The World Snooker Federation (WSF) Championships commenced on Monday with the festival of snooker taking place in Bulgaria this January.
Three tournaments are spread across a hectic two-week programme, including two of the most prestigious titles to be won within the amateur scene.
Staged at the same venue but split across different dates, the schedule features the WSF Women’s Championship, the WSF Junior Championship, and the flagship WSF Championship, with two coveted two-year main tour cards available for the upcoming professional seasons.
A busy start: Women’s and Junior Championships
The opening phase of the festival runs from January 19 to 23 with two events taking place in parallel.
The WSF Women’s Championship is a ranking event on the World Women’s Snooker Tour, attracting many of the leading players from the global women’s game.
While it sits alongside the Junior and main Championships in Sofia, it is the one exception when it comes to tour qualification, as the winner does not receive a main tour card.
With main tour spots available through the women’s ranking system, however, it remains an important tournament on the World Women’s Snooker Tour calendar.
Last year’s inaugural final saw Mink Nutcharut edge Bai Yulu 4–3 in a closely fought decider, but the latter has been the dominant force so far this season – the world champion winning all three events she has entered.
Running alongside the women’s event, the WSF Junior Championship is open to under-19 players and has become one of the most reliable pathways from junior snooker into the professional ranks.
The winner will earn a two-year main tour card, providing potentially lucrative access to professional competition from the 2026/27 season onward.
Past winners include Gao Yang in 2020, Anton Kazakov in 2022, Stan Moody in 2023, Bulcsu Revesz in 2024, and Leone Crowley in 2025.
Several of those names have already made an impact beyond junior level, reinforcing the championship’s reputation as a genuine launching pad.
The main event: WSF Championship
From January 24 to February 1, attention shifts to the WSF Championship itself, widely regarded as the most prestigious international amateur event in snooker nowadays.
As with the Junior Championship, the winner receives a two-year main tour card, making it one of the most direct routes into the professional game outside Q School.
Former champions include Luo Honghao in 2018, Ashley Hugill in 2020, Si Jiahui in 2022, Ma Hailong in 2023, Cheung Ka Wai in 2024, and Gao Yang again in 2025.
Notably, only one previous winner has come from outside Asia, underlining the region’s dominance at elite amateur level in recent years.
Where to keep updated with results?
There are a few different places to keep an eye on the scores, but one of the most reliable sources remains snooker.org.
Here are links to the draws for each event:
WSF Women’s Championship
WSF Junior Championship
WSF Championship
Featured image credit: WPBSA
