Gloucestershire snooker fans are counting down the days until the Unibet British Open returns to Cheltenham – with two of the previous title holders determined to get back on the winning podium.
Bringing a field packed with snooker’s all-time greats and up-and-coming talents to the county, the World Snooker Tour event takes place at The Centaur at Cheltenham Racecourse from Monday 31 August to Sunday 6 September 2026.
First staged in 1985, the British Open is unique in its structure with no seeded players and an 'FA Cup-style' random draw for each round – leaving plenty of opportunity for the underdogs to spring an upset and potentially knock out a big hitter early on.
With some tickets still available for the event, which will also be televised live in the UK, SoGlos hears from the tournament's last two winners on how they've fared this season, and why they're looking forward to coming back to Cheltenham for this year's British Open.
Reigning British Open champion Shaun Murphy
World number six Shaun Murphy is keen to get back to championship-winning ways, ahead of the defence of his Unibet British Open title in Cheltenham next week.
Shaun beat Anthony McGill 10-7 in last year's final to win the Clive Everton Trophy, and he'll be in a strong field this time for the world ranking event – with other star names including world number one Judd Trump, world champion Wu Yize, Mark Williams, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Zhao Xintong, John Higgins, Neil Robertson, Mark Selby and many more.
Since his triumph a year ago, Shaun hasn't been able to add to his list of titles, though he has come close on several occasions. At the World Championship in the spring he reached the final before an agonising 18-17 reverse against Wu Yize, and he was also runner-up at the Xi'an Grand Prix and German Masters.
He said: 'I have had two of my best ever seasons but if I'm honest I want to start filling up my trophy cabinet.
'As an eight-year-old boy starting out in snooker I dreamed of being a winner, I didn't dream of being consistent. I have had a few near misses, none more so than the World Championship which is still living large in the back of my mind.
'It feels as though the season is now in full flow and every day is an opportunity to move closer to being ready for another trip to Sheffield in eight months.
'Over my career I have not been great at winning multiple titles in seasons. We have seen the likes of Ding Junhui and Judd Trump winning five or six in a season, I have never been near to that. It would be nice to do something silly like that.
'I have just turned 44 but judging by today's standards I have at least seven or eight years left. I feel now I'm the most complete snooker player I’ve ever been and that has come from practice and hard work.'
British Open 2024 winner Mark Selby
The British Open's random draw means that the big names can go head-to-head in the early stages – and 2024 winner Mark Selby is a fan of the format.
The four-time World Champion said: 'For the viewers it’s great, it brings excitement. I’ve looked at the draw and David Gilbert’s got Mark Williams in the first round, which is a tough draw for both of them.
'It could spring that kind of draw every single round. It’s exciting because you don’t know what you’re going to get. There’s definitely room for it in the calendar for sure.'
Selby beat John Higgins in the 2024 final in Cheltenham which was a key moment in his career, as it ended a drought of 18 months without a ranking title.
He said of that triumph: 'To win that tournament back in 2024 answered a lot of doubts in my mind. It gave me that belief back because I was second-guessing myself, thinking I needed to change something. It put all that to bed. You just have to be patient because the game is very, very tough at the moment.'
How to watch the Unibet British Open 2026
World Snooker Tour says the first few days in Cheltenham offer a 'fabulous' opportunity for fans to watch a multitude of the all-time greats across four tables, with the full match schedule available at wst.tv/matches/british-open-2026.
Tickets are available now, with adult tickets costing from £18 and a special offer for under-16s from just £8. For more information and to book, head to wst.tv/tickets/british-open-2026-tickets.
The event will also have extensive live coverage in the UK on Channel 5.
