The snooker calendar moves into the new year, with the month of January providing more prestigious prizes to be won across the professional and amateur scene.
From another Triple Crown event to global amateur tournaments that offer pathways to the main tour, there’s plenty to keep fans occupied throughout the first month of 2026.
World Snooker Tour
The Masters
Snooker in January is synonymous with one of the sport’s most prestigious events as the Masters returns to the Alexandra Palace in London.
Featuring only the world’s top 16 players, the invitation-only tournament guarantees elite match-ups from the very first round and remains a highlight of the early sporting calendar.
Shaun Murphy will be the defending champion after the Magician captured the Paul Hunter Trophy for the second time a year ago.
Murphy will first face debutant Wu Yize while other blockbuster battles from the opening round include Neil Robertson’s bout with Ronnie O’Sullivan, Judd Trump against Ding Junhui, and Mark Williams versus Mark Allen.
When is it? January 11 – 18.
German Masters
One of the most popular ranking events on the calendar, the German Masters returns to Berlin with its distinctive atmosphere and passionate crowds.
Held at the iconic Tempodrom, the tournament is renowned for its unique setting and has particular importance these days as the sole remaining tour event in mainland Europe.
There is a qualifying phase in Sheffield at the start of the month, but the top 16 will have their matches held over to the venue stages.
That includes reigning champion Kyren Wilson, who defeated Barry Hawkins in a nail-biting deciding-frame thriller in the 2025 final.
When is it? January 5 – 7 (Qualifiers); January 26 – Feb 1.
Championship League Snooker
Most of the invitational version of Championship League Snooker will take place during January, offering players involved a valuable opportunity to build momentum early in the new year.
While ranking points aren’t available, the behind-closed-doors tournament is often used by players to fine-tune their games ahead of bigger events in the second half of the campaign.
Group 1 at the beginning of the month will feature recent Scottish Open champion Chris Wakelin, Elliot Slessor, Joe O’Connor, Hossein Vafaei, Tom Ford, Pang Junxu, and Jackson Page.
Mark Selby won the tournament in 2025, and the in-form Leicester man is due to enter the fray from Group 5.
When is it? January 2 – 3 (Gp1); January 4 – 5 (Gp2); January 6 – 7 (Gp3); January 8 – 9 (Gp4); January 19 – 20 (Gp5); January 21 – 22 (Gp6); January 23 – 24 (Gp7).
Welsh Open qualifiers
Qualification for the Welsh Open also takes place during January, as players battle for a place in the main draw of this season’s concluding Home Nations event.
With short matches and ranking points on the line, the qualifiers are often unpredictable and provide opportunities for lower-ranked players to get valuable points in their quest for tour survival.
The action at Ponds Forge will see the players seeded from 33 to 128 attempt to qualify for the main draw in February, where they would meet the world’s top 32.
When is it? January 8 – 10.
Amateur snooker
WSF Championships
The World Snooker Federation Championships take centre stage in January, featuring both junior competitions and the main amateur event in Sofia.
Widely regarded as one of the most important events outside the professional tour, the championships offer significant exposure and potential pathways into professional snooker.
Strong performances here have historically translated into main tour opportunities, with last year’s WSF champion Gao Yang and WSF Junior winner Leone Crowley now plying their trade on the World Snooker Tour.
When is it? January 19 – Feb 1.
Q Tour
The snooker Q Tour continues across multiple regions in January, with Americas Event 3 and Asia-Pacific Event 5 both taking place during the month.
These satellite events remain crucial for aspiring professionals chasing tour cards, with the best players set to qualify for the Q Tour Global Play Offs in March.
When is it? January 10 – 12 (Americas); January 29 – Feb 1 (Asia Pacific)
Pluto Snooker 900
The Pluto Snooker 900 – a new rapid, short-format series that runs on a weekly basis – continues through January and offers fast, spectator-friendly snooker for amateurs and pros alike.
When is it? Weekly throughout January.
Women’s Snooker
WSF Women’s Championship
January also sees the staging of the WSF Women’s Championship in Bulgaria, one of the premier amateur events in the women’s game these days.
A ranking event on the World Women’s Snooker Tour, it attracts a strong international field with Mink Nutcharut set to return as its reigning champion.
When is it? January 19 – 23.
What other snooker tournaments are taking place?
If you know of any other interesting snooker tournaments happening anywhere in the world during the month of January, let us know in the comments section below.
| Tournament | Dates |
|---|---|
| Championship League Snooker – Group 1 | January 2 – 3 |
| Championship League Snooker – Group 2 | January 4 – 5 |
| German Masters (Qualifiers) | January 5 – 7 |
| Championship League Snooker – Group 3 | January 6 – 7 |
| Championship League Snooker – Group 4 | January 8 – 9 |
| Welsh Open Qualifiers | January 8 – 10 |
| Q Tour – Americas Event 3 | January 10 – 12 |
| The Masters | January 11 – 18 |
| Championship League Snooker – Group 5 | January 19 – 20 |
| WSF Women’s Championship | January 19 – 23 |
| WSF Championships (Junior & Main) | January 19 – February 1 |
| Championship League Snooker – Group 6 | January 21 – 22 |
| Championship League Snooker – Group 7 | January 23 – 24 |
| German Masters (Venue stages) | January 26 – February 1 |
| Q Tour – Asia-Pacific Event 5 | January 29 – February 1 |
| Pluto Snooker 900 | Weekly throughout January |
Featured photo credit: WST
