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Shaun Murphy will get the defence of his Masters title under way on Sunday, 11 January at London's Alexandra Palace.
The Englishman, who beat Kyren Wilson 10-7 in last year's final, is bidding to win the tournament for a third time, having also won the tournament in 2015.
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The Masters, a non-ranking event for the world's top 16 players, is the second Triple Crown competition of the season.
The UK Championship, which was won by Mark Selby in December, and the World Championship, which starts in April, are the other two Triple Crown tournaments.
This year's Masters features five Chinese players for the first time in the tournament's 51-year history.
Keep reading to find out the match schedule, BBC TV coverage details, prize money, former champions and maximum breaks at the Masters.
Who are the favourites?
As defending champion, world number seven Murphy is the top seed for the 52nd Masters tournament. He gets play under way at 13:00 GMT on Sunday against China's highly rated Wu Yize.
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China's Zhao Xintong, who starts against 16th seed Gary Wilson on Monday, is promoted to second seed from a ranking of ninth because of his status as world champion.
World number one Judd Trump, champion in 2019 and 2023, is the third seed. The Englishman will be keen to get 2026 off to a flying start after failing to win a title last year. He faces 2011 champion Ding Junhui on Wednesday, 14 January.
Kyren Wilson, last year's runner-up, is seeded fourth. The 2024 world champion struggled at the UK Championship, saying he was close to having a "mental breakdown" during his 6-4 defeat by Elliot Slessor.
Mark Williams and John Higgins, two parts of snooker's famous Class of 92 alongside Ronnie O'Sullivan, are seeded sixth and seventh respectively. They are both two-time Masters champions.
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Selby looked back to his formidable best at the UK Championship and is arguably the favourite to win his fourth Masters title, despite only being seeded eighth. He takes on Xiao Guodong on Sunday.
Eight-time Masters champion O'Sullivan lost in the first round of the UK Championship as he also missed out on a ranking title in 2025.
O'Sullivan, who turned 50 in December, is seeded ninth and faces fifth seed Neil Robertson in his opening match on Wednesday, 14 January.
Robertson, a two-time Masters winner, leads the one-year ranking list thanks to notable wins at the lucrative Saudi Masters and the World Grand Prix.
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How to follow live on the BBC
BBC Sport has comprehensive live coverage of every shot across BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Four, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.
You can also watch the live streams and follow text updates on the BBC Sport website and app.
Match schedule and BBC coverage
All times GMT. Schedules and coverage times are subject to late changes.
First round
Best off 11 frames
Sunday 11 January
13:00 – Shaun Murphy (1) v Wu Yize (13)
19:00 – Mark Selby (8) v Xiao Guodong (11)
Live coverage
13:00-17:15 - BBC Two, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app
19:00-22:00 - BBC Four, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app
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Masters Snooker Extra
00:40-02:40 - BBC Two
Monday 12 January
13:00 – Mark Williams (6) v Mark Allen (10)
19:00 - Zhao Xintong (2) v Gary Wilson (16)
Live coverage
13:00-17:15 - BBC Two, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app
19:00-22:00 - BBC Four, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app
Masters Snooker Extra
00:30-02:30 - BBC Two
Tuesday 13 January
13:00 – Kyren Wilson (4) v Si Jiahui (15)
19:00 – John Higgins (7) v Barry Hawkins (14)
Live coverage
13:00-17:15 - BBC Two, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app
19:00-22:00 - BBC Four, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app
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Masters Snooker Extra
00:30-02:30 - BBC Two
Wednesday 14 January
13:00 – Judd Trump (3) v Ding Junhui (12)
19:00 – Neil Robertson (5) v Ronnie O'Sullivan (9)
Live coverage
13:00-17:15 - BBC Two, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app
19:00-21:00 - BBC Two, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app
21:00-22:00 - BBC Four, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app
Masters Snooker Extra
00:00-02:00 - BBC Two
Quarter-finals
Matches TBC
Shaun Murphy (1) or Wu Yize (13) v Mark Selby (8) or Xiao Guodong (11)
Neil Robertson (5) or Ronnie O'Sullivan (9) v Kyren Wilson (4) or Si Jiahui (15)
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Judd Trump (3) or Ding Junhui (12) v Mark Williams (6) or Mark Allen (10)
John Higgins (7) or Barry Hawkins (14) v Zhao Xintong (2) or Gary Wilson (16)
Thursday 15 January
Best off 11 frames
Match schedule TBC
Live coverage
13:00-17:15 - BBC Two, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app
19:00-21:00 - BBC Two, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app
21:00-22:00 - BBC Four, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app
Masters Snooker Extra
00:00-02:00 - BBC Two
Friday 16 January
Match schedule TBC
Live coverage
13:00-17:15 - BBC Two, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app
19:00-21:00 - BBC Two, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app
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21:00-22:00 - BBC Four, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app
Masters Snooker Extra
00:35-02:35 - BBC Two
Semi-finals
Saturday 17 January
Best off 11 frames
Match schedule TBC
Live coverage
13:00-16:30 - BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app
16:30-17:30 - BBC Two, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app
19:00-22:00 - BBC Two, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app
Final
Sunday 18 January
Best of 19 frames
13:00-17:15 - BBC Two, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app
19:00-22:00 - BBC Two, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app
Masters prize money
Winner: £350,000
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Runner-up: £140,000
Semi-finals: £75,000
Quarter-finals: £40,000
Last 16: £25,000
High break: £15,000
Masters champions
Ronnie O'Sullivan has won the tournament the most times and is also the youngest and the oldest Masters champion.
The Englishman won the Masters for the first time in 1995 aged 19 and his eighth in 2024 aged 48.
Stephen Hendry lifted the trophy six times while Steve Davis, Paul Hunter, Mark Selby and Cliff Thorburn have all won it three times.
Mark Williams, John Higgins, Neil Robertson, Judd Trump, Shaun Murphy and Alex Higgins have all won the title twice.
The tournament trophy was renamed the Paul Hunter Trophy in 2017 as a tribute to the three-time Masters champion, who died aged 27 in 2006.
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Last 10 Masters finals
2025: Shaun Murphy beat Kyren Wilson 10-7
2024: Ronnie O'Sullivan beat Ali Carter 10-7
2023: Judd Trump beat Mark Williams 10-8
2022: Neil Robertson beat Barry Hawkins 10-4
2021: Yan Bingtao beat John Higgins 10-8
2020: Stuart Bingham beat Ali Carter 10-8
2019: Judd Trump beat Ronnie O'Sullivan 10-4
2018: Mark Allen beat Kyren Wilson 10-7
2017: Ronnie O'Sullivan beat Joe Perry 10-7
2016: Ronnie O'Sullivan beat Barry Hawkins 10-1
Maximum breaks at the Masters
Shaun Murphy made the sixth maximum at the Masters with a 147 break in his semi-final victory over Mark Allen last year.
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Kirk Stevens recorded the first in 1984, while Ding Junhui (twice), Marco Fu and Allen have also potted 147s.
English (US) ·