Ronnie O’Sullivan will receive an invitation to the 2026 Champion of Champions after Wu Yize’s Shenzhen Open title satisfied the condition attached to the World Seniors Championship qualifying place, according to SnookerHQ.
The specialist outlet reported that Wu beat Yuan Sijun 10-5 in the Shenzhen final to secure his third career ranking title. Crucially for the Champion of Champions field, Wu had already earned entry through victories at the 2025 International Championship and the 2026 World Championship.
That repeat qualification means the Shenzhen Open place can pass down the event’s eligibility list. SnookerHQ said O’Sullivan’s World Seniors Championship success in May now gives him the resulting route into the tournament in Leicester.
O’Sullivan’s appearance is not yet certain. The report said that he will be invited, but also noted that there is no guarantee he will accept the place.
Shenzhen result changes the qualifying picture
The World Seniors Championship was added to the Champion of Champions criteria last month, according to SnookerHQ. O’Sullivan’s title had initially provided only a conditional prospect of qualification, with a repeat winner required in either the Shenzhen Open or Northern Ireland Open.
Wu’s victory has delivered that outcome at the first of those two events. He had already secured his Champion of Champions berth through two earlier qualifying achievements, so his Shenzhen success does not require an additional place in the line-up.
For O’Sullivan, the development restores a route into an event he had previously won four times, in 2013, 2014, 2018 and 2022, SnookerHQ reported. The outlet described him as one of the most prominent names outside the prospective field before the Shenzhen outcome.
However, qualification and participation remain separate matters. SnookerHQ reported that O’Sullivan withdrew from the tournament in 2015 and 2023 despite being reigning champion on both occasions. It also said that he has opted out of a number of UK-based tournaments in more recent times. Those previous decisions mean confirmation of an invitation should not be treated as confirmation that he will play.
Leicester event still has one qualifying event left
The 2026 Champion of Champions is scheduled to be held at Mattioli Arena in Leicester from 9 to 15 November, with a winner’s cheque of £150,000, according to SnookerHQ. Mark Selby is due to return as defending champion after his 10-5 final win over Judd Trump in 2025, the outlet said.
The report said Wu, Zhao Xintong, Judd Trump and Kyren Wilson are set to feature, while several other qualified players are likely to be involved. Panchaya Channoi is also expected to make her first appearance after winning the 2026 World Women’s Championship, according to SnookerHQ.
Shaun Murphy is set to be included as the 2026 World Championship runner-up. SnookerHQ said repeat winners across the circuit have allowed that runner-up place to come into play, despite Murphy not having won an event in the preceding 12 months.
The Northern Ireland Open is still the final counting tournament under the qualification criteria. SnookerHQ reported that, should it be won by another player already qualified, the final place would go to the highest-ranked player not already in the field on 26 October. On the position outlined by the outlet, that place would currently go to Neil Robertson.
The 2026 International Championship takes place before the Champion of Champions but does not count towards its qualifying criteria, SnookerHQ added. That leaves O’Sullivan’s invitation as the immediate consequence of Wu’s Shenzhen win, while acceptance and one remaining place are still to be resolved.