Champion of Champions 2026 Draw: Ronnie O'Sullivan Faces Shaun Murphy in Leicester Opener

Ronnie O'Sullivan and Shaun Murphy will meet in the first round of the 2026 Champion of Champions, the invitation-only snooker event that brings together the sport's recent title winners at Leicester Arena from 9 to 15 November. The draw also features two Thai players, the reigning world champion Wu Yize on debut, and defending champion Mark Selby.

A heavyweight clash on day three

O'Sullivan and Murphy play on Wednesday 11 November in Group Three. It is a repeat of the 2017 final, which Murphy won 10-8, and it pits the event's record four-time winner against the man who came within one frame of the world title in May, when Wu beat him 18-17 in a deciding-frame Crucible final.

The same group contains Wu against Chang Bingyu, who qualified by winning the 2026 Wuhan Open. That makes Group Three one of the strongest sections in the draw, with only one player able to reach the semi-finals.

Thai interest for Southeast Asian fans

There is plenty for viewers in this region. Thailand's Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, who won the 2026 World Open, faces world number one Zhao Xintong on Thursday 12 November. Zhao arrives in form, having qualified through a hat-trick of Players Series titles: the World Grand Prix, the Players Championship and the Tour Championship.

On Tuesday 10 November, Thailand's Panchaya Channoi takes her place as the 2026 Women's World Champion and meets Neil Robertson. The Australian took the final invitation as the highest-ranked player not already qualified.

Full first-round draw

• Group One (Mon 9 Nov): Mark Selby v Alfie Burden; Barry Hawkins v Chris Wakelin
• Group Four (Tue 10 Nov): Neil Robertson v Panchaya Channoi; Judd Trump v Jak Jones
• Group Three (Wed 11 Nov): Shaun Murphy v Ronnie O'Sullivan; Wu Yize v Chang Bingyu
• Group Two (Thu 12 Nov): Zhao Xintong v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh; Kyren Wilson v Ali Carter

Selby, who beat Judd Trump 10-5 in last year's final, opens the tournament against Burden, who qualified by winning the 2025 Shoot Out. Trump, a two-time title winner this calendar year at the German Masters and Shanghai Masters, faces Championship League winner Jak Jones.

Format, prize money and Malaysia times

Each of the first four days produces one semi-finalist. The two first-round matches in a group are best of seven frames, and the winners meet later that day in a best-of-11 group final. The semi-finals are also best of 11, and the title is decided over a best-of-19 final on Sunday 15 November.

The winner takes £150,000 from a total fund of £440,000. The runner-up earns £60,000 and each losing semi-finalist £30,000.

According to the published schedule, the opening match each day starts at 1pm UK time, which is 9pm in Malaysia. The UK is on GMT in November, so add eight hours for MYT. That puts O'Sullivan v Murphy at around 9pm MYT on Wednesday 11 November.

Key takeaways

• The 2026 Champion of Champions runs 9-15 November at Leicester Arena with 16 players.
• Ronnie O'Sullivan faces Shaun Murphy on 11 November, a repeat of the 2017 final won 10-8 by Murphy.
• Thailand's Thepchaiya Un-Nooh plays world number one Zhao Xintong, and Panchaya Channoi plays Neil Robertson.
• Defending champion Mark Selby opens against Alfie Burden on 9 November.
• The winner earns £150,000; the final is best of 19 frames on 15 November.

FAQ

When does Ronnie O'Sullivan play at the 2026 Champion of Champions? He faces Shaun Murphy on Wednesday 11 November in the opening match of the day, scheduled for 1pm UK time, or 9pm in Malaysia.

Who are the Thai players in the field? Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, the 2026 World Open champion, and Panchaya Channoi, the 2026 Women's World Champion.

How much does the winner receive? £150,000, from a total prize fund of £440,000.

Sources: SnookerHQ, snooker.org, Wikipedia, Sky Sports