2026 Welsh Open Snooker: Schedule, Results, and Key Information

The 2026 BetVictor Welsh Open, a professional snooker tournament, took place from February 23rd to March 1st, 2026, at Venue Cymru in Llandudno, Wales. This marks the 35th consecutive year the tournament has been held since its inception in 1992, establishing it as one of the longest-running events on the World Snooker Tour.

Tournament Overview

With a total prize fund of £550,400, the Welsh Open is a significant ranking event on the snooker calendar. It is also part of the Home Nations Series, alongside the English Open, Scottish Open, and Northern Ireland Open. A player winning all four Home Nations Series tournaments in a single year receives a bonus of £1 million. Eurosport provided extensive coverage of the event.

Key Players and Results

Mark Selby entered the tournament as the defending champion, having defeated Stephen Maguire 9-6 in the 2025 final. However, Selby was surprisingly defeated 4-3 by Jiang Jun in the last 64. Notably, Judd Trump, Ronnie O’Sullivan, and Ding Junhui chose not to participate in the 2026 Welsh Open. Totally Snookered reported on the initial draw and notable absences.

Barry Hawkins ultimately emerged victorious, defeating Jack Lisowski 9-5 in the final to claim his first Welsh Open title and his fifth ranking title overall. Lisowski’s strong performance, including a victory over John Higgins in the semi-final, also secured him the £150,000 Home Nations Series bonus for accumulating the most prize money across the four events. TNT Sports provided live updates and results throughout the tournament.

Tournament Format

The 2026 Welsh Open utilized a tiered draw format, common in Home Nations Series events. The top 32 seeded players advanced directly to the last 64, while the remaining 96 players competed in qualifying rounds held in Sheffield in January. Matches progressed as best-of-7 frames up to and including the last 16.

Broadcast Information

The tournament was broadcast live on TNT Sports and discovery+. Repeats of the final were shown on Eurosport 1 on March 13th, 2026, at 1:00 a.m. And 9:00 a.m., with further repeats scheduled within the following 14 days. Highlights and replays were also available in the Eurosport 1 media library.

Key Takeaways

• Barry Hawkins won the 2026 Welsh Open, defeating Jack Lisowski in the final.
• Jack Lisowski secured the Home Nations Series bonus.
• Mark Selby, the defending champion, was eliminated in the early stages of the tournament.
• The tournament featured a £550,400 prize fund.