# 2026 World Open (snooker)
The **2026 World Open** was a professional ranking snooker tournament, the 16th ranking event of the 2025–26 season, held at the Yushan Sport Centre in Yushan, China, from 16 to 22 March 2026[1](https://www.eurobillards.com/snooker/tournois/main/2351-world-open) • [2](https://snookerhq.com/2026/03/15/world-open-2026-draw-preview-prize-money-how-to-watch/). Thailand's Thepchaiya Un-Nooh won the title, sponsored that year as the Likang Roasted Eel World Open, by beating [Ronnie O'Sullivan](https://www.edgepedia.org/ronnie-osullivan) 10–7 in the final[3](https://www.wst.tv/worldopen/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Winner | Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (Thailand)[3](https://www.wst.tv/worldopen/) |
| Final | Un-Nooh beat Ronnie O'Sullivan 10–7 on 22 March 2026[3](https://www.wst.tv/worldopen/) • [4](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/articles/c1mk9170xk5o) |
| Maximum break | Un-Nooh made a 147 in the final, finishing with three consecutive centuries[4](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/articles/c1mk9170xk5o) |
| Dates and venue | 16–22 March 2026, Yushan Sport Centre, Yushan, China[1](https://www.eurobillards.com/snooker/tournois/main/2351-world-open) |
| Winner's prize | £175,000, from a total prize fund of £825,000[3](https://www.wst.tv/worldopen/) |
| Defending champion | John Higgins, the 2025 winner, who lost in the last 64 to Stan Moody[3](https://www.wst.tv/worldopen/) • [1](https://www.eurobillards.com/snooker/tournois/main/2351-world-open) |
| Season position | 16th ranking event of the 2025–26 season, staged shortly before the World Championship[2](https://snookerhq.com/2026/03/15/world-open-2026-draw-preview-prize-money-how-to-watch/) |
## The final
Un-Nooh produced what the BBC described as the snooker of his life in the final on 22 March 2026. He fired in a maximum 147 break and finished the match with three consecutive centuries to beat O'Sullivan 10–7[4](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/articles/c1mk9170xk5o). It was his first World Open title and made him the tournament's first Thai champion in the modern roll of honor[3](https://www.wst.tv/worldopen/).
## Road to the title
Un-Nooh's week in Yushan included wins over David Grace (5–1), Michael Holt (5–1), [Marco Fu](https://www.edgepedia.org/marco-fu) (5–2), Gary Wilson (5–1) in the quarter-finals, and [Judd Trump](https://www.edgepedia.org/judd-trump) (6–4) in the semi-finals[1](https://www.eurobillards.com/snooker/tournois/main/2351-world-open). In the other semi-final, O'Sullivan edged Wu Yize 6–5[1](https://www.eurobillards.com/snooker/tournois/main/2351-world-open).
Several leading players fell early. Defending champion [John Higgins](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-higgins) lost 4–5 to Stan Moody in the last 64, [Zhao Xintong](https://www.edgepedia.org/zhao-xintong) lost 2–5 to Gary Wilson in the last 16, and [Kyren Wilson](https://www.edgepedia.org/kyren-wilson) lost 2–5 to Wu Yize[1](https://www.eurobillards.com/snooker/tournois/main/2351-world-open). O'Sullivan reached the final with a 5–0 quarter-final win over Ryan Day, the same opponent against whom he had made a 153 break at the tournament, six points beyond the standard maximum, after Day conceded a foul and left him a free ball (nominated replacement ball after a snooker foul)[1](https://www.eurobillards.com/snooker/tournois/main/2351-world-open) • [5](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/snooker/ronnie-o-sullivan-world-snooker-championship-2026-b2960154.html).
## Prize money
The 2026 event carried a total prize fund of £825,000, distributed as follows[3](https://www.wst.tv/worldopen/):
- Winner: £175,000
- Runner-up: £75,000
- Semi-finals: £33,000
- Quarter-finals: £22,000
- Last 16: £14,000
- Last 32: £9,000
- Last 64: £5,000
- High break: £5,000
## Context in the season and tournament history
The World Open returned to Yushan as one of the tour's Chinese events, a location that World Snooker Tour chairman Steve Dawson described as having particular significance for the sport as the home of Star Xing Pai and the world's first Billiard Sports City[3](https://www.wst.tv/worldopen/). SnookerHQ previewed it as the season's 16th ranking event and a late test of form before the World Championship[2](https://snookerhq.com/2026/03/15/world-open-2026-draw-preview-prize-money-how-to-watch/).
The WST roll of honor for the event lists recent champions as John Higgins (2025), Judd Trump (2024 and 2019), Mark Williams (2018), [Ding Junhui](https://www.edgepedia.org/ding-junhui) (2017), [Ali Carter](https://www.edgepedia.org/ali-carter) (2016), [Shaun Murphy](https://www.edgepedia.org/shaun-murphy) (2014), Mark Allen (2012 and 2013), and Neil Robertson (2010)[3](https://www.wst.tv/worldopen/).
## References
1. [World Open Snooker 2026 – Résultats & calendrier, Eurobillards](https://www.eurobillards.com/snooker/tournois/main/2351-world-open)
2. [World Open: 2026 draw, preview, prize money & how to watch, SnookerHQ](https://snookerhq.com/2026/03/15/world-open-2026-draw-preview-prize-money-how-to-watch/)
3. [World Open, World Snooker Tour](https://www.wst.tv/worldopen/)
4. [World Open: Thepchaiya Un-Nooh makes 147 in final win over Ronnie O'Sullivan, BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/articles/c1mk9170xk5o)
5. [Ronnie O'Sullivan is still a genius at 50, The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/snooker/ronnie-o-sullivan-world-snooker-championship-2026-b2960154.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Other individual sports and outdoor recreation › Cue sports (billiards, snooker, darts) › Snooker › Snooker tournaments and seasons › Ranking tournaments*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license