The 2026/27 snooker season continues next week with the inaugural Shenzhen Open taking place at the Bao’an Sports Centre.
The Shenzhen Open is the sixth ranking event of the campaign and the third in China following the China Open and the Wuhan Open.
The new tournament effectively replaces the Xi’an Grand Prix on the World Snooker Tour calendar, with last year’s Xi’an winner Mark Williams regarded as the reigning champion for the inaugural Shenzhen Open.
Williams has consequently been handed the top seeding for the event, with the Welshman beginning his defence against Fan Zhengyi.
When is the 2026 Shenzhen Open?
The 2026 Shenzhen Open runs from September 28 to October 4 at the Bao’an Sports Centre in Shenzhen, China.
The tournament is a ranking event on the World Snooker Tour, with the qualifying phase having already been staged in Leicester in July.
Shenzhen Open prize money
Winner: £177,000
Runner-up: £76,000
Semi-finals: £34,500
Quarter-finals: £22,350
Last 16: £12,500
Last 32: £8,250
Last 64: £4,700
Last 96: £1,600
Highest break: £5,000
Total: £850,000
Former champions
The Shenzhen Open is a new addition to the World Snooker Tour calendar, but it effectively takes the place of the Xi’an Grand Prix.
Mark Williams won the most recent edition of the Xi’an Grand Prix in 2025, beating Shaun Murphy in the final to become the oldest ever ranking event champion.
Kyren Wilson was the inaugural Xi’an Grand Prix champion in 2024, defeating Judd Trump in the final.
Who is in the draw?
A qualifying competition was held in July at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester to determine which players would join the top 16 seeds at the venue stages in Shenzhen.
The top 16 seeds from the world rankings had their opening-round matches from the last 64 held over until the tournament proper.
That includes top seed Williams, who begins against Fan Zhengyi, while world number one Zhao Xintong faces Scott Donaldson in his opening match.
Several players have already reached the last 32, including former world champion Stuart Bingham, former world number two Stephen Maguire, and recent English Open champion Ali Carter.
The new event has attracted most of the sport’s leading names, with Mark Allen representing the most obvious absentee having withdrawn.
2026 Shenzhen Open draw
Round of 64 (bo9)
(Times in BST)
Mark Williams vs Fan Zhengyi (Mon 28 Sep 02:30)
Yuan Sijun 5-3 Iulian Boiko
Ronnie O’Sullivan vs Jiang Jun (Mon 28 Sep 12:30)
Zak Surety 5-1 Jack Lisowski
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 5-1 Deng Haohui
Xiao Guodong vs Michael Holt (Tue 29 Sep 07:00)
David Gilbert 5-4 Ashley Hugill
Kyren Wilson vs Wildcard/Sam Craigie (Tue 29 Sep 02:30)
Zhao Xintong vs Scott Donaldson (Mon 28 Sep 12:30)
Pang Junxu 5-2 Luca Brecel
Ben Mertens w/o Mark Allen
Jimmy Robertson 5-2 Zhou Yuelong
Stuart Bingham 5-2 Aaron Hill
Chris Wakelin vs Liam Davies (Mon 28 Sep 12:30)
Lei Peifan 5-4 Matthew Selt
Neil Robertson vs Liu Hongyu (Mon 28 Sep 07:00)
Judd Trump vs Huang Jiahao (Mon 28 Sep 07:00)
Anthony McGill 5-2 Jak Jones
Si Jiahui vs Oliver Lines (Mon 28 Sep 12:30)
Gary Wilson 5-2 Luo Zetao
Jackson Page 5-2 Zhang Anda
Mark Selby vs Wildcard/Andrew Higginson (Tue 29 Sep 07:00)
Stephen Maguire 5-3 Lan Yuhao
John Higgins vs David Grace (Tue 29 Sep 02:30)
Shaun Murphy vs Wildcard/Marco Fu (Tue 29 Sep 02:30)
Hossein Vafaei 5-4 Antoni Kowalski
Barry Hawkins vs Liam Highfield (Tue 29 Sep 02:30)
Elliot Slessor 5-4 Chang Bingyu
Ali Carter 5-1 He Guoqiang
Ding Junhui vs Ricky Walden (Tue 29 Sep 07:00)
Xu Si 5-1 Joe O’Connor
Wu Yize vs Wildcard/Jamie Clarke (Tue 29 Sep 07:00)
Round of 32 (bo9)
(Schedule TBC)
Williams/Fan vs Yuan Sijun
O’Sullivan/Jun vs Zak Surety
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh vs Xiao/Holt
David Gilbert vs Wilson/Craigie/Wildcard
Zhao/Donaldson vs Pang Junxu
Ben Mertens vs Jimmy Robertson
Stuart Bingham vs Wakelin/Davies
Lei Peifan vs Robertson/Liu
Trump/Huang vs Anthony McGill
Si/Lines vs Gary Wilson
Jackson Page vs Selby/Higginson/Wildcard
Stephen Maguire vs Higgins/Grace
Murphy/Fu/Wildcard vs Hossein Vafaei
Hawkins/Highfield vs Elliot Slessor
Ali Carter vs Ding/Walden
Xu Si vs Wu/Clarke/Wildcard
Shenzhen Open betting odds
Zhao Xintong is the favourite in the outright market at around 11/4.
Judd Trump is next at 7/2, followed by Mark Selby at 13/2, Ronnie O’Sullivan at 15/2, and world champion Wu Yize at 8/1. Reigning champion Mark Williams is priced at about 18/1.
How to watch the 2026 Shenzhen Open
There are several options available to watch the Shenzhen Open live, depending on your location.
UK and Ireland
TNT Sports and HBO Max
Mainland Europe and selected countries
Eurosport and HBO Max
China
CCTV5
SMG
Huya
Migu
CBSA-WPBSA Academy Douyin
Hong Kong China
Now Sports
Malaysia
Astro Supersport
Thailand
True Sport
Taiwan
Sportscast
All other territories
WST Play
Featured photo credit: WST
