Peggy Li, one of China’s top snooker referees, has been chosen to take charge of next month’s UK Championship final, making her the first Asian official to oversee a Triple Crown title match, the World Snooker Tour reported.
The appointment puts Li in the middle of snooker’s second most prestigious ranking event. She has officiated televised finals in China and has refereed at both the World Championship and the UK Championship abroad.
From Player to Referee in Australia
Li first took up snooker while studying in Australia, where she later pursued her refereeing exams. She initially competed as a player, but when she learned that entering national events in Australia required citizenship rather than residency, she chose to keep her Chinese passport and instead found another way to travel with her teammates: refereeing.
“I wasn’t a referee initially, I was a player,” Li said. “China is my home and I wouldn’t change my passport for a sport, even though it is a sport I love. I still wanted to travel to tournaments with my teammates and I figured out a way to do that was refereeing.”
MAKING HISTORY IN YORK! 👏🇨🇳 Peggy Li will become the first Asian referee to take charge of a Triple Crown final when she officiates the 2026 UK Championship showpiece. Hear all about her remarkable journey in the full interview, available now on WST Play! 📺#UKChampionship pic.twitter.com/2yFbKQYGQO
Psychology on the Table
Li’s interest in the sport runs to its mental side. While a student, she took a side course in sport psychology and became absorbed in how shot selection and mentality shape a match.
“Snooker is such a hard sport and the competition is basically in the mind,” she said. “When you play someone your shot selection and mentality is so important.”
After years on the circuit, she treats every match the same. “We aren’t the stars, we are there to assist the players,” she said. The Triple Crown final will be different, she added, but once she settles into her surroundings she will be fine.
Honored by the Appointment
Li said she was honored when she heard the news and called the final one of the major events of her refereeing career. She credited assessors, including Jan Verhaas, for years of guidance that prepared her for professional snooker.
“When I heard the news I was very honoured,” Li said. “This might be one of the major events of my refereeing career. I’m very excited. It is going to be a special experience for me and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Learn About Peggy Li’s Career and Role
Who is Peggy Li? She is a Chinese referee who has been one of her country’s top officials for many years and has officiated televised finals in China as well as at the World Championship and UK Championship abroad.
Which event will she referee? Next month’s UK Championship final, snooker’s second most prestigious ranking event.
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