Tour Championship Snooker 2026: Semi-Finals, Prize Money, and How to Watch

The 2026 Tour Championship is reaching its climax at the Manchester Central. As the penultimate event of the professional snooker season, this elite gathering brings together the world’s top 12 players to battle for one of the most lucrative trophies on the circuit. With the tournament running from Monday, March 30, to Sunday, April 5, the competition has now entered its final stages.

Saturday Semi-Finals and Tournament Status

Today, Saturday, April 4, the tournament reaches the semi-final stage. Following a rigorous opening round where seeds 5 through 12 fought for a spot in the last eight, the remaining contenders are now vying for a place in the final. All matches throughout the tournament are played as the best of 19 frames, conducted across two scheduled sessions to test both the skill and endurance of the players.

Where is Ronnie O’Sullivan?

Many fans have noticed a glaring absence in the bracket: Ronnie O’Sullivan. Despite qualifying comfortably by sitting 8th on the one-year list, O’Sullivan chose not to enter the tournament this year. Reports indicate he is managing his schedule carefully to ensure he arrives at the Crucible in peak condition for the World Championship.

Similarly, Kyren Wilson is absent from the event. While Wilson is the world number two in the official two-year rankings, he failed to qualify for this specific event because he finished 22nd on the one-year list at the cut-off point.

Tour Championship 2026 Prize Money

The 2026 Tour Championship boasts a total prize fund of £500,000. The breakdown of the winnings is as follows:

• Winner: £150,000
• Runner-up: £60,000
• Semi-finalists: £40,000
• Quarter-finalists: £30,000
• Last 12: £20,000
• Highest Break: £10,000

How to Watch the Tour Championship for Free

For the first time, the tournament is available via free-to-air television in the UK. Fans can catch the action on Channel 5, with coverage beginning each day at 12:30pm BST. While daytime coverage is on the main channel, evening sessions from Monday to Thursday switched to 5Action at 8pm.

For those preferring to stream, the action is available live through the My5 app or the Channel 5 website on compatible mobile and desktop devices. During the opening four days, a dedicated “Snooker Tour Championship” stream was as well provided via the My5 platform for matches played on the second table.

Tournament Format and Qualification

Qualification for the Tour Championship is exclusively based on the one-year list, which tracks cumulative prize money won from ranking events starting with the Championship League through to the World Open.

The format is structured to reward the most consistent performers of the season:

• Top 4 Seeds: Neil Robertson, Zhao Xintong, Mark Selby, and Shaun Murphy received a direct pass to the quarter-finals.
• Seeds 5-12: These players competed in a preliminary round (the last 12) to earn their place in the final eight.
• The Draw: The draw is fixed based on seeding positions, ensuring the number one and two seeds remain in opposite halves of the bracket until the final.

Key Takeaways: Tour Championship 2026

• Venue: Manchester Central.
• Dates: March 30 – April 5, 2026.
• Total Prize Pool: £500,000.
• Broadcaster: Channel 5, and My5.
• Key Absence: Ronnie O’Sullivan (withdrew to prepare for the World Championship).

As the semi-finals conclude today, the stage is set for the grand final on Sunday, April 5, where the season’s most consistent player will be crowned champion.