Saturday at the Northern Ireland Open Snooker 2026: Semi-final order of play, prize money, format - when is Mark Williams playing?

It’s the penultimate day on the baize in Belfast.

The second of the four Home Nations snooker competitions of the season has now reached the semi-final phase in Belfast.

The Northern Ireland Open comes after the English Open (won by Ali Carter) and before the Scottish Open in December and the Welsh Open in March.

It was first held in 2016, when Mark King won the inaugural title, with this year’s tournament the 11th edition.

Judd Trump is the most successful player in the history of the tournament having lifted the trophy on four occasions.

Last year saw Jack Lisowski prevent Trump winning a fifth crown by beating him 9-8 in a nailbiting final.

Today will see the players whittled down to the final final, with the likes of Kyren Wilson and Mark Williams in action.

It has been a tournament packed with shocks, as Mark Selby, Neil Robertson, Shaun Murphy and Ronnie O’Sullivan all made early exits.

Tuesday saw local hero Mark Allen crash out to Jordan Brown before suggesting his snooker career could be over, with Jack Lisowski and Zhao Xintong also unexpectedly defeated.

John Higgins became the latest big name to leave the competition on Wednesday, beaten by Jak Jones, with world number nine Kyren Wilson now the highest-ranked player remaining.

Here’s everything you need to know about today’s play.

When is the Northern Ireland Open snooker?

The tournament takes place from October 18 to 25 at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast.

How much money does the winner of the Northern Ireland Open Snooker get?

The total prize pot for the Northern Ireland Open is £550,400, allocated as follows.

There is also an extra £150,000 up for grabs for the player who wins most prize money across the four Home Nations tournaments, finishing with the Welsh Open in March 2026.

What is the order of play today at the Northern Ireland Open snooker 2026?

Here’s all the action taking place today, Saturday, October 24. All are semi-final games.

From 1pm

From 7pm

When is Mark Williams playing next at the Northern Ireland Open 2026?

Mark Williams will be playing his semi-final match against Jak Jones today at 7pm.

What happened to Ronnie O’Sullivan at the Northern Ireland Open 2026?

The Rocket suffered a shock first round 4-3 defeat to world number 110 Ka Wai Cheung in the first round on Monday.

What is the format of the Northern Ireland Open snooker?

The first round sees the players seeded 65‍–‍96 take on those seeded 97‍–‍128. The winners then face the players seeded 33‍–‍64. In the third round the second round winners take on the top 32 seeds and it’s a straightforward knockout tournament from then on.

It’s the best of seven frames until the quarter finals which are the best of nine. The semi final is the best of 11 and the final the best of 17 frames played over two sessions.

The first two rounds were played earlier in the year, with rounds three and onwards taking place at the Waterfront and broadcast on television.

What Scottish players took part in the Northern Ireland Open?

There was plenty of Scottish interest in the tournament, with Scott Donaldson, Anthony McGill, Stephen Maguire and John Higgins all playing in the last 64. Sadly the final two - McGill and Donaldson - exited the competition at the quarter-final stage yesterday.

What is the schedule for the Northern Ireland Open?

Here’s when all the action will be taking place:

How can I watch the Northern Ireland Open?

There will be live coverage of the Northern Ireland Open on TNT Sports which UK viewers can stream through Discovery+.

What trophy does the winner of the Northern Ireland Open receive?

The players are competing for the Alex Higgins Trophy, named after the Belfast snooker great who claimed two world championships.

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