UK Championship Snooker 2025: Prize money, full first round draw, schedule, when are John Higgins and Ronnie O'Sullivan playing?
One of the biggest snooker tournaments of the year gets underway this weekend.
First held in 1977, this year’s UK Championship is the 48th time the finest players in the world have competed for the title.
It’s the first of the so-called ‘Triple Crown’ events of the season, with the World Championships and the Masters the other big two tournaments.
Last year’s championship sawJudd Trump defeat Barry Hawkins 10-8 in a nail-biting final and both will be back this year - alongside Scotland’s John Higgins who has won the tournament three times in the past (in 1998, 2000 and 2010) and his fellow countryman Stephen Maguire.
And Ronnie O’Sullivan will also be on the baize, looking for a record-extending 24th Triple Crown trophy.
The first round draw has now been made, so here’s what you have to look forward to in the first few days of the tournament - and how to watch it.
When is the UK Championship 2025?
The UK Championship 2024 runs from Saturday, November 29, to Sunday, December 7.
Where is the UK Championship being held?
The tournament is being held at the York Barbican, which has hosted since 2011.
What is the prize money?
The event features a total prize fund of £1,205,000. It remains unchanged from last year.
The winner receives £250,000, with the runner-up landing £100,000 and semi-finalists £50,000.
Quarter-finalists get £25,000, followed by £15,000 for the last 16, £10,000 for the last 32, £7,500 for the last 48, £5,00 for the last 80, and £2,500 for those knocked out in the first round.
The player who gets the highest break in the tournament gets an additional £15,000.
Who is favourite to win?
The bookies reckon Judd Trump is the most likely player to lift the trophy, with odds of 5/1, followed by Zhao Xingtong (5/1), Ronnie O’Sullivan (15/2), Neil Robertson (8/1) and Mark Selby (8/1). Scotland’s John Higgins is an 18/1 outsider for the title.
What is the format?
The 16 highest-ranked players in the world join 16 successful qualifiers for the tournament, which is played as a knock-out competition.
All matches before the final are the best of 11 frames (first to six), while the final is the best of 19 frames (first to 10).
What is the first round draw?
Here’s how the opening matches are lining up:
- Judd Trump (1) vs Stephen Maguire
- Si Jiahui (16) vs Ryan Day
- Ding Junhui (9) vs Tom Ford or Xu Si
- Mark Allen (8) vs Scott Donaldson
- Mark Williams (5) vs David Gilbert
- Xiao Guodong (12) vs Pang Junxu
- Wu Yize (13) vs Michael Holt
- Neil Robertson (4) vs Julien Leclercq
- Kyren Wilson (3) vs Elliot Slessor
- Barry Hawkins (14) vs David Lilley
- Mark Selby (11) vs Lei Peifan
- Ronnie O'Sullivan (6) vs Zhou Yuelong
- John Higgins (7) vs Ben Woollaston
- Shaun Murphy (10) vs Lyu Haotian
- Gary Wilson (15) vs Zhang Anda
- Zhao Xintong (2) vs Long Zehuang
When are the opening round matches taking place?
Here’s the full schedule for the opening games:
Saturday, November 29
- 1pm: Judd Trump vs Stephen Maguire
- 1pm: Si Jiahui vs Ryan Day
- 7pm: John Higgins vs Ben Woollaston
- 7pm: Shaun Murphy vs Lyu Haotian
Sunday, November 30
- 1pm: Wu Yize vs Michael Holt
- 1pm: Neil Robertson vs Julien Leclercq
- 7pm: Xiao Guodong vs Pang Junxu
- 7pm: Mark Williams vs David Gilbert
Monday, December 1
- 1pm: Ding Junhui vs Tom Ford or Xu Si
- 1pm: Zhao Xintong vs Long Zehuang
- 7pm: Gary Wilson vs Zhang Anda
- 7pm: Mark Allen vs Scott Donaldson
Tuesday, December 2
- 1pm: Mark Selby vs Lei Peifan
- 1pm: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Zhou Yuelong
- 7pm: Kyren Wilson vs Elliot Slessor
- 7pm: Barry Hawkins vs David Lilley
When is John Higgins playing his first round match?
John Higgins will play Ben Woollaston on Saturday, November 29, at 7pm.
When is Ronnie O’Sullivan playing his first round match?
Ronnie O’Sullivan will play Zhou Yuelong on Tuesday, December 2, at 1pm.
What is the full match schedule for the 2025 UK Championship?
Here’s when all the action will be happening:
- Saturday, November 29 to Tuesday, December 2 - Last 32.
- Wednesday, December 3 to Thursday, December 4 - Last 16.
- Friday, December 5 - Quarter-finals.
- Saturday, December 6 - Semi-finals.
- Sunday, December 7 - Final.
How can I watch the UK Championship on television?
The BBC will be broadcasting all matches live on BBC1, BBC2 and the BBC iPlayer so you don’t need to miss a single shot.
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