5 is to bring snooker fans live coverage of the Players Championship, Tour Championship and the British Open after the Paramount owned broadcaster struck a deal with the World Snooker Tour.
The 2026 Players Championship, featuring the top 16 players from the Johnstone’s Paint One-Year Rankings, will run from February 16th to 22nd at the Telford International Centre.
Then the top 12 players on the same list graduate to the Tour Championship, running from March 30th to April 5th at the Manchester Central.
Ben Frow, Chief Content Officer, 5 and Paramount UK commented: “We are delighted to bring the World Snooker Tour to 5.
“The Tour Championship, Players Championship and British Open are top ranking tournaments featuring the world’s best players and making them available to view on free-to-air TV continues our mission to keep elite live sport accessible for fans across the UK.”
WST Chairman Steve Dawson said: “We are delighted to be working with 5 for the first time and to add a new broadcaster to our tour. Snooker has a long history of providing fans with free to air events with extensive live coverage so this is fantastic news for everyone who follows our sport.
“The Players Championship and Tour Championship are elite events contested only by the best of the best. Players are striving all season to climb the one year list and earn a place in these prestigious tournaments.
“And from 2026, 5 will also broadcast the British Open which is a historic event with its own unique identity including a random draw.
“We look forward to working with the 5 team on these events and ensuring that an outstanding product is delivered to snooker’s consistently huge audience. Our sport had incredible viewing figures throughout last season and we expect to see that trend continue as we grow across the world.”