Who is playing on Saturday at the Players Championship; semi-finals preview from Telford

The stellar last four line-up features players representing four different nations, and with 80 world ranking titles between them. Both matches are the best of 11 frames, with the winners going through to Sunday’s two-session title match.

From 13:00GMT: John Higgins v Judd Trump

The opening semi-final is between two cueman who have been involved in a plethora of big match-ups together down the years, including two World Championships, and a memorable duel from just a few weeks ago.

World number one Trump is aiming to complete a hat-trick of Players Championship crowns having lifted the trophy in 2017 and 2020.

The 36-year-old has dropped only three frames so far; whitewashing Zhou Yuelong 6-0 before seeing off Mark Williams 6-3 in the quarter-finals. He made a century break during each win.

Earlier this month, Trump ended a 14-month wait for a ranking event title at the German Masters, but he has been extremely consistent in recent months - this will be his seventh semi-final appearance since the end of October.

Higgins is only in Telford this week due to fellow ‘Class of 92’ graduate Ronnie O’Sullivan electing not to enter. The Scot finished 17th in the qualification race - one place below the cut-off - but due to O’Sullivan’s non-participation, Higgins was first in-line for a call-up.

Winner of this title in 2021, Higgins - who has also been dabbling in commentary and punditry work this week for Channel 5 - eliminated number one seed Neil Robertson 6-1 before defeating Chris Wakelin 6-3. Just like Trump, he too has produced a ton during each outing.

The 50-year-old is the only semi-finalist this weekend who has not won a title this season, although he did reach the finals of the International Championship in November, and last month’s Masters.

Should Higgins be victorious over the next couple of days, he would continue this season’s unique streak of ranking event winners, and become the oldest-ever winner of a ranking event title - eclipsing the other ‘Class of 92’ member Mark Williams’ record-breaking achievement from the Xi’an Grand Prix earlier this term.

Head-to-head wise, the overall record is extremely close between the two, but Trump has been pretty dominant in recent years. Although only last month during the Masters semi-finals, Higgins ended a losing streak to Trump on the big stage, coming back from 3-0 and 5-3 down in a 6-5 win.

From 19:00GMT: Zhao Xintong v Mark Allen

In comparison to the relationship between the first two semi-finalists, Zhao and Allen have met only four times before on the professional circuit with the current score reading 2-2.

Their most recent encounter came in November when Zhao - despite having only landed in the UK just hours before - whitewashed Allen 4-0 in the opening round of the Champion of Champions, allowing his peer to score just one point.

Reigning World Champion Zhao’s route to this final four stage has been a tightrope act. He required a deep run at the World Grand Prix earlier this month merely to qualify - coming back from 4-1 down to oust Mark Selby 5-4 in the last 16 before going all the way and claiming his first ranking title whilst wearing the Crucible crown.

In Telford this week, he again recovered from three down with four to play as he usurped Elliot Slessor, 6-5, in the opening round before finding a purple patch in dispatching one of this season’s standout players - Shaun Murphy - 6-3 in the quarter-finals. The 28-year-old from China has totted up three tons, so far.

Former world number one Allen - who turns 40 on Sunday - has dismissed two very in-form players to get here, Wu Yize (6-3), and then reigning UK Champion and number two seed Mark Selby (6-2) along with a century.

The Northern Irishman - winner of this title two years ago - is into his fifth ranking event semi-final of the term. He is aiming for his second top prize during that spell, having lifted The Steve Davis Trophy at the English Open in September.

To view the full draw, results, schedule, and other information from the 2026 Players Championship, visit here.