The 2025/26 snooker season commences later this month, however who’re the rookie gamers who will likely be cueing up for the primary time this time period?
The preliminary phases of the Wuhan Open and the British Open will happen on the Mattioli Area from June twenty second to twenty eighth, with the identical venue in Leicester staging Championship League Snooker quickly after.
There will likely be loads of new faces on show when the motion for the brand new marketing campaign lastly will get underneath method.
Among the many 129 spots on the World Snooker Tour this time period, 13 characterize gamers who will likely be taking part as professionals for the primary time.
That determine may rise to 14 relying on the end result of the African Snooker Championship, which will likely be held in Morocco on the finish of June.
Both method, it’ll fall simply shy of the 15 rookie gamers who made their debuts on the primary tour in the course of the 2024/25 snooker season.
A number of of these – together with Bai Yulu, Gong Chenzhi, Antoni Kowalski, and Bulcsu Revesz – orchestrated some impressed outcomes.
Here’s a temporary overview of who will likely be hoping to make a direct impression in the course of the 2025/26 marketing campaign and the way they gained their skilled statuses.
Leone Crowley
In latest occasions, the gamers rising from the Republic of Eire have typically hailed from Cork, and so it’s the case once more with 19 year-old expertise Leone Crowley.
Already a prolific winner on the Irish junior circuit, Crowley triumphed on the WSF Junior Championship initially of 2025 to earn a maiden two-year card.
Michal Szubarczyk
There may be loads of pleasure and hubbub surrounding the emergence of Michal Szubarczyk, who will change into snooker’s youngest ever skilled participant.
The 14 year-old went on a memorable run to the ultimate of the EBSA European Newbie Championship, the place he was pipped to glory by Liam Highfield.
As Highfield had already sealed his return to the primary tour by the Q Tour, the profitable ticket went to Poland’s Szubarczyk as a substitute.
Mateusz Baranowski
Persevering with the Polish theme, Mateusz Baranowski will make it three from the nation on the primary tour subsequent season.
The 27 year-old, who has coached the likes of Szubarczyk previously, emerged as certainly one of seven rookie graduates from Q College.
Fergal Quinn
A former Northern Eire Below-21 champion, Fergal Quinn was one other participant who got here by the dreaded Q College competitors.
Quinn, aged 25 and from the identical city in County Tyrone that produced 1985 world champion Dennis Taylor, beat Dean Younger within the ultimate spherical.
Connor Benzey
Considerably surprisingly, though maybe an indication of the occasions, Connor Benzey represents the one newcomer from England this time period.
Like a number of others, Benzey boasts some major tour expertise as a top-up participant previously, however he’ll be capable to combine it with the most effective on a extra common foundation any more.
Chatchapong Nasa
All 4 gamers who gained promotion from the Asia and Oceania leg of Q College will likely be first-timers on the World Snooker Tour.
That features Chatchapong Nasa, the 27 year-old taking the variety of Thai execs on the circuit to 5.
Liu Wenwei
The opposite three from the Q College occasion in Thailand have been gamers from China.
Liu Wenwei, nonetheless solely 21, joined Nasa from the primary occasion the place he beat the likes of Tian Pengfei and Manasawin Phetmalaikul.
Xu Yichen
One is perhaps forgiven for considering that any new Chinese language participant would contribute to the reducing of the typical age on the tour.
However 38 year-old Xu Yichen sealed his debut in dramatic style by edging Babar Masih in a final-round thriller at Q College on the final black.
Zhao Hanyang
Zhao Hanyang didn’t let the frustration of shedding to Chatchapong Nasa in occasion certainly one of Q College in Thailand have an effect on him.
The 25 year-old counted Rory Thor amongst his victims as he stormed his method by occasion two and earn a maiden two-year card.
Florian Nuessle
Florian Nuessle (pictured) has lengthy been threatening to make the step up from novice to skilled standing.
The 23 year-old has been round for a very long time, shedding in finals of the European Below-18 and Below-21 Championships along with a painful loss on the Q Tour Playoffs in 2023.
But it surely was on the similar playoff match that he earned his ticket this yr, changing into the primary skilled participant from Austria within the course of.
Sahil Nayyar
For giant durations of the Eighties and Nineties, it was frequent to see a number of Canadian gamers function prominently close to the highest of the rankings.
These heady days have lengthy since gone, however Sahil Nayyar will hope to rekindle among the Canadian magic after changing into the Americas champion.
Yao Pengcheng
Yao Pengcheng performed Alan McManus as a wildcard on the 2015 Shanghai Masters, shedding 5-2.
A decade later and the 28 year-old has earned his proper to compete in occasions as an expert participant after sealing certainly one of two CBSA China Tour nominations.
Lan Yuhao
The opposite nomination went to Lan Yuhao, who misplaced within the ultimate spherical of Q College Asia and Oceania a yr in the past.
Lan takes the variety of Chinese language snooker gamers on the primary tour as much as 28 – second solely to the 43 who will characterize England.
Featured picture credit score: WST
