Championship League 2025 | Finals Preview and Order of Play

The first ranking winner of the 2025-26 season will be crowned when the Championship League reaches its climax on Wednesday.

Just eight players remain in Leicester after 128 started out at the Mattioli Arena 23 days ago, with a top prize of £20,000 on offer to the last one standing.

The remaining players – comprised of four former ranking event winners and four seeking their first title – are split into the two groups of four, with the two winners subsequently contesting the final.

Two home favourites are in contention for the title in Joe O’Connor and Tom Ford, both of whom are joined in Group One by Ricky Walden and Xu Si.

O’Connor has been the standout player of the tournament, winning all six of his matches across the two stages. Runner-up to Mark Selby in the 2024 invitational event, he now looks to get his hands on silverware for the first time in his career.

Meanwhile, it was at this venue that Ford claimed his maiden ranking title in December, with the reigning Shoot Out champion also protecting an unbeaten record heading into Stage Three.

Xu – seeking his first ranking crown – is also yet to taste defeat in the tournament, as three-time ranking event winner Walden targets his first triumph since the 2014 International Championship.

Group Two is headlined by Stephen Maguire, who faces competition from Matthew Selt, Pang Junxu and Ben Mertens.

Six-time ranking event winner Maguire is unbeaten across his six matches so far, and now sets his sights on a first title in five years.

Although, former Indian Open champion Selt has also yet to taste defeat, and Pang has fond memories of reaching his sole ranking final here in the 2023 WST Classic.

Mertens completes the group line-up. The Belgian progressed to the last eight of a ranking event for the first time after topping Group G by virtue of compiling the highest break, with all four players having finished on four points.

The groups are contested over a round-robin format with all matches played as best of four frames, with three points awarded for a win and one point for a draw, while the final will be contested over the best of five.

Group positions are determined by points scored, frame difference and then head-to-head results between players who were tied. Places that are still tied are then determined by the highest break made in the group.

Play gets under way at 12pm BST on Wednesday at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester.

WATCH CHAMPIONSHIP LEAGUE SNOOKER STREAMED LIVE HERE (18+)

Championship League Snooker 2025 Schedule

Wednesday July 23

12pm-9pm
Tom Ford v Xu Si (Group 1)
Pang Junxu v Ben Mertens (Group 2)
Joe O’Connor v Ricky Walden (Group 1)
Stephen Maguire v Matthew Selt (Group 2)
Joe O’Connor v Xu Si (Group 1)
Stephen Maguire v Ben Mertens (Group 2)
Tom Ford v Ricky Walden (Group 1)
Pang Junxu v Matthew Selt (Group 2)
Ricky Walden v Xu Si (Group 1)
Matthew Selt v Ben Mertens (Group 2)
Tom Ford v Joe O’Connor (Group 1)
Pang Junxu v Stephen Maguire (Group 2)

Final (TBC)