Big prize money boost for amateur snooker tour as hopefuls aim to follow World Champion Zhao Xintong

The Q Tour circuit is orchestrated by governing body the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) who help administrate snooker’s grassroots and amateur developments.

Open to anyone who doesn’t currently hold a professional tour card, each season the Q Tour pathway provides several tickets to the World Snooker Tour circuit - the sport’s top tier.

Several different regions across the world now hold Q Tour events, although the flagship series is the one held in Europe which will this season host seven events - two in England and five in continental Europe.

A ranking list is in operation for each Q Tour region, although whoever finishes the season top of the standings in Europe will automatically earn a two-year tour card for the professional ranks.

The remaining top ranked players from each circuit will be invited to the end-of-season Global Q Tour Playoffs where several further cueists will earn promotion to the World Snooker Tour.

Last season, Zhao Xintong made his return to international competitive snooker following his ban from the sport via the Q Tour.

Attempting to win back his professional badge, Chinese ace Zhao was sensational on the Q Tour, winning 32 consecutive matches and four events in succession. He also compiled two maximum 147 breaks for good measure.

Those results helped him finish top of the rankings with one event still to go, and therefore gain an immediate return to the pro tour.

The Q Tour also provides a route for amateur players to win invites into major professional events. Last season - despite being without a tour card - Zhao earned a spot at the 2024 UK Championship qualifiers where he won four matches to reach the main draw, televised stages at the Barbican in York.

A few months later, by the same avenue, Zhao was invited to the 2025 World Championship qualifiers and won a quartet of games to qualify for the Crucible where he created history in becoming the first player from China to triumph at snooker’s blue riband event.

What and where are the 2025/26 Q Tour events and how much is the prize money?

On Tuesday afternoon, the WPBSA published official details on its website about this season’s Q Tour, outlining its structure and where the events in Europe will be.

Action starts at the Snookerhallen in the Swedish capital city of Stockholm at the end of August. In total, ‘regular’ Q Tour events are scheduled to visit six different European countries this season - Sweden, Austria, Albania, England, Bulgaria and Belgium. Details on the end-of-season Global Q Tour Playoffs have yet to be announced.

Several changes have been made to the 2025/26 Q Tour Europe. There is a new seeding structure with cut-off dates now introduced, and a new ranking system where points will be used instead of prize money. Matches from the last 128 onwards will now be the best-of-seven frames.

The most striking change, though, is a significant increase in prize money on offer, with a £30,000 fund available for each of the seven events. This is over double the amount from last season.

A top prize of £6,000 is up for grabs at each event with pay-outs down to and including losers in the last 32.

Pay-outs for each Q Tour Europe event: champion (£6,000), runner-up (£3,000), semi-final losers (£2,000 each), quarter-final losers (£1,250 each), last 16 losers (£750 each), last 32 losers (£350 each ), highest break (£400).