Carter's English Open Glory Fills the Champion of Champions Picture — With Two Spots Still to Claim
The Captain Books His Ticket
There was a moment on Sunday evening at the Brentwood Centre when Ali Carter potted the final ball to seal a 9-6 win over Mark Williams, and you could almost hear the relief exhale from him along with the crowd. A seventh career ranking title. A £100,000 winner's cheque. And, quietly tucked into that package, a ticket to one of the most glamorous invitational events in the sport's calendar. Ali Carter is going to the Champion of Champions.
The 47-year-old — known to supporters as The Captain, a nickname that carries weight earned over two decades of top-level snooker — lifted the Steve Davis Trophy as English Open champion, and in doing so became the 14th player to secure their place in the 2026 edition of the prestigious tournament. It will be his seventh invitation since the event was relaunched in 2013, a tally that speaks to Carter's stubborn resilience in a sport that has occasionally seemed determined to move on without him. Not long ago he was scrapping to protect his top-16 status; now he is heading to Leicester as a champion.
Leicester Calling: What We Know About the 2026 Field
The Champion of Champions will be held at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester from 9 to 15 November, with a winner's cheque of £150,000 waiting at the end of the week — a figure that makes this one of the richest invitational events on the snooker calendar. Promoted by Matchroom Sport, the 16-player field is drawn from tournament winners across the preceding 12-month stretch, a format that has occasionally sparked debate over its selection criteria. This year, at least, the rules were laid out clearly in December — even if the small print does include the somewhat elastic caveat of being "subject to change."
Defending champion Mark Selby will return to the city he calls home looking to become a two-time winner, having claimed the trophy for the first time in 2025 with a commanding 10-5 final victory over Judd Trump. Selby will find no shortage of elite company around him. Wu Yize, the reigning world champion, is set to feature alongside Zhao Xintong, who holds the world number one ranking, and Kyren Wilson, who lifted the Masters title earlier this year. Trump himself will be there too — four-time world champion, perennial contender, and a man who always seems to raise his game on the big occasion.
The field broadens out further with the inclusion of top-16 members Shaun Murphy, Barry Hawkins, and Chris Wakelin. Murphy's path in is slightly unconventional — the Magician hasn't claimed an outright title in the qualifying window, but he earns his invitation as the World Championship runner-up, a reflection of just how many tournaments have seen repeat winners this season rather than any loosening of the standards.
Fresh Faces and Familiar Names
For those who love to see new names on the big stage, this year's draw has plenty to offer. Chang Bingyu arrives at the Mattioli Arena for the first time after winning last month's Wuhan Open, continuing a remarkable rise through the professional ranks. There will be second appearances for Jak Jones, Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, and Alfie Burden — players who know what the occasion demands having experienced it once before.
Perhaps most notably, the tournament will host a genuine milestone for women's snooker. Panchaya Channoi, Un-Nooh's compatriot, appears set for her debut in the event following her victory at the World Women's Championship, meaning Thailand would be represented by two players in the field. It is a detail that might get lost in the broader conversation about ranking points and prize money, but it matters. The Champion of Champions has always prided itself on being a celebration of the sport's breadth, and having Channoi on that Mattioli Arena stage would be precisely that.
Two Places Still to Settle
With 14 of the 16 spots now accounted for, attention turns to the two events still to come in the qualifying window. The winners of the Shenzhen Open and one further tournament will complete the field, and given the calibre of players already confirmed, the final entrants will be walking into a formidably stacked draw.
For Carter, though, that is all future noise. Right now, he has the Steve Davis Trophy sitting in his cabinet and a place at snooker's most exclusive November gathering secured. At 47, The Captain is still charting courses most of his peers would struggle to follow. Leicester in November should be quite a trip.
