Unibet will continue as title partner of the British Open for a third straight year after renewing its agreement with the World Snooker Tour (WST) ahead of the 2026 edition of the tournament.
The 2026 Unibet British Open is scheduled to take place from August 31 to September 6 at the Centaur Arena at Cheltenham Racecourse in Cheltenham, England. Unibet first partnered with WST for the event in 2024.
The upcoming tournament will be televised free-to-air in the UK by 5 for the first time. The broadcaster began airing world ranking snooker events this year, including the Players Championship and Tour Championship.
In addition to UK coverage, the British Open will be distributed internationally through multiple broadcast partners, including WST PLAY.
“We are delighted to be working with the Unibet team on the British Open for the third year in a row,” said Peter Wright, WST’s Chief Commercial Officer. “We admire Unibet’s principles of engaging fans in innovative ways, and their love of sport shines through everything that they do.”
“Snooker is growing like never before globally across broadcast, live fans and digital audiences, and we work with partners who are passionate about joining that journey,” Wright added. “The British Open is a spectacular event on our circuit, and alongside Unibet, we’re excited about giving fans an incredible experience in Cheltenham.”
Unibet’s return as title partner
Under the deal, Unibet renews status as title partner of snooker’s British Open for the third consecutive year.
“We are proud to continue our partnership with the WST,” said Sam Mead, UK General Manager at FDJ United, Unibet’s parent company.
“This tournament has a unique identity within snooker, with the excitement of its Cup-style random draw creating memorable moments for fans,” said Mead. “With its rich history and stellar field, the event is a fantastic showcase for our ongoing commitment to the sport.”
“At Unibet, we’re passionate about bringing audiences closer to the sports they love, and we’re looking forward to another thrilling week in Cheltenham featuring the world’s best players,” Mead added.
Tournament field to be confirmed
The player lineup has yet to be finalized, though it is expected to feature leading competitors from the professional circuit.
Shaun Murphy will return as defending champion after winning the 2025 title. His route to the trophy included victories over Neil Robertson, Judd Trump and Mark Selby before defeating Anthony McGill 10-7 in the final.
“I can’t wait to return to Cheltenham and attempt to defend the Clive Everton Trophy. It was a massive win for me 12 months ago, and I was delighted to beat some fantastic players along the way. It is great to have Unibet on board again for this year’s event, and I’m sure we are in for a thrilling seven days of snooker,” said Murphy.
Other players who competed in last year’s tournament included John Higgins, Mark Williams, Zhao Xintong, Kyren Wilson, Mark Allen and reigning world champion Wu Yize.
First staged in 1985, the British Open is known for its random draw format, similar to England’s FA Cup, which can produce high-profile matchups in the opening rounds.