Kyren Wilson v Jak Jones: Northern Ireland Open final is a rematch of the 2024 Crucible decider

Kyren Wilson and Jak Jones will contest the final of the 2026 Northern Ireland Open at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast on Sunday, a repeat of the 2024 World Championship final that Wilson won 18-14 at the Crucible. Both men needed a deciding frame to get through their semi-finals on Saturday, and the best-of-17 frames title match begins at 1pm local time, which is 9pm in Malaysia.

Wilson battles back past Craigie

Wilson made a strong start against Sam Craigie, winning three of the first four frames with breaks including 95 and 98. Craigie, who has spoken of fearing his career was over because of a serious neck and shoulder injury, then took four frames in a row, finishing the sequence with a century, to lead 5-3.

Needing to win every remaining frame, Wilson responded with breaks of 60 and 55 to level at 5-5, then edged a tense decider 71-49 to win 6-5. The match also featured a moment of friction when a spectator appeared to give a sarcastic clap after a Wilson miss in the eighth frame, which drew a visible reaction from the Englishman.

Jones comes from 4-1 down against Williams

The all-Welsh semi-final between Mark Williams and Jak Jones followed a similar pattern. Williams, a three-time world champion and a former winner of this event, built a 4-1 lead with breaks of 78 and 96. Jones then won three straight frames to level at 4-4.

Williams went 5-4 ahead, but Jones made an 89 to force a decider and then took the final frame 73-44 to win 6-5. It continued a strong run for Jones, who also needed a deciding frame to beat Scott Donaldson in the quarter-finals.

Form guide heading into the final

Jones arrives in Belfast's showpiece match in the form of his life. He won the British Open in September, beating Mark Selby 9-6 in the final for the biggest title of his career, and has also won the Championship League this season.

Wilson, the 2024 world champion, is chasing a second Northern Ireland Open crown after beating Judd Trump in the 2024 final. Reaching this semi-final was his first ranking-event semi-final appearance since the 2024/25 season, so a title here would mark a significant revival. He beat Anthony McGill 6-1 in the quarter-finals.

Jack Lisowski, who beat Trump 9-8 in last year's final, is the defending champion but is no longer in the draw.

Times and prize money

The final is played over two sessions on Sunday 25 October. UK clocks moved back to GMT overnight, so the sessions start at 1pm and 7pm in Belfast, which is 9pm Sunday and 3am Monday in Malaysia. The winner receives £100,000 and the Alex Higgins Trophy, while the runner-up takes £45,000.

Key takeaways

• Kyren Wilson beat Sam Craigie 6-5 after trailing 5-3.
• Jak Jones beat Mark Williams 6-5 after trailing 4-1.
• The final is a rematch of the 2024 World Championship final, which Wilson won 18-14.
• Jones has already won the British Open and the Championship League this season.
• Sessions start at 9pm Sunday and 3am Monday, Malaysia time.

FAQ

What format is the Northern Ireland Open final? It is best of 17 frames, played over an afternoon and an evening session, so the first player to nine frames wins.

Has Kyren Wilson won the Northern Ireland Open before? Yes. Wilson won the event in 2024, beating Judd Trump in the final.

What time does the final start in Malaysia? The first session begins at 1pm GMT, which is 9pm Malaysia time on Sunday. The evening session starts at 3am Monday Malaysia time.

Sources: snooker.org, TNT Sports, SnookerHQ, World Snooker Tour, Sky Sports, Wikipedia