British Open 2026 snooker tournament to begin in Cheltenham

The 2026 Unibet British Open snooker tournament is scheduled to take place from August 31 to September 6 at The Centaur at Cheltenham Racecourse. Defending champion Shaun Murphy will begin his title defense against Reanne Evans.

The tournament features a random-draw format without conventional seeding, meaning top players may face one another in early rounds. Notable competitors include Judd Trump, Ronnie O’Sullivan, and reigning world champion Wu Yize. The event follows the Wuhan Open in China.

Broadcasting for the event includes free-to-air coverage on Channel 5 in the UK. International viewers can access the tournament via Eurosport and HBO Max in mainland Europe and selected countries, as well as various platforms in China, Malaysia, Thailand, and New Zealand.