John Higgins v Zhao Xintong live stream | Players Championship 2026 Final preview

John Higgins goes head to head with Zhao Xintong in a mouth-watering Players Championship final in Telford on Sunday.

A wonderful week at the Telford International Centre reaches its dramatic climax, with one of the game’s all-time greats facing the reigning World champion for the top prize of £150,000.

It is already the third time the pair are facing off in 2026. Higgins recovered from 5-3 down for a 6-5 victory on the black in their epic Masters quarter-final, though Zhao exacted revenge with a 5-3 win at the World Grand Prix last time out.

Higgins holds fond memories of this venue, where he claimed his third UK Championship title in dramatic fashion just over 15 years ago, after overturning a 9-5 deficit to stun Mark Williams 10-9.

The 50-year-old, who has divided his playing commitments with punditry work for Channel 5 this week, has already made history becoming the second-oldest ranking event finalist after Rex Williams (53) at the 1986 Grand Prix.

A late replacement after Ronnie O’Sullivan’s latest withdrawal, Higgins opened with a 6-1 rout of top seed Neil Robertson, before winning the last three frames from 3-3 to overcome Chris Wakelin in the quarter-finals.

The 2021 Players Championship winner then held his nerve in a tense semi-final against Judd Trump, which he led 4-1 before getting taken to a decider after missing match-ball pink at 5-4 up. Indeed, he recovered his composure with a break of 65 to secure his place in a 60th ranking final.

World Grand Prix champion Zhao also prevailed in a deciding frame to make it back-to-back final appearances, as he edged out Mark Allen 6-5 in the other last-four clash.

It was the second time the World champion had gone to the wire this week. Indeed, he was in danger of an early exit at 5-2 down against Elliot Slessor in round one, but reeled off the last four frames to survive by the skin of his teeth.

The Cyclone then won five of the last six frames from 2-1 down against Shaun Murphy in the quarter-finals, hitting breaks of 142, 95 and 118 on the way to a 6-3 victory.

Zhao has gone on to lift the trophy following his last two victories over Higgins – also achieving the feat at the 2021 UK Championship – and he will continue that trend by prevailing victorious here.

Not only that, but the Chinese is also looking to protect a 100% record in professional finals, which includes his other triumph this season at the Riyadh Season Championship.

We are set for a thrilling finale on Sunday to a wonderful week in Telford, with the best of 19 frames determining who will lift the trophy and pocket a cheque for £150,000.

The match breaks off at 1pm GMT with the opening eight frames, before playing to a finish from 7pm at the Telford International Centre.

WATCH THE 2026 PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL STREAMED LIVE

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