Will Ronnie O'Sullivan play at The Masters 2026?
All the latest details on Ronnie O'Sullivan's participation at The Masters.
Ronnie O'Sullivan remains the name on everyone's lips as we approach The Masters 2026: will he or won't he play at Alexandra Palace?
The Rocket has missed an array of tournaments in recent years citing "medical reasons" and also moved to Dubai last year, taking him out of immediate striking distance of many UK-based events.
Distance hasn't prevented him from jetting to Asia for tournaments this season, however. O'Sullivan has featured twice in Saudi Arabia and three times across China.
O'Sullivan has only played in one British-based tournament in the 2025/26 season so far, the UK Championship 2025, where he lost in the first round.
He has made the cut for The Masters despite falling away from the summit of the world rankings, but will he take up the invite to play in north London?
RadioTimes.com brings you all the details on whether Ronnie O'Sullivan will play at The Masters 2026.
Will Ronnie O'Sullivan play at The Masters 2026?
At the time of publication, Ronnie O'Sullivan will play at The Masters in 2026, but you can forgive fans for waiting until his first break at Ally Pally before trusting the news.
Speaking to SportsBoom last year, O'Sullivan said: “I’ll try and come back if I can,” O’Sullivan told SportsBoom last year.
“There’s the flying involved, the expenses involved. It’s not a short flight. Maybe next season I might play a few more [in the UK]. But this year I just want to settle in Dubai and play as many tournaments in China and Saudi Arabia as I can.”
“I’d love to play the UK Championship and the Tour Championship if I can. Probably just be two tournaments this year in the UK before the World Championship.
“It’s hard with all the travel and all that. I’m not getting any younger, so I have to prioritise.
He also told talkSPORT: “I probably won't play the Masters this year."
However, The Sun reported that O'Sullivan was spotted in Celbridge Snooker Club, located in a quiet town west of Dublin, Ireland, playing matches against local talents, fuelling speculation he will indeed play at Ally Pally.
O'Sullivan's name is officially on the entry list. He's down to play Neil Robertson in the final match of the first round on Wednesday 14th January and fans should expect the Rocket to make an appearance.
Of course, all of this is served with a strong note of caution. O'Sullivan withdrew from the 2025 Masters two days before the opening match due to "medical reasons". Cross your fingers and hope for the best.
The Masters just isn't quite The Masters without Ronnie O'Sullivan.
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Authors
Michael Potts is the Sport Editor for Radio Times, covering all of the biggest sporting events across the globe with previews, features, interviews and more. He has worked for Radio Times since 2019 and previously worked on the sport desk at Express.co.uk after starting his career writing features for What Culture. He achieved a first-class degree in Sports Journalism in 2014.
