The World Snooker Federation (WSF) and the Bulgarian Snooker Federation (BSF) have right this moment introduced that the 2026 WSF Championships can be held in Sofia, Bulgaria.
The Championships will run from 19 January to 1 February 2026 and as soon as once more embody two prestigious open tournaments that can provide direct qualification to the World Snooker Tour, alongside a World Ladies’s Snooker Tour rating occasion.
Organised by the WSF in partnership with snooker’s world governing physique the WPBSA, the WSF Championships signify one of many largest occasions on the beginner snooker calendar globally, with one other large entry anticipated for what would be the seventh staging of the competitors.
The occasion will run for 14 days on the Resort Marinela, Sofia and can comprise the open WSF Championship (24 January – 1 February 2026), claimed final season by Gao Yang of China, and the WSF Junior Championship / WSF Ladies’s Championship (19-23 January 2026) tournaments, which noticed Eire’s Leone Crowley and Thailand’s Mink Nutcharut win respectively earlier this 12 months.
Open to gamers of all nationalities and genders, the Junior and Open tournaments will see its champion earn a two-year skilled Tour card from the beginning of the 2026/27 season. There may even be further alternatives for elite performers on the occasion to compete at additional World Snooker Tour occasions.
All occasions are to be performed on Xing Pai Championship tables, making certain the WSF meets the best requirements laid down by the WPBSA for the World Snooker Tour and its recognised improvement pathways to the Tour.
Jason Ferguson, WSF President stated: “At present’s announcement that the 2026 WSF Championships can be held within the gorgeous metropolis of Sofia represents one other improbable milestone for this prestigious annual occasion.
“First held in 2018, the WSF Championships have develop into firmly established on the beginner snooker calendar with gamers welcomed from across the globe, all chasing the dream of a spot on the skilled World Snooker Tour.
“I’m delighted to have the ability to work as soon as once more with BSF President Oleg Velinov, with whom we’ve collaborated with on a number of profitable occasions each on the World Snooker Tour and extra lately the WPBSA Q Tour. I’ve little doubt that he and his workforce will work arduous to make sure that everybody on the occasion has a improbable time and that the occasion reaches new heights in 2026.”
Oleg Velinov, BSF President stated: “I’m vastly excited to have the ability to welcome the World Snooker Federation to Bulgaria for its 2026 Championships.
“Bulgaria has established a wealthy historical past inside our sport with a number of prestigious occasions having been held in recent times. Earlier this 12 months it was an awesome honour to see our very personal Desislava Bozhilova officiate the skilled World Championship last on the Crucible in Sheffield and she or he is only one of many Bulgarian officers working internationally on the highest stage in our sport right this moment.
“We can’t wait to welcome the world’s greatest beginner gamers to Sofia for what guarantees to be one other memorable chapter in Bulgarian snooker historical past and I wish to thank Jason and his workforce for putting their belief in us to host this prestigious occasion to the best requirements.”
Entry for each tournaments can be made by WPBSA SnookerScores with additional data together with the complete invitation letter to be launched in the end.
