The draw has been made for the WPBSA Q Tour Global Play-Offs, where players will compete for a trio of two-year World Snooker Tour (WST) tour cards.
The prestigious event will be held at the Gandia Palace Hotel following the EBSA European Championships in Gandia, Spain from 15-17 March 2026.
A total of 24 players have qualified from the WPBSA Q Tour series’ across the globe and they have been split into three sections of eight. The cueist coming through each section will earn their professional status from the 2026/27 campaign.
Please note that the WPBSA has made steps to ensure that players from across the globe can accept their places at the Play-Offs. Where this hasn’t been possible, top-ups have been given based on the ranking lists.
Play-Off 1
Quarter-Finals (Best of 9 Frames)
- Peter Lines (England) vs. Oliver Briffett-Payne (Wales)
- Barry Pinches (England) vs. Ryan Thomerson (Australia)
- Simon Blackwell (England) vs. Peter Devlin (England)
- Hayden Staniland (England) vs. Ashley Carty (England)
Semi-Finals (Best of 11 Frames)
- Lines/Briffett-Payne vs. Pinches/Thomerson
- Blackwell/Devlin vs. Staniland/Carty
Final (Best of 19 Frames)
- Winner of Semi-Final 1 vs. Winner of Semi-Final 2
Three Q Tour Europe event winners headline a top section of the Global Play-Offs that features players from three nations.
Peter Lines, Simon Blackwell and Ashley Carty lifted titles in Austria, Albania and Belgium respectively to secure their places at the Play-Offs and each will be aiming to return to England with their professional status secured.
Lines, who finished third in the series ranking list, embarks on Gandia as the top seed and will face 20-year-old Oliver Briffett-Payne from Wales in the opening round.
Fellow event winner Carty, one of five former professionals in the section, is aiming to return to the WST after just a single season away and he faces compatriot Hayden Staniland.
Blackwell secured his Play-Off spot by lifting the title in Albania and will meet Peter Devlin, while two former professionals meet in the opening round when Barry Pinches takes on Ryan Thomerson.
Play-Off 2
Quarter-Finals (Best of 9 Frames)
- Oliver Sykes (England) vs. Andrew Higginson (England)
- Ismail Turker (Turkey) vs. Mark Joyce (England)
- Alfie Davies (Wales) vs. Sean O’Sullivan (England)
- Luke Pinches (England) vs. Ashley Hugill (England)
Semi-Finals (Best of 11 Frames)
- Sykes/Higginson vs. Turker/Joyce
- Davies/O’Sullivan vs. Pinches/Hugill
Final (Best of 19 Frames)
- Winner of Semi-Final 1 vs. Winner of Semi-Final 2
Two former ranking event finalists are among the line-up in the second section which sees 20-year-old Oliver Sykes arrive as the top seed.
Despite not picking up a title, a consistent campaign saw Sykes finish fourth in the Q Tour Europe series ranking list and he is rewarded with a tough opening round contest against the 2007 Welsh Open runner-up Andrew Higginson.
Former professional Ashley Hugill heads to Gandia as arguably the in-form player, having lifted the final Q Tour Europe title of the season at the Landywood Snooker Club earlier this month.
He will face compatriot Luke Pinches in the opening round while Wales’ Alfie Davies, who finished runner-up to Hugill, meets England’s Sean O’Sullivan on Sunday.
Mark Joyce made history twelve months ago by compiling the first maximum break at the Q Tour Play-Offs and he returns this year aiming to regain his professional status – starting off against Turkey’s Ismail Turker, who has qualified via the Q Tour Middle East series.
Play-Off 3
Quarter-Finals (Best of 9 Frames)
- Craig Steadman (England) vs. Callum Beresford (England)
- Alan Whitfield (Canada) vs. Patrick Whelan (England)
- George Pragnell (England) vs. Hasanain Khalid Alsultani (USA)
- Alex Millington (England) vs. Stuart Carrington (England)
Semi-Finals (Best of 11 Frames)
- Steadman/Ali vs. Whitfield/Whelan
- Pragnell/Alsultani vs. Millington/Carrington
Final (Best of 19 Frames)
- Winner of Semi-Final 1 vs. Winner of Semi-Final 2
Four nations and three continents are represented in the third section of the Play-Offs.
Canada’s Alan Whitfield is the only event winner among the line-up, having lifted a Q Tour Americas title in Toronto, and he makes his Play-Offs debut against Patrick Whelan – who finished as runner-up in the opening event of the Europe series.
Former professional Craig Steadman is the highest seeded player in the section courtesy of being runner-up in two Q Tour Europe events and he has been drawn to face fellow countryman Callum Beresford.
America’s Hasanain Khalid Alsultani makes his second appearance in the Play-Offs and will be looking to improve on a first stage exit in 2024 when he meets England’s George Pragnell on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Stuart Carrington will face compatriot Alex Millington as he looks to return to the WST after a single season away.
The WPBSA Q Tour Global Play-Offs will take place on 15-17 March and you can follow the event via WPBSA SnookerScores and watch live on the WPBSA YouTube channel.
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