What is the draw, format, match schedule and prize money for the 2025 Shanghai Masters snooker?

The Shanghai Masters is a familiar fixture on the World Snooker Tour, starting out in 2007 as a ranking event. Since 2018, the competition has been invitational involving the world's top ranked stars.

Judd Trump goes into the 2025 edition as the reigning and defending champion having defeated Shaun Murphy 11-5 in last year's final to lift the trophy for the first time in his career.

Ronnie O'Sullivan is the most successful player in Shanghai Masters history with a record five title wins (2009, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023).

How does the Shanghai Masters snooker work; how long are the matches?

The Shanghai Masters currently features 24 cueists.

The world's top 16 ranked players all receive an invite, as do the next four highest ranked players from China who are outside that elite bracket. Four amateur wildcards from the host nation also get invited.

The top eight seeds (reigning champion is number one seed, reigning World Champion is number two seed) go straight through to the round of 16.

Those seeded between 9 to 16 start out in the preliminary round where they are drawn to face one of the non-top 16 Chinese professionals, or amateurs. The winners of these preliminaries then meet the top eight seeds in the last 16.

Two tables are in operation at the venue across the opening three rounds, with a one-table set-up for the semis and final.

Matches in the preliminary round, last 16 and quarter-finals are all the best of 11 frames. The two-session semi-finals are the best of 19 frames (match to completed on the same day), and the two-session final is the best of 21 frames (completed on the same day).

Who is playing at the 2025 Shanghai Masters snooker?

A star-studded field is scheduled to be on show in Shanghai with all but one of the world’s current top 16 players in the draw.

Mark Allen entered the event but has since withdrawn due to personal/family reasons and has been replaced by world number 17 Ali Carter who was first reserve.

World number one Trump is aiming to become only the second player in Shanghai Masters history to successfully defend the title; no first-time winner has retained it. The Englishman will face either Neil Robertson or Pang Junxu for his opening assignment.

Like Trump, several of the sport’s biggest superstars are due to be making their first competitive appearance of the new 2025/26 professional season having not featured in the Wuhan or British Open qualifiers, or the Championship League.

On home soil, Zhao Xintong will play his first match as the World Champion following his historic triumph at the Crucible Theatre towards the start of May.

Seven-time World Champion O’Sullivan is also set for his first outing of the term, as too is China’s original trailblazer, Ding Junhui.

‘Class of 92’ members Mark Williams and John Higgins - who despite both being aged 50 start the fledgling campaign inside the world’s top four - are scheduled to be there.

Joining O’Sullivan, Trump, Carter, Higgins and Ding in this year’s field as a winner of this title are Mark Selby and current world number two Kyren Wilson.

What is the prize money for the 2025 Shanghai Masters; how much does the champion win?

The competition is one of the richest on the World Snooker Tour with a total prize fund of £825,000. The champion on August 3rd is set to pocket £210,000.

2025 Shanghai Masters prize money breakdown:

• Champion: £210,000
• Runner-up: £105,000
• Losing semi-finalists: £70,000 (each)
• Losing quarter-finalists: £35,000 (each)
• Losers in the last 16: £17,500 (each)
• Losers in the last 24: £10,000 (each)
• Highest break in the tournament: £10,000
• Total prize fund: £825,000

How to watch the 2025 Shanghai Masters snooker on TV and online:

• UK and Ireland: TNT Sports, discovery+
• Mainland Europe: Eurosport, and discovery+ in Germany, Italy, Austria - HBO Max in other areas
• China: SMG, Huya, Migu, CBSA-WPBSA Academy WeChat Channel (pay-per-view), CBSA-WPBSA Academy Douyin
• Hong Kong China: Now Sports
• Malaysia: Astro Supersport
• Philippines: Tap Sports
• Taiwan: Sportcast
• Thailand: True Sport
• All other areas: WST Play