Masters Snooker 2026: Schedule and Draw Released with Trump's Wednesday Matchup

The 2026 Masters snooker tournament is taking place from January 11 to 18 at Alexandra Palace, with the current champion Shaun Murphy eliminated early on. Murphy's title defense was cut short after a 6-2 loss to Wu Yize in the first round. Meanwhile, eight-time champion Ronnie O'Sullivan will be absent for the second consecutive year due to health issues and has been replaced by Chris Wakelin. Wakelin is set to face two-time winner Neil Robertson in the last first-round match on the evening of January 14. The tournament features the top 16 ranked players, with all matches being best of 11 frames except for the final, which will be best of 19. Notably, Chris Wakelin, who was ranked 17th, stepped in after O'Sullivan's withdrawal, while Mark Selby, the UK Championship winner, is among the competitors.