Snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan going to play in a new snooker event in May 2026 called the Global Snooker 900 Championships. This event will be different from regular snooker because it has different rules and a big prize pool of £100,000.
The Global Snooker 900 Championships will be held in England from May 12 to May 17, 2026, just eight days after the World Snooker Championship ends in Sheffield. O’Sullivan will start his part of the competition in the quarter‑finals, meaning he will skip the earlier rounds and join later in the event.
This new tournament will feature 20 players, including top snooker names like Shaun Murphy, Stuart Bingham, Jimmy White, Joe Perry, and Alfie Burden. The plan is to make matches faster and more exciting for the players and fans.
The big change in the snooker format is in the rules for each frame (one part of a match). In this event, each frame will only last 15 minutes. That means every match will move quickly, and players must act fast. There will also be a 20‑second shot clock, so players cannot take a long time to make a shot. If a player makes a foul, the opponent will get ball‑in‑hand, meaning they can place the cue ball anywhere on the table for their next shot.
These rule changes are meant to make snooker more fun to watch, especially for new fans and people who watch on streaming services. The event organizer, Jason Francis, says the event hopes to give young players, women, amateurs, and disabled players a chance to be seen and encouraged in snooker. Many of the big players, including O’Sullivan and White, have said they support helping new talent through events like this.
Ronnie O’Sullivan is one of the most famous snooker players in the world. He has won many titles and is known for his fast and skilled play. While he has recently missed some major tournaments for various reasons, this new event gives him a fresh opportunity to compete in the UK and show his skills again.
Snooker fans will watch this event closely because the new rules could change how the game is played at a high level. Some players may find the faster format exciting, while others may need to adjust their usual style. No matter what, the Global Snooker 900 Championships is expected to be an interesting addition to the 2025‑26 snooker season, which already includes major ranking events like the World Snooker Championship.