranking event version of Championship League Snooker.
Leicester’s own Tom Ford is also in the draw thanks to his first ranking glory at the Snooker Shoot Out while Jack Lisowski will similarly make his maiden appearance after winning at the Northern Ireland Open last weekend.
Alfie Burden, who is guaranteed a £12,500 payday based on the prize money awarded a year ago, completes the list of names in the draw.
The 48 year-old wrote on X: “I’d like to thank the players board, Ken [Doherty], Neil [Robertson], Mark [Davis], and Ben [Woollaston].”
“Also I’d like to thank Jason Ferguson and particularly Jason Francis for their support over the last few days.”
“I also thank Matchroom for giving me this opportunity and I’m looking forward to playing.”
When is the 2025 tournament?
The prestigious event, which last year boasted a top prize of £150,000, will run from November 10th to November 16th with ITV broadcasting live across the UK and Ireland.
2025 Champion of Champions Lineup
1. Mark Williams
(Champion of Champions, Xi’an Grand Prix)
2. Zhao Xintong
(World Championship)
3. Judd Trump
(UK Championship)
4. Shaun Murphy
(Masters)
5. Neil Robertson
(World Grand Prix, Saudi Arabia Masters)
6. Mark Allen
(Snooker Championship, English Open)
7. Kyren Wilson
(German Masters, Players Championship, Shanghai Masters)
8. John Higgins
(World Open, Tour Championship)
9. Xiao Guodong
(Wuhan Open)
10. Mark Selby
(Welsh Open, Championship League Snooker)
11. Lei Peifan
(Scottish Open)
12. Stephen Maguire
(Championship League Snooker)
13. Bai Yulu
(World Women’s Championship)
14. Tom Ford
(Snooker Shoot Out)
15. Jack Lisowski
(Northern Ireland Open)
16. Alfie Burden
(World Seniors Championship)
Featured photo credit: WST
The pressure placed upon Matchroom seems to have been the key. Burden thanked the Player’s Association and Jason Francis when speaking about his inclusion. I think Matchroom would’ve preferred Ding rather than Burden if O’Sullivan didn’t want to play.
To be fair, some years they’ve needed to use the rankings as not enough champions to pick from.
There are always enough champions if they really want, for example the WSF winners. Unfortunately, there is no place in the Champion of Champions for any young player. I’m afraid it’s just yet another vehicle to promote the big-names. I’d go further and not invite the World Championship runner-up. The Ding situation is quite interesting, as he is by far the world’s most popular player, and probably would bring more revenue than anybody else. So, as you say, it’s mainly the pressure from (British) social media for some kind of ‘fairness’, or meaning to the title of the event.
I mean on the main tour. An invitation event is entitled to invite who they want. The criteria being laid out early would avoid some of the controversy, though.
Ding is a little more selective about when he plays. He might have not taken up the option given the event is sandwiched between tournaments in China and Saudi Arabia.
Champions in the champion of champions is the way to go unless there aren’t enough and then the tour rankings or former world champions who haven’t otherwise qualified. This year there were a sufficient number of listed tournament champions so I think that the only valid decision has been made in the end. I understand that Ronnie is box office for the venue and PR good dust for the sport but he just didn’t qualify.