The 2026 Welsh Open snooker tournament is underway at Venue Cymru in Llandudno, Wales, running from February 23rd to March 1st. The tournament, boasting a total prize fund of £550,000, marks only the second time the competition hasn’t been held in either Cardiff or Newport, shifting the focus to North Wales.
Defending champion Mark Selby will be looking to retain his title, having defeated Stephen Maguire 9-6 in the 2025 final at the same venue. That victory secured Selby his second Welsh Open crown – his first since 2008 – and his 24th ranking title along with the £100,000 top prize.
The 2026 edition concludes the 2025/26 Home Nations and European Series, bringing together the world’s top players for the 35th iteration of the Welsh Open. The tournament’s structure sees matches progressing from best-of-seven frame encounters up to and including the last 16, then escalating to best-of-nine for the quarter-finals, best-of-eleven for the semi-finals, and culminating in a best-of-seventeen frame final.
For UK viewers, the Welsh Open is freely available to watch on BBC Two, provided they hold a valid TV license. Eurosport 1 is also broadcasting every day of the tournament, while subscribers to discovery+, the Eurosport app, and eurosport.com can enjoy ad-free coverage. Live streaming is available via BBC iPlayer on mobile and tablet devices. Global viewers can access every frame through Matchroom Live’s subscription platform.
As of , the tournament is progressing through the early rounds. The schedule indicates the first round continued today on Eurosport 1, with matches beginning at 8:00 PM. Further rounds are scheduled as follows: the second round on at 2:00 PM, 7:00 PM, and 8:00 PM. the third round on at 2:00 PM, 7:00 PM, and 8:00 PM; the quarter-finals on at 2:40 PM, 7:45 PM, and 11:00 PM; the semi-finals on at 3:10 PM and 7:45 PM; and the final on at 3:10 PM, 7:45 PM, and at 8:00 PM – all times broadcast on Eurosport 1.
The Welsh Open holds a significant place in the snooker calendar, being one of the three oldest ranking tournaments on the Main Tour, having been established in 1992. It forms part of the Home Nations Series alongside the English Open, Scottish Open, and Northern Ireland Open. A unique incentive is offered within this series: any player who manages to win all four tournaments in a single year receives a bonus of £1 million.
While no TV repeat of the “1st Round” broadcast from is currently scheduled within the next 14 days, viewers can check the Eurosport 1 media library for potential replays. The availability of content in the media library is subject to licensing rights and may vary.
The tournament is also televised by BBC Wales, TNT, and Eurosport, and uniquely, outside of the Triple Crown series, it is broadcast live by CCTV5 in China, extending its reach to a significant international audience.
