# 2026 Masters (snooker)
The 2026 Masters was a professional invitational snooker tournament, the 2026 edition of the Masters, held from 11 to 18 January 2026 at [Alexandra Palace](https://www.edgepedia.org/alexandra-palace) in London and won by [Kyren Wilson](https://www.edgepedia.org/kyren-wilson), who beat [John Higgins](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-higgins) 10-6 in the final for his first Masters title.[1](https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/snooker/news/13489039/masters-snooker-2026-draw-schedule-and-results-judd-trump-ding-junhui-mark-williams-mark-selby-and-more-at-alexandra-palace) • [2](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jan/18/kyren-wilson-john-higgins-masters-snooker-final) It was the 15th main-tour event of the 2025/26 season, sponsored by Johnstone's Paint, with a total prize fund of £1,015,000.[3](https://scorecentre.snooker.org/res/index.asp?season=2025&template=7&tour=main) • [8](https://www.scotsman.com/sport/other-sport/masters-snooker-2026-prize-money-draw-schedule-trophy-odds-when-does-osullivan-play-5434250)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Dates and venue | 11–18 January 2026, Alexandra Palace, London[1](https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/snooker/news/13489039/masters-snooker-2026-draw-schedule-and-results-judd-trump-ding-junhui-mark-williams-mark-selby-and-more-at-alexandra-palace) |
| Status and field | Invitational, non-ranking; the top 16 players in the rankings after December's UK Championship[1](https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/snooker/news/13489039/masters-snooker-2026-draw-schedule-and-results-judd-trump-ding-junhui-mark-williams-mark-selby-and-more-at-alexandra-palace) |
| Format | All matches best of 11 frames, except the final, best of 19[1](https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/snooker/news/13489039/masters-snooker-2026-draw-schedule-and-results-judd-trump-ding-junhui-mark-williams-mark-selby-and-more-at-alexandra-palace) |
| Prize money | Total prize fund of £1,015,000, with £350,000 listed as the winner's prize by the season results record[3](https://scorecentre.snooker.org/res/index.asp?season=2025&template=7&tour=main) • [8](https://www.scotsman.com/sport/other-sport/masters-snooker-2026-prize-money-draw-schedule-trophy-odds-when-does-osullivan-play-5434250) |
| Champion | Kyren Wilson (England), beating John Higgins (Scotland) 10-6[2](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jan/18/kyren-wilson-john-higgins-masters-snooker-final) |
| Significance | Wilson's first Masters title after runner-up finishes in 2018 and 2025; Higgins, at 50, the oldest player to reach a triple crown event final[1](https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/snooker/news/13489039/masters-snooker-2026-draw-schedule-and-results-judd-trump-ding-junhui-mark-williams-mark-selby-and-more-at-alexandra-palace) • [2](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jan/18/kyren-wilson-john-higgins-masters-snooker-final) |
| Sponsor and trophy | Johnstone's Paint; the trophy is the Paul Hunter Trophy, renamed in 2017 for the three-time champion who died aged 27 in 2006[3](https://scorecentre.snooker.org/res/index.asp?season=2025&template=7&tour=main) • [4](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/articles/c1dz2z6gkepo) |
## Field and withdrawals
The field comprised the top 16 players in the world rankings after the December 2025 [UK Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/uk-championship), which [Mark Selby](https://www.edgepedia.org/mark-selby) won.[1](https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/snooker/news/13489039/masters-snooker-2026-draw-schedule-and-results-judd-trump-ding-junhui-mark-williams-mark-selby-and-more-at-alexandra-palace)
**O'Sullivan's withdrawal.** [Ronnie O'Sullivan](https://www.edgepedia.org/ronnie-osullivan), the record eight-time Masters champion, withdrew on unspecified medical grounds two days before the event, missing Alexandra Palace for the second successive year.[5](https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/snooker/news/12040/13492660/ronnie-osullivan-eight-time-masters-snooker-champion-pulls-out-of-2026-tournament-on-medical-grounds) World Snooker announced that Chris Wakelin, 17th seed at the cut-off point, would take his place against [Neil Robertson](https://www.edgepedia.org/neil-robertson) in the opening round.[5](https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/snooker/news/12040/13492660/ronnie-osullivan-eight-time-masters-snooker-champion-pulls-out-of-2026-tournament-on-medical-grounds)
## Results
First round (11–14 January): Wu Yize beat defending champion [Shaun Murphy](https://www.edgepedia.org/shaun-murphy) 6-2, Xiao Guodong beat Mark Selby 6-2, Mark Allen beat Mark Williams 6-2, [Zhao Xintong](https://www.edgepedia.org/zhao-xintong) beat Gary Wilson 6-2, Kyren Wilson beat Si Jiahui 6-2, John Higgins beat [Barry Hawkins](https://www.edgepedia.org/barry-hawkins) 6-2, Judd Trump beat Ding Junhui 6-2, and Neil Robertson beat Chris Wakelin 6-2.[1](https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/snooker/news/13489039/masters-snooker-2026-draw-schedule-and-results-judd-trump-ding-junhui-mark-williams-mark-selby-and-more-at-alexandra-palace)
Quarter-finals (15–16 January): Higgins edged Zhao Xintong 6-5, Trump beat Mark Allen 6-2, Wu Yize beat Xiao Guodong 6-0, and Kyren Wilson came from behind to beat Robertson 6-5, a match in which Robertson made his 48th Masters century.[1](https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/snooker/news/13489039/masters-snooker-2026-draw-schedule-and-results-judd-trump-ding-junhui-mark-williams-mark-selby-and-more-at-alexandra-palace) • [6](https://maintourplayers.snooker.org/res/index.asp?event=2185)
Semi-finals (17 January): Higgins beat world number 1 [Judd Trump](https://www.edgepedia.org/judd-trump) 6-5, and Wilson beat Wu Yize 6-5.[1](https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/snooker/news/13489039/masters-snooker-2026-draw-schedule-and-results-judd-trump-ding-junhui-mark-williams-mark-selby-and-more-at-alexandra-palace)
## Final
Higgins came into the final seeking a third Masters title, 20 years after his last triumph at the Wembley Conference Centre, and at 50 had become the oldest player to reach the final of a triple crown event, having beaten the reigning world champion Zhao Xintong and world number 1 Judd Trump, both in final-frame deciders.[2](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jan/18/kyren-wilson-john-higgins-masters-snooker-final)
The final itself was, by both players' account, low quality. Higgins went 1-0 up with a break of 58, led by 63 points in the second frame, then missed three simple pots and Wilson cleared to level. Wilson moved 3-1 ahead, Higgins took the next two frames, and back-to-back century breaks from Wilson gave him a 5-3 lead after the first session.[2](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jan/18/kyren-wilson-john-higgins-masters-snooker-final) In the evening session a break of 71 narrowed the gap before Higgins's attempted double backfired, and a 78 break, Wilson's only 50-plus break of the night, put him 9-5 ahead; he closed out a 10-6 win.[2](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jan/18/kyren-wilson-john-higgins-masters-snooker-final)
Wilson, the 2024 world champion, had lost two previous Masters finals, in 2018 and 2025.[1](https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/snooker/news/13489039/masters-snooker-2026-draw-schedule-and-results-judd-trump-ding-junhui-mark-williams-mark-selby-and-more-at-alexandra-palace)
**Wilson's season context.** Wilson had broken his cue at the start of the campaign and said he was "very lost" and close to a mental breakdown after a last-32 defeat by Elliot Slessor at the UK Championship the previous month, saying he had not known if he would be back in the winner's enclosure.[2](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jan/18/kyren-wilson-john-higgins-masters-snooker-final) Higgins, for his part, said he was "just useless" on the day and that Wilson "was totally dominant, it wasn't even a 10-6 match."[2](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jan/18/kyren-wilson-john-higgins-masters-snooker-final)
## References
1. [Masters snooker 2026 draw, schedule and results, Sky Sports](https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/snooker/news/13489039/masters-snooker-2026-draw-schedule-and-results-judd-trump-ding-junhui-mark-williams-mark-selby-and-more-at-alexandra-palace)
2. [Kyren Wilson holds off John Higgins to secure his first Masters title, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jan/18/kyren-wilson-john-higgins-masters-snooker-final)
3. [Finals 2025/2026, snooker.org](https://scorecentre.snooker.org/res/index.asp?season=2025&template=7&tour=main)
4. [Masters snooker final 2026: Results, prize money, previous winners, BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/articles/c1dz2z6gkepo)
5. [Ronnie O'Sullivan: Eight-time Masters snooker champion pulls out of 2026 tournament on medical grounds, Sky Sports](https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/snooker/news/12040/13492660/ronnie-osullivan-eight-time-masters-snooker-champion-pulls-out-of-2026-tournament-on-medical-grounds)
6. [Johnstone's Paint Masters 2026, snooker.org](https://maintourplayers.snooker.org/res/index.asp?event=2185)
7. [Masters 2026: Kyren Wilson defeats John Higgins to win first title, BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/articles/cm2jlvmz1xdo)
8. [Masters Snooker 2026 Prize Money Draw Schedule Trophy Odds When Does Osullivan Play 5434250, scotsman.com](https://www.scotsman.com/sport/other-sport/masters-snooker-2026-prize-money-draw-schedule-trophy-odds-when-does-osullivan-play-5434250)
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