Northern Ireland Open 2026: Tournament Guide

The 2026 BetVictor Northern Ireland Open runs from 18–25 October at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast, the second event of this season's Home Nations Series. Bookmark this page for dates, format, prize money, and the players to watch as the tour returns to Northern Ireland. Follow every match live once play begins via Snooker247's live scores hub.

Key Details

Dates: 18–25 October 2026 Venue: Waterfront Hall City: Belfast, Northern Ireland Event type: Ranking event, part of the Home Nations Series Total prize fund: £550,400 Winner's share: £100,000 Trophy: The Alex Higgins Trophy, named for the late two-time World Champion born and raised in Belfast Defending champion: Jack Lisowski (ENG) Qualifiers: 13–16 September 2026, Mattioli Arena, Leicester

Format and Draw

Like the rest of this season's Home Nations Series, the Northern Ireland Open uses a tiered draw: the top 32 seeds go straight through to the last 64 when the venue stage begins in Belfast, while the remaining field had to come through qualifying rounds in Leicester to book a place opposite them. Matches up to and including the last 16 are played as best of seven frames, with the format stepping up through the quarter-finals and semi-finals before a longer final to decide the champion.

The Home Nations Series and the £1 Million Bonus

The Northern Ireland Open sits within the four-event Home Nations Series, alongside the English Open, Scottish Open, and Welsh Open. Any player who wins all four events in a single season collects a £1 million bonus — a feat no one has yet managed, though several players have come agonisingly close by winning three of the four. It's one of the more compelling subplots running through the entire season, and worth tracking as results from earlier Home Nations events feed into who's still in contention.

Players to Watch

Jack Lisowski defends the title after a dramatic 9–8 win over Judd Trump in last year's final — a result that snapped a long wait for a maiden ranking title and instantly made him one of the most popular champions in recent memory.

Judd Trump will target a record-extending Northern Ireland Open crown, having already won the event more times than anyone else in its history.

Zhao Xintong, the reigning World Champion, returns to a venue that has produced big moments for him in the past and will be one of the players carrying the most expectation into Belfast.

Local hometown hopefuls always add an extra layer to this event — Belfast crowds are known as some of the most passionate on the circuit, and a strong home run from a Northern Irish player is always one of the tournament's best storylines.

Why It Matters This Season

As the second Home Nations Series stop, the Northern Ireland Open plays a real role in shaping the mid-season ranking picture, and strong runs here often carry momentum into the UK Championship a few weeks later. With qualifying completed in September, the full picture of who's through to Belfast will sharpen as the venue stage approaches.

What's Next

After Belfast, the tour heads back to China for the International Championship (31 October–7 November, Nanjing) — the last automatic-seeding cutoff event before the UK Championship.

Check back for results and reaction as the Northern Ireland Open gets underway, or follow live scores here as matches unfold.