World Open snooker final prize money: How much does the winner get? | Other | Sport
John Higgins triumphed last year but there’ll be a new winner on Sunday (Image: Getty)
All you need to know about the World Open prize money
- Total prize fund: The overall purse for the 2026 World Open stands at a substantial £825,000, reflecting the tournament’s status as a major ranking event. This significant investment from sponsors and organisers ensures that the competition attracts the world’s top-ranked professionals to the Yushan Sport Centre.
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Winner’s share: The champion of the tournament will walk away with a top prize of £175,000 and the prestigious trophy. This remains one of the largest winner’s cheques outside of the Triple Crown events, providing a massive boost to the victor’s season earnings and world ranking position.
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Runner-up prize: Reaching the final but falling at the last hurdle still yields a generous reward of £75,000 for the second-place finisher. While missing out on the title is disappointing, this payout is higher than the winner’s prize at many other smaller ranking events on the tour.
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Semi-finalists’ reward: Players who managed to reach the final four but lost in the semi-finals are awarded £33,000 each for their efforts. This amount serves as a significant safety net for elite players looking to maintain their position within the top 16 of the one-year ranking list.
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Quarter-finalists’ allocation: Competitors who saw their journey end in the quarter-final stage will receive a payout of £22,000. Navigating the early rounds to reach the final eight is often considered the “business end” of the tournament where the financial rewards begin to scale up rapidly.
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Last 16 distribution: Those who successfully progressed through the initial rounds to reach the round of 16 were guaranteed a minimum of £14,000. This tier of prize money is vital for mid-ranking players who are fighting to secure their tour cards for the following season.
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Last 32 and 64 earnings: Players who qualified for the main stage and reached the last 32 earn £9,000, while those who fell in the round of 64 take home £5,000. It is important to note that prize money for the round of 64 is typically only paid to players who have won at least one match, depending on seeding and walkovers.
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Highest break bonus: A special bonus of £5,000 is reserved for the player who records the highest individual break during the main tournament. Ronnie O’Sullivan made history on Friday with a 153, the highest break ever recorded in a professional match.
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Impact on rankings: Every pound earned at the World Open counts directly toward the official world rankings, which determine seedings for the upcoming World Championship. Success in Yushan is therefore about much more than the immediate cash injection; it is a critical step in a player’s career longevity and elite status.
