Ronnie O’Sullivan defends title: Who has qualified for elite Champion of Champions alongside snooker GOAT?

10 of the 16 spots at the elite Champion of Champions event in Bolton (13-19 November) have been filled with the invitational tournament set to provide one of the strongest fields of the new season.

The criteria for a spot in this year’s event has been released with O’Sullivan, Trump, world champion Luca Brecel, Mark Allen, Ali Carter, Shaun Murphy, John Higgins, Mark Selby, Gary Wilson and Robert Milkins all guaranteed places.

Higgins (2016), Murphy (2017), Allen (2020) and Trump (2021) are all former champions of the event.

A qualifying spot is worth a minimum of £12,500 with the winner receiving £150,000.

Four initial groups of four provide four semi-finalists before a best-of-19 frame final at the Champion of Champions, involving the winners of the biggest tournaments on the snooker calendar over the previous 12 months.

The final six places will be awarded at the outset of the new 2023/24 campaign with the Championship League, European Masters, Wuhan Open, International Championship, English Open and Northern Ireland Open set to provide access to the event.

Women’s world champion Siripaporn Nuanthakhamjan needs one of the 10 qualifiers to win one of those events to finalise her place at the tournament.

The British Open in October and the Shanghai Masters a month earlier could also count if there are multiple tournament winners before the Champion of Champions final line-up is confirmed.

World Seniors champion Jimmy White, Shoot Out champion Chris Wakelin and 6-Red world champion Ding Junhui are next in line to secure a spot if any of the 10 qualifiers win one or more of the first eight counting events of the new season.

Champion of Champions qualifiers

• 1. Ronnie O’Sullivan – defending champion
• 2. Luca Brecel – World champion
• 3. Mark Allen – UK champion, World Grand Prix champion
• 4. Judd Trump – Masters champion
• 5. Ali Carter – German Masters champion
• 6. Shaun Murphy – Players champion, Tour champion
• 7. John Higgins – Championship League invitational winner
• 8. Mark Selby – WST Classic, World Championship finalist
• 9. Gary Wilson – Scottish Open champion
• 10. Robert Milkins – Welsh Open champion
• 11. Championship League ranking winner –
• 12. European Masters winner –
• 13. Wuhan Open champion –
• 14. International Championship winner –
• 15. English Open winner –
• 16. Northern Ireland Open winner –

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