2026 Champion of Champions Snooker Preview: Star-Studded Field Set for Elite Invitational

A £440,000 prize fund is up for grabs at the Mattioli Arena as 16 of snooker's biggest title winners from the past year battle for one of the sport's most prestigious invitational trophies.

Here's everything you need to know ahead of the tournament, and you can follow all the proceedings right here on Totally Snookered.

The format sees four groups of four battle across the opening days, with matches starting on Monday, November 9th.

Each group begins with two best-of-seven matches, before the winners meet in an evening best-of-11 group final. The four group winners progress to the semi-finals on Friday and Saturday, before Sunday's final, played over two sessions, decides who takes home the £150,000 grand prize.

Reigning champion Selby kicks off proceedings on Monday against Alfie Burden.

The 'Jester from Leicester' defeated Judd Trump 10-5 in last year's final to claim his first Champion of Champions title and will be hoping to repeat the achievement in front of his home supporters.

The four-time world champion arrives as reigning UK Champion, although he will be looking to put behind him a couple of recent early tournament eliminations.

Burden, winner of the 2025 Snooker Shoot Out, will hope to capitalise on Selby's blunt form and provide an early upset.

The other opening match on Monday features Barry Hawkins and Chris Wakelin.

The Welsh Open and Scottish Open champions, respectively, will be looking to build some momentum as the season progresses. The two sit 10th and 11th in the world rankings, and a deep run here would further establish them among snooker's current greats.

Tuesday brings an exciting clash as former world champion Neil Robertson takes on 18-year-old Thai star Panchaya Channoi.

The Australian has twice previously lifted the Champion of Champions trophy but will need all his experience against the young winner of the Women's World Championship, who makes her tournament debut.

Channoi defeated Reanne Evans 6-2 in the final in May and will be eager to show she can compete against the sport's biggest male competitors.

Judd Trump takes on Jak Jones in the other match on Tuesday.

Trump, the world number five, arrives as one of the tournament favourites after winning the German Masters and Shanghai Masters this year.

He was runner-up to Selby last season and will be determined to go one better, while Jones enters the competition after winning the Championship League and British Open titles this season.

Wednesday sees perhaps the most anticipated opening match of the tournament, as Shaun Murphy takes on Ronnie O'Sullivan in the blockbuster group.

Seven-time world champion O’Sullivan has won the Champion of Champions four times, making him the competition's most successful player.

O'Sullivan returns after winning the World Seniors Championship, while Murphy will be hoping to turn his impressive World Championship run, where he finished runner-up, into another major title.

The other match sees reigning world champion Wu Yize take on fellow Chinese rising star Chang Bingyu.

Wu is always one of the players to watch nowadays, after his remarkable rise to the top of the sport, while Chang arrives following his maiden ranking title at the Wuhan Open.

Chang has looked increasingly sharp, defeating world number one Zhao Xintong 6-3 in the International Championship recently before going out in the semis to a commanding John Higgins.

Thursday's action is headlined by the world number one, as Zhao Xintong faces Thailand's Thepchaiya Un-Nooh.

Zhao enjoyed an outstanding spell earlier this year, winning the World Grand Prix, Players Championship and Tour Championship. He will be looking to add another trophy to his collection.

Masters champion Kyren Wilson also begins his campaign on Thursday against Ali Carter, winner of the English Open.

Wilson is the main man in form, winning the last two tournaments, the International Championship and the Northern Ireland Open, back-to-back.

You can stream the tournament live in the UK on ITV and stay up to date with all match information and results right here on Totally Snookered.