# Snooker calendar: Wu Yize pulls out of Northern Ireland Open, Belfast starts 18 October

Source: Searchable (https://searchable.pk/news/snooker/snooker-calendar)
Type: News article
Author: Searchable Editorial
Published: 22 Sept 2026
Updated: 16 Oct 2026
Retrieved: 16 Oct 2026

> World champion Wu Yize has withdrawn for medical reasons. The Northern Ireland Open runs 18 to 25 October at the Waterfront Hall, with sessions at 2pm, 5pm and 11pm Pakistan time.

**Updated Friday 16 October 2026: world champion Wu Yize has withdrawn from the Northern Ireland Open** for medical reasons, the World Snooker Tour announced, and He Guoqiang has also pulled out. Scott Donaldson and Elliot Slessor get byes to the last 32. [Full story and the first-round draw](/news/snooker/wu-yize-and-he-guoqiang-withdraw-from-northern-ireland-open-donaldson-and).

The next ranking event is the **BetVictor Northern Ireland Open at the Waterfront Hall, Belfast, from Sunday 18 to Sunday 25 October 2026**. Jack Lisowski is the defending champion after beating Judd Trump 9-8 in last year's final, and opens against Huang Jiahao on Sunday afternoon. Qualifying was played at the Leicester Arena in September. The winner takes £100,000, [SnookerHQ reported](https://snookerhq.com/2026/10/16/northern-ireland-open-2026-draw-prize-money-preview/).

## Northern Ireland Open 2026: session times in Pakistan

| Session (Belfast) | Pakistan time, 18 to 24 Oct |
| --- | --- |
| 10am | 2pm PKT |
| 1pm | 5pm PKT |
| 7pm | 11pm PKT |

Session times are from [WST's match centre](https://www.wst.tv/match-centre/534f8ff3-bddc-4027-a6a4-0e6bd23e843b) and SnookerHQ's order of play. On final day, Sunday 25 October, UK clocks go back an hour, so a 7pm session that day starts at midnight in Pakistan. Matches are best of 7 up to the last 16, best of 11 in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, and best of 17 in the final.

**Last time out, world champion Wu Yize won the Shenzhen Open**, beating Yuan Sijun 10-5 in the final on Sunday 4 October, [Sporting Life reported](https://www.sportinglife.com/snooker/news/snooker-results-wu-yize-beats-yuan-sijun-10-5-to-claim-shenzhen-open-title/234654). It was Wu's first title since he won the world championship at the Crucible in May, and Yuan's first ranking final. Wu beat Shaun Murphy and Judd Trump on the way, and won seven of the last eight frames of the final.

## What has happened so far this season

- Shanghai Masters, 27 July to 2 August: won by Judd Trump
- China Open, Taiyuan City, 8 to 16 August: won by Mark Selby
- Wuhan Open, 23 to 29 August: won by Chang Bingyu
- Unibet British Open, Cheltenham, 31 August to 6 September: won by Jak Jones
- BetVictor English Open, Brentwood, 7 to 13 September: won by Ali Carter, beating Mark Williams in the final and taking the title for the first time
- Shenzhen Open, 28 September to 4 October: won by Wu Yize, 10-5 against Yuan Sijun

Mark Allen has extended his absence from the tour with a further withdrawal.

## What is coming

| Event | Dates | Where |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BetVictor Northern Ireland Open | 18 to 25 Oct | Waterfront Hall, Belfast |
| International Championship | 31 Oct to 7 Nov | Nanjing, China |
| Champion of Champions | 9 to 15 Nov | Leicester |
| UK Championship | 28 Nov to 6 Dec | England |
| BetVictor Scottish Open | 14 to 20 Dec | Scotland |

## Watching from Pakistan

Belfast is on BST until Sunday 25 October, four hours behind Pakistan (see the session table above). Outside the UK and Ireland, Europe and the countries with their own TV deals, the tour streams on WST Play. The Chinese events are the other way: China is UTC+8, three hours ahead, so afternoon sessions there land in the late morning here.

Prize money on the tour is paid in pounds. With sterling at Rs 367.24 on 16 October, the UK Championship's headline cheque converts to a very different rupee number than it did a year ago. Our [pound rate page](/data/gbp-pkr) tracks that daily, and the [currency converter](/tools/finance/currency-converter) does the arithmetic.

## Frequently asked questions

**What is the next snooker ranking event?**

The BetVictor Northern Ireland Open, 18 to 25 October 2026 at the Waterfront Hall, Belfast. Jack Lisowski is the defending champion.

**What time is the Northern Ireland Open in Pakistan?**

From 18 to 24 October 2026, the 10am, 1pm and 7pm Belfast sessions start at 2pm, 5pm and 11pm PKT. On 25 October UK clocks go back, so a 7pm session starts at midnight PKT.

**Is Wu Yize playing the Northern Ireland Open?**

No. The World Snooker Tour said on 16 October 2026 that Wu Yize withdrew for medical reasons; his first-round opponent Scott Donaldson gets a bye to the last 32.

**Who won the 2026 Shenzhen Open?**

Wu Yize, who beat Yuan Sijun 10-5 in the final on 4 October 2026.

**When is the UK Championship 2026?**

28 November to 6 December 2026, with qualifying from 21 to 26 November.

## Sources

- Wu And He Withdraw From BetVictor Northern Ireland Open (16 Oct 2026) (World Snooker Tour): https://www.wst.tv/news/2026/october/16/wu-and-he-withdraw-from-betvictor-northern-ireland-open/
- Northern Ireland Open: 2026 draw, preview, prize money, how to watch (16 Oct 2026) (SnookerHQ): https://snookerhq.com/2026/10/16/northern-ireland-open-2026-draw-prize-money-preview/
- Snooker results: Wu Yize beats Yuan Sijun 10-5 to claim Shenzhen Open title (5 Oct 2026) (Sporting Life): https://www.sportinglife.com/snooker/news/snooker-results-wu-yize-beats-yuan-sijun-10-5-to-claim-shenzhen-open-title/234654
- 2026 Northern Ireland Open (Wikipedia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Northern_Ireland_Open
- World Snooker Tour calendar 2026-27 (World Snooker Tour): https://www.wst.tv/tournaments/
- Carter beats Williams to claim first English Open (BBC Sport): https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/articles/cly50jq45yeo
- Allen prolongs absence with latest withdrawal (BBC Sport): https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/articles/cjx2zly21y5yo

How to cite: "Snooker calendar: Wu Yize pulls out of Northern Ireland Open, Belfast starts 18 October", Searchable, 16 Oct 2026, https://searchable.pk/news/snooker/snooker-calendar