Four players remain in the hunt for glory as the 2026 Players Championship reaches its conclusion at the Telford International Centre.
A field that boasted 16 of the best players from the one-year rankings was inevitably going to produce a strong finale, but the final foursome is a particularly strong one.
There are three former Players Championship winners still involved in addition to the reigning world champion, who is simultaneously on course to make it back-to-back ranking triumphs on the calendar.
Let’s take a look at the two semi-final fixtures to come.
John Higgins vs Judd Trump
John Higgins and Judd Trump renew their friendly rivalry that effectively dates back to the 2011 World Championship final in Sheffield.
Neither has been shy of delivering words of respect to the other in recent times, with Higgins claiming that Trump should be regarded over everyone else as snooker’s main flag bearer.
It’s hard to argue with that considering the sheer quantity of titles the world number one has amassed over the last decade or so.
Success at the German Masters ended a rare 14-month title drought for Trump, but the 36 year-old’s consistency overall has ensured that he’s unlikely to be caught at the top of the rankings any time soon.
Approaching 51, Higgins of course still boasts incredible consistency too and impressed en route to the final of the prestigious Masters in January.
The four-time world champion wasn’t supposed to be in the Players Championship, reaching the cut-off point for qualification in 17th position but then promoted into the lineup on the back of Ronnie O’Sullivan’s decision not to enter.
The 2021 champion has certainly made the most of his chance, with wins over Neil Robertson and Chris Wakelin taking him through to the last four.
Trump has equally looked strong, backing up his thrashing of Zhou Yuelong with a 6-3 defeat of Mark Williams in the quarter-finals.
In addition to their two Crucible finals, Higgins and Trump share a fascinating head-to-head rivalry where one has often enjoyed periods of domination over the other.
Higgins prevailed from a 6-5 thriller in their latest affair at the Alexandra Palace, and there’s every chance this one could produce the same level of drama.
When is it? Saturday, 13:00 GMT
Zhao Xintong vs Mark Allen
In a season where most of the titles have been shared among a pretty big selection of players, Zhao Xintong represents one of the most obvious players in form.
The 28 year-old won his first title as a world champion with his triumph at the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship and was back near his best during his World Grand Prix victory a couple of weeks ago.
Zhao looked to be heading for an early exit in Telford when he trailed Elliot Slessor 5-2 in the first round but fought back to emerge from a deciding frame, and he fired in plenty of nice breaks to beat Shaun Murphy 6-3 in the last eight.
Next up for the Chinese competitor is Mark Allen, who came into this tournament as a 20/1 outsider despite having won the event only a couple of years ago.
The Northern Irishman’s form has been in and out this term, but back-to-back wins over Wu Yize and Mark Selby will have done his confidence a world of good.
Allen had been looking over his shoulder somewhat with regards to the Race to the Crucible and automatic qualification for the World Championship this year.
But with those concerns eased, and with the likelihood of a spot in the Tour Championship to come, the pressure might be off his shoulders.
Zhao and Allen have clashed only four times in the past, with the former’s first win coming in their most recent meeting at the Champion of Champions in November.
When is it? Saturday, 19:00 GMT
How to watch the 2026 Players Championship
There are several options available to watch the upcoming snooker live, depending on your location.
Many of the popular betting sites provide live streaming of snooker events through signing up on their websites or apps.
Below is a full list of official options, as published on the World Snooker Tour website:
UK & Ireland: 5
Mainland Europe: Eurosport; discovery+ (Germany, Italy, Austria); HBO Max (all other markets)
China: Huya.com, Migu, CBSA-WPBSA Academy (WeChat & Douyin)
Hong Kong China: Now TV
Malaysia & Brunei: Astro Supersport
Taiwan: Sportcast
Thailand: True Sport
Philippines: TAP Sports
Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, and Kenya: SportyTV
All Other Territories: WST Play
Featured photo credit: WST
Allen now 9-2 up on Selby in career quarter-finals.
A Zhao/Trump final would be one to savour. Not only the world champion v world number one narrative, but both men have won titles recently and victory here would arguably position them as a slight favourite for the Crucible with the bookies.