Alexandra Palace is back in the sporting spotlight once again. Luke Littler and the darting deities may have departed following their three-week stint at the PDC World Championship, but they’ve been replaced by the green baize brigade. An exclusive band of snooker stars are ready to show off their potting prowess at the North London venue, as they go in search of Johnstone’s Paint Masters glory.
An electric atmosphere is always guaranteed at the sport's biggest invitational tournament, with the prestigious Paul Hunter Trophy up for grabs along with a stellar cheque for £350,000. The action gets underway this Sunday (January 11), and it’s one not to be missed.
Although not a ranking event, the Masters is seen by players and the public alike as one of the elite tournaments in the sport. Alongside the UK Championship and the World Championship, it makes up snooker’s Triple Crown. The first edition of the event was staged in 1975 with ten players involved. It’s been played every year since, making it the second-longest running snooker tournament after the World Championship. The Masters would be expanded in 1984 with the world’s top 16 players invited to the potting party.
Sadly, Ronnie O'Sullivan, who tops the Masters' roll of honour with 8 wins, has had to withdraw for the second year running. He's been replaced by Chris Wakelin. 'The Rocket' may be missing, but two others who claimed their first Masters titles in the 1990s are still gunning for further success this year, Mark Williams and John Higgins. Including those two, there are a total of 8 previous winners (half the field) with their eyes firmly focused on the 2026 Masters prize. Shaun Murphy is another one of those former champs, and he arrives in North London looking to defend his crown, having beaten Kyren Wilson 10-7 in the 2025 final. The Magician could become the fifth player in Masters’ history, after O’Sullivan, Paul Hunter, Stephen Hendry and Cliff Thorburn, to go back-to-back.
Let GOAL bring you all the vital information you need ahead of the 2026 Johnstone’s Paint Masters, including when it’s taking place and how to watch and stream each and every single match.
When is the Johnstone’s Paint Masters 2026?
The 2026 Johnstone’s Paint Masters starts on Sunday, January 11, and the tournament runs for a week until Sunday, January 18, with the final taking place on that day (and night).
The Masters has been played in a variety of venues since its inception in 1975, with all but one situated in London. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 edition was held behind closed doors at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes. Wembley staged the Masters for over 30 years, but Alexandra Palace has now been the mainstay location since 2012. It’s a venue that’s capable of hosting up to 2,000 snooker spectators.
How to watch the Johnstone’s Paint Masters 2026
Coverage of The Masters will be extensively shown live across TNT Sports and BBC platforms. You can watch via TNT Sports' TV channels on Sky, BT and Virgin Media platforms and live stream on discovery+. Discovery+ Premium is £30.99 per month and available on a monthly rolling contract. This includes TNT Sports and other entertainment channels. Existing BT broadband customers can access TNT Sports for £20 per month. The package consists of TNT Sports and Discovery+.
What is the Johnstone’s Paint Masters 2026 Round 1 draw?
- Shaun Murphy (1) v Wu Yize (13)
- Mark Selby (8) v Xiao Guodong (11)
- Neil Robertson (5) v Chris Wakelin (17)
- Kyren Wilson (4) v Si Jiahui (15)
- Judd Trump (3) v Ding Junhui (12)
- Mark Williams (6) v Mark Allen (10)
- John Higgins (7) v Barry Hawkins (14)
- Zhao Xintong (2) v Gary Wilson (16)
What are the Johnstone’s Paint Masters 2026 session times?
Johnstone’s Paint Masters matches are played during both afternoon sessions (starting from 1pm) and evening sessions (starting from 7pm) all week long.
There's a one-table set-up in place from start to finish, so the first Round 1 match gets underway at 1pm on Sunday, January 11 and the eighth and final match of the opening phase is completed during the night session on Wednesday, January 14.
The four quarter-finals take place on Thursday (15) and Friday (16), with the semi-finals both played on Saturday (17). The opening session of the final gets underway on Sunday, January 18, from 1pm and concludes during the evening session.
What is the Johnstone’s Paint Masters 2026 format?
The round 1, quarter-final, and semi-final matches are all best of 11 frames. The final is the best of 19 frames and is played over two sessions on Sunday, January 18.
What is the Johnstone’s Paint Masters 2026 prize money?
The total prize money on offer for the 2026 Johnstone’s Paint Masters is £1,015,000, and that is broken down as follows:
- Winner - £350,000
- Runner-up - £140,000
- Losing semi-finalist - £75,000
- Losing quarter-finalist - £40,000
- First Round losers - £25,000
There is also a £15,000 prize for the highest break during the tournament.