The 12th staging of snooker's International Championship will take place in 2026 as the world's best players head to China in an attempt to claim the coveted title.
The International Championship initially ran from 2012 to 2014 in Chengdu, then from 2015 to 2019 in Daqing.
The tournament returned to the calendar and was staged in Tianjin City for the first time in 2023, when China's Zhang delighted the home fans, beating Tom Ford 10-6 in the final to capture his first ranking title.
Now it has another new home in Nanjing, Eastern China, where the event has taken place in both 2024 and 2025.
Dates
The dates for the 2026 International Championship are yet to be confirmed, however the event is likely to take place around the start of November, with the 2025 edition taking place from Sunday 2nd November until Sunday 9th November.
Format
The morning sessions at the International Championship will begin at 01:30 GMT each day. Afternoon sessions begin at 06:00 GMT and the evening sessions will commence from 11:30 GMT.
The final on Sunday 9th November will consist of two sessions, beginning at 06:00 GMT and 11:30 GMT.
Venue
The 2026 International Championship is set to be played at the SNCNFC in Nanjing, China for the third consecutive time.
Prize Money
Round | Prize Money |
|---|---|
Winner | £175,000 |
Runner-up | £75,000 |
Semi-final | £33,000 |
Quarter-final | £22,000 |
Last 16 | £14,000 |
Last 32 | £9,000 |
Last 64 | £5,000 |
Highest break | £5,000 |
The total prize fund for the 2025 International Championship was £825,000. The winner of the event took home £175,000, while the runner-up pocketed a £75,000 fee.
There is also an additional £5,000 fee on offer for the player who achieves the highest break during the tournament.
History
The tournament was inaugurated in 2012 when Trump beat Robertson 10-8 in the decider. It ran for eight successive years until 2019, but was not held from 2020-2022 owing to the pandemic.
The tournament returned in 2023 when Zhang joined compatriot Ding (2013) in becoming the second Chinese player to take the title, before Wu Yize became the third after his success in 2025.
The 2026 renewal will be the 12th staging of the International Championship.
Previous Winners
Ding, Trump and Selby have both won this tournament twice. The Ace in the Pack triumphed in 2012 and again in 2019, defeating Shaun Murphy 10-3 in the final.
Selby is the only back-to-back winner, the Jester defeating Ding 10-1 in 2016 and Allen 10-7 in 2017.
The other International Championship winners are Ricky Walden (2014), John Higgins (2015) and Mark Allen (2018).
Northern Ireland's Allen has contested three finals, more than any other player.
International Championship previous winners list
