2025/26 Snooker Season: Record Prize Money Predicted
The 2025/26 Snooker season will get underway with Championship League action in Leicester.
Will new World Champion, Zhao Xintong, do a Brecel or a Wilson in 2025/26? © Getty Images
Key Facts:
- Leicester’s Mattioli Arena is Snooker Central in the coming month.
- Saudi Arabia Masters is the second-ranking event on the busy 2025/25 calendar.
- Last season’s £18.2 million in prize money can be bettered.
- How will Zhao Xintong perform with a target on his back?
World Snooker is back! The sport’s 2025/26 season will kick into gear on June 30 when the BetVictor sportsbook-sponsored Championship League is played in Leicester’s Mattioli Arena. It is the first of 17 ranking tournaments on the calendar.
The snooker season did have a low-key start, with June 22 signalling six days of qualifying matches for the Wuhan Open and British Open events. These were also played at Leicester’s Mattioli Arena.
All players will hope to find their best form early in the campaign as the mega-valuable Saudi Arabia Masters is scheduled as the second ranking event of the season. Last year, Judd Trump collected £500,000 for winning this fledgling competition. Its total purse was £2.3 million.
In its debut year (2024), the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters immediately became the second-richest event on the tour. Its prize fund was just £93,000 shy of the money awarded at the World Championship.
2025 World Snooker Calendar
- June 30 – July 23: Championship League, Leicester.
- July 28 – August 3: Shanghai Masters, Shanghai.*
- August 8-16: Saudi Arabia Masters, Jeddah.
- August 24-30: Wuhan Open, Wuhan.
- September 15-21: English Open, Brentwood Centre.
- September 22-28: British Open, Cheltenham.
- October 7-13: Xi’an Grand Prix, Xi’an.
- October 19-26: Northern Ireland Open, Belfast.
- November 2-9: International Championship, China.
- November 10-16: Champion of Champions, Leicester.*
- November 29 – December 7: UK Championship, York.
- December 10-13: Snooker Shoot Out, Blackpool.
- December 15-21: Scottish Open, Edinburgh.
- January 2-February 11: Championship League, Leicester.*
- January 11-18: The Masters, London.*
- January 26-February 1: German Masters, Berlin.
- February 3-8: World Grand Prix, Hong Kong.
- February 23-March 1: Welsh Open, Llandudno.
- March 16-March 22: World Open, China.
- March 30-April 5: Tour Championship, Manchester.
- April 18-May 4: World Championship, Sheffield.
*Indicates a non-ranking event.
Snooker’s Top-5 Earned £700,000 Last Season
Despite his exit from the World Championship at the semi-final stage, World No. 1 Judd Trump still pocketed a record £1,680,600 in winnings last season. Across the sport, prize money reached record levels in 2024/25.
JUDD TRUMP WINS THE INAUGURAL SAUDI ARABIA SNOOKER MASTERS! 🏆
The Ace in the Pack prevails in the deciding frame the take home the title and half a million pounds! 🤑#BattleOnTheBaize pic.twitter.com/cj8OiloHsc
— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) September 7, 2024
Overall, £18,214,600 was paid out in prize money last term. It compared favourably to the £14,248,617 awarded in 2023/24 and £11,288,470 in 2022/23. Five players earned over £700,000 last season. Nine players earned over £500,000, and 23 won over £200,000.
The 2024/25 prize money breakdown by ranking brackets (including bonuses and high break prizes) reads as follows:
- 1-16 earned £10.2 million compared to £7.9m in 2023/24
- 17-32 earned £3.1 million compared to £2.2m in 2023/24
- 33-48 earned £1.7 million compared to £1.3m in 2023/24
- 49-64 earned £1.1 million compared to £900k in 2023/24
- 65-128 (plus amateurs players) earned £2.1 million compared to £1.8m in 2023/24
Will Zhao and Kyren Get the Big Bucks Again?
Prize money for each of the forthcoming season’s competitions – boosted by online bookmaker sponsorship – has yet to be announced. However, it would be a surprise if the World Snooker Tour does not set another new prize money record.
In the coming months, all eyes will be on Zhao Xintong – the third new World Champion in as many years. How will the 28-year-old, who completed a 20-month ban in September 2024, perform with a target on his back?
In 2023, Luca Brecel became world champ for the first time. However, the crown weighed heavily on him. The Belgian was massively underwhelming during the subsequent 12 months.
Conversely, Kyren Wilson, the 2024 World Champion, reached new levels of success by claiming the Xi’an Grand Prix, Northern Ireland Open, German Masters and Players Championship. His prizemoney haul last season was a handsome £981,000.
