Who has qualified for stage two at the 2026 Championship League Snooker Ranking Event?

It seems a while ago now, but the tournament began on June 22 with former world champion Kyren Wilson scoring a 3-0 win over Haydon Pinhey on the main feature table. However, Wilson had to subsequently withdraw from the competition due to his house having been burgled the same day. Dylan Emery eventually topped the three-player group, with Xu Si qualifying from the other table.

In total, 128 players took part in this year's £328,000 event. They were drawn into 32 round robin groups of four, with the winners from each pool progressing to stage two where the process repeats with eight round robin groups; this last 32 phase runs across four days (July 10, 11, 13, 14).

The winners of these groups then advance to Finals Day (July 15) where there are two pools of four players. The table-toppers here then face each other that night in a best-of-five frames grand final where the first title of the fledgling 2026/27 season will be claimed.

A competition that has one of the quirkiest formats on the World Snooker Tour, it is often seen as an ideal opportunity for mid-ranked cueists to lift the first trophy of their top-flight careers, although the roll of honour doesn't necessarily back that thesis up.

Since its inauguration in 2020 - created during the Covid-19 Pandemic when events were being cancelled and international travel was not an option - only David Gilbert in 2021 has been a maiden ranking event champion from it. Although Gilbert was not an outsider by any means having been a top 16 player and multiple-time runner-up.

Gilbert is one of four former Championship League Snooker Ranking Event winners through to the last 32; 2023 winner Murphy did not enter this time, and 2020 victor Wilson had to withdraw as mentioned earlier.

No-one has won this title more than once, yet alone successfully defend it, but reigning champion Stephen Maguire is still in contention after he qualified from Group 19 despite losing his opening match.

The champion from two years ago, Ali Carter, remains on track; he pipped Jamie Jones on frame difference in Group 12 after both players finished undefeated on seven points each.

Former world champion Luca Brecel has very fond memories of the Championship League arena having won both the invitational and ranking event versions of it.

The Belgian - currently ranked 44th in the world rankings - earned himself a morale boost after winning all three of his matches in Group 31.

Brecel was one of seven players who won their stage one group with maximum points (three wins from three): Ian Burns, Jack Lisowski, Zhang Anda, Cheung Ka Wai, Chang Bingyu, and He Guoqiang were the others.

Five of the world’s top 16 entered the tournament, but only current Scottish Open champion Chris Wakelin is left in. Mark Williams entered but subsequently withdrew, Si Jiahui made a maximum 147 break but finished second in his pool. 2025 World Champion Zhao Xintong - the highest ranked cueist in the event - racked up a trio of century breaks but was ousted by David Grace on frame difference.

Despite the short format, 20 of the 32 opening phase groups were won by the top seeds in them. Nine second seeds qualified - including Brecel and promising prospect Chang.

Two non-tour card holders are also still in the running: Dean Young and Mark Joyce. Both are currently classed as amateur, but have recently been on the sport's top-flight. Joyce is a former ranking event finalist.

There are 20 players left in who have yet to win a professional ranking event. The twelve title winners featuring in stage two are Wakelin, Marco Fu, Lisowski, Zhang Anda, Carter, Gary Wilson, Lei Peifan, Hossein Vafaei, Maguire, Gilbert, Jimmy Robertson, and Brecel.