The World Snooker Tour has announced a packed calendar for the first half of the 2020-21 season, with nine tournaments between September and December.
The Betfred World Championship was selected as the first indoor sporting event in the UK with a crowd, then following a revision of British Government guidelines it reverted to being behind closed doors at this stage.
As China has announced that international sporting events will not take place in the country until 2021, WST’s intention has been to reschedule certain UK tournaments into the slots usually taken by events in China.
The 2020-21 season will begin with the Matchroom Multi Sport promoted Championship League. Previously an invitation event, this has now been expanded into a full ranking event for all players on the tour.
This follows the ground-breaking success of this tournament when it was staged at the beginning of June, becoming the UK’s first major post-lockdown sporting event.
The Championship League will take place over three legs: the first from September 13-20, the second from September 28 to October 5 and the third from October 23-27.
The second ranking event of the season will be the European Masters to be played from September 21-27.
As usual, three of the Home Nations series tournaments will take place before Christmas: the English Open (October 12-18), Northern Ireland Open (November 16 to 22) and Scottish Open (December 7 to 13).
The quick-fire Shoot Out takes place from October 29 to November 1, followed by the Champion of Champions from November 2 to 8.
The first Triple Crown event of the campaign, the UK Championship at the York Barbican, runs from November 24 to December 6. And the first event of the Coral Series, the World Grand Prix, has been brought forward to December 14 to 20.
World Snooker Tour dates for remainder of 2020
September 13-20
Championship League
September 21-27
European Masters
September 28 to October 5
Championship League
October 12-18
English Open
October 23-27
Championship League
October 29 to November 1
Shoot Out
November 2-8
Champion of Champions
November 10-14
German Masters qualifiers
November 16-22
Northern Ireland Open
November 24 to December 6
UK Championship
December 7-13
Scottish Open
December 14-20
World Grand Prix
