Masters Snooker 2026: Schedule and Draw Following Murphy's Early Exit

The 2026 Masters Snooker tournament is underway from January 11-18 at Alexandra Palace, where Shaun Murphy is set to defend his title. Murphy, who won the 2025 championship by defeating Kyren Wilson 10-7, will face Chinese player Wu Yize in the first round. However, Ronnie O'Sullivan, an eight-time record champion, will not participate for the second consecutive year due to medical reasons. Chris Wakelin has replaced O'Sullivan in the draw and will compete against two-time winner Neil Robertson in the final first-round match on January 14. The tournament features the top 16 ranked players, with all matches being best of 11 frames except the final, which is best of 19 frames. Notably, Wakelin was ranked 17th at the cut-off point but has taken O'Sullivan's place in the competition.