The inaugural Snooker 900 Global Championship will take place this week with a host of big names descending on the Crucible Sports & Social Club in Reading.
Featuring a total prize fund of £100,000, the invitational tournament adopts the emerging Snooker 900 format and will be broadcast live on Pluto TV.
A 20-player field has been assembled for the five-day competition, with the draw using a tiered entry system that sees the highest-seeded stars join the action later in the week.
The opening rounds and quarter-finals will be contested over the best-of-nine frames, before the semi-finals are played over 11 frames and the final increases to 19 frames.
When does the tournament take place?
The 2026 Snooker 900 Global Championship runs from Tuesday, May 12 to Sunday, May 17. One round will be completed in its entirety on each of the five days.
Who is in the draw?
Ronnie O’Sullivan headlines an interesting lineup, the Rocket entering the event having just triumphed at the World Seniors Snooker Championship in Sheffield.
O’Sullivan compiled five century breaks to beat Joe Perry in the final on Sunday, and the 50 year-old also won the John Virgo Trophy last month which was contested using the Snooker 900 rules.
Former world champions Shaun Murphy, Stuart Bingham, Luca Brecel, and Kyren Wilson are among the other heavy hitters in the draw.
Veteran names Jimmy White, Ken Doherty, Joe Perry, Matthew Stevens, and Tony Drago are also involved, while Reanne Evans, Pankaj Advani, and a handful of emerging talents complete the field.
2026 Snooker 900 Global Championship Draw
The draw and schedule below is subject to change
Round of 20 (May 12)
Pankaj Advani vs Patsy Fagan
(12:00 BST)
Simon Lichtenberg vs Florian Nuessle
(est. 14:00 BST)
Tony Drago vs Levi Meiller
(18:00 BST)
Billy Castle vs Kaylan Patel
(est. 20:00 BST)
Round of 16 (May 13)
Alfie Burden vs Lichtenberg/Nuessle
(12:00 BST)
Anthony Hamilton vs Castle/Patel
(est. 14:00 BST)
Reanne Evans vs Advani/Fagan
(18:00 BST)
Joe Perry vs Drago/Meiller
(est. 20:00 BST)
Round of 12 (May 14)
Ken Doherty vs Advani/Fagan/Evans
(12:00 BST)
Matthew Stevens vs Drago/Meiller/Perry
(est. 14:00 BST)
Jimmy White vs Castle/Patel/Hamilton
(18:00 BST)
Stuart Bingham vs Lichtenberg/Nuessle/Burden
(20:00 BST)
Quarter-Finals (May 15)
Shaun Murphy vs Drago/Meiller/Perry/Stevens
(12:00 BST)
Luca Brecel vs Lichtenberg/Nuessle/Burden/Bingham
(est. 14:00 BST)
Kyren Wilson vs Advani/Fagan/Evans/Doherty
(18:00 BST)
Ronnie O’Sullivan vs Castle/Patel/Hamilton/White
(est. 20:00 BST)
Semi-Finals (May 16)
TBC vs TBC
TBC vs TBC
Final (May 17)
TBC vs TBC
What is the Snooker 900 format?
The Snooker 900 Global Championship will be played using the snooker 900 format, which is designed to deliver quicker and more engaging matches for fans to enjoy.
Each frame lasts a maximum of 15 minutes and incorporates a shot clock, meaning players are forced to make decisions more quickly and adopt a more attacking approach than in traditional snooker.
The format’s popularity has gained momentum in recent times as it is generally aimed at creating a more television-friendly product.
How to watch Snooker 900
Live coverage is available on Pluto TV in selected regions, including the United Kingdom.
Pluto TV is also available online in USA, Canada, Australia, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Brazil.
Featured image credit: Snooker Legends
