2026 English Open: Draw, Prize Money, Broadcast Details and What to Expect in Brentwood
Tournament Overview
The 2026/27 ranking season moves swiftly on this week as the 2026 English Open gets underway at the Brentwood Centre in Essex — the venue's fifth consecutive year hosting the event. The tournament, which runs from Monday 7th September to Sunday 13th September, is the fifth ranking event of the campaign and sits within the established Home Nations Series, a circuit of national tournaments that has been part of the professional calendar since 2016. Notably, the English Open begins just one day after the conclusion of the British Open in Cheltenham, underlining the relentless scheduling demands placed on players in the modern game.
Defending Champion Absent as Allen Withdraws
Mark Allen arrives at this tournament listed as reigning champion after defeating Zhou Yuelong in last year's final to claim the title, but the Northern Irishman will play no part in this year's edition. Allen has announced his withdrawal from the draw, meaning his crown passes without defence — a recurring theme during what has become a curious and prolonged absence from competition. Several other high-profile former champions remain in the field, however, ensuring the Steve Davis Trophy — the prize awarded to the English Open winner — will be contested by a field of genuine quality.
Prize Money Breakdown
The total prize fund for the 2026 English Open stands at £550,400, with the winner taking home £100,000. The runner-up receives £45,000, while semi-finalists each collect £21,000. Below is the full prize money structure for the event:
| Round | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| Winner | £100,000 |
| Runner-up | £45,000 |
| Semi-finals | £21,000 |
| Quarter-finals | £13,200 |
| Last 16 | £9,000 |
| Last 32 | £5,400 |
| Last 64 | £3,600 |
| Last 96 | £1,000 |
| Highest Break | £5,000 |
Format and Structure
Matches from the opening rounds through to the last 16 are played over the best of seven frames. The quarter-finals and semi-finals step up to best of 11, before the final is contested over a best of 17 format. Players ranked outside the world's top 32 at the time of entry were required to come through a qualifying phase held in Leicester in July, with the top 32 seeds entering directly at the last 64 stage — effectively the first round of the main draw in Brentwood.
Former Champions in the Draw
The English Open has been running as a ranking event since its inaugural edition in 2016, and several of the tournament's most decorated winners are competing this week. Judd Trump and Mark Selby are both two-time champions, while Neil Robertson has won the title on two occasions as well — the trio accounting for six titles between them across the period from 2019 to 2024. Stuart Bingham, the 2018 champion, is also in the draw. Ronnie O'Sullivan, who claimed the only Home Nations Series title of his career at this event in 2017, has withdrawn from this year's tournament.
Eye-Catching First-Round Ties
The opening round in Brentwood has produced several intriguing match-ups. Trump, a two-time winner of the event, opens against Jordan Brown, while fellow former champion Selby faces Ricky Walden. Robertson begins his campaign against Luo Zetao. One of the standout stories of the early rounds has already emerged, with Liam Davies advancing to his first ranking event quarter-final after defeating the reigning world champion — a result that illustrates the depth and unpredictability that has characterised the Home Nations Series in recent seasons. The tournament continues through to the final on Sunday 13th September.
