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When is the 2026 British Open?
The main tournament is scheduled for 31 August to 6 September 2026 at The Centaur in Cheltenham. The World Snooker Tour calendar marks the schedule as provisional, so check its official calendar for changes.
Qualifying is listed separately for 23–24 July 2026. Do not assume that qualifying matches will be shown under the main event’s Channel 5 arrangement; their coverage has not been confirmed here.
How to watch the British Open online in the UK
Channel 5’s 2026 deal makes the British Open part of its free-to-air snooker coverage. 5Player is the online service to check for a live stream, but an event-specific page and its access requirements have not yet been confirmed. The announcement establishes the broadcaster, not which sessions or tables will appear online.
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- Open the official Channel 5 service and go to 5Player.
- Search for “British Open snooker” or check the live sports and live-TV listings.
- Choose the listed event or the relevant live Channel 5 feed. The precise channel allocation has not been announced.
- Sign in or create an account if prompted, and check the service’s location and other requirements.
- If the event is not listed by name, consult the Channel 5 programme schedule and look for a 5Action or other Channel 5 feed before concluding that no stream is available.
You can also use the relevant Channel 5 television channel if you prefer to watch on a TV. Channel 5 has used additional channels for snooker coverage, but the 2026 British Open schedule has not confirmed whether 5Action or another outlet will carry sessions or overflow coverage. Check the daily listings rather than assuming every session will be on the main Channel 5 channel. For an example of Channel 5’s handling of live snooker across services, see its snooker coverage guidance.
“Free” refers to the UK free-to-air arrangement; it does not mean ad-free. A free streaming account or other service requirements may apply, so check the live 5Player listing when it is available. If your TV supports the official 5Player app, use it; otherwise, casting from a compatible phone or browser may be an option.
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Is the British Open still on ITVX?
Not as the announced UK broadcaster for 2026. ITV carried earlier British Open coverage and promoted the event across ITV and ITVX under its previous agreement. Those older listings describe earlier seasons, not the 2026 rights. The current arrangement puts the British Open on Channel 5.
ITV Sport Production is producing coverage for Channel 5, which may explain why some search results still connect ITV with the event. Production involvement does not make ITVX the broadcaster. The new deal is described in ITV’s announcement and Channel 5’s free-to-air announcement. For historical context, ITV’s earlier ITV and Matchroom rights announcement covered British Open availability on ITV and ITVX.
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Will 5Player show every table and match?
That has not been confirmed for the 2026 event. A broadcaster’s live coverage does not by itself establish that every table, session or match will be streamed. The eventual listings may distinguish between main televised coverage, additional-table feeds, highlights and catch-up programmes.
If you want coverage beyond the scheduled Channel 5 broadcasts, check the World Snooker Tour live page for WST PLAY and event availability. WST says regional broadcaster agreements can restrict which live events are available in each territory. No event-specific confirmation establishes that WST PLAY will carry every British Open table in the UK.
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Watching from Ireland or another country
The UK Channel 5 deal does not establish that 5Player is available to viewers in Ireland, the United States or elsewhere. Broadcast rights vary by territory. Check the WST live availability page and your local broadcaster for the correct service; do not assume that a UK stream is available internationally.
Quick Recap
What to do if the stream is missing or stops
The event does not appear in 5Player
- Check the live sports listing and the programme schedule; coverage may be listed under a live channel rather than the tournament name.
- Look for the relevant 5Action or other secondary feed in the published schedule.
- Check that the event listing is live and that you are in a supported location.
- Consult WST’s live page for regional alternatives. Avoid unofficial streams.
The stream buffers or fails to load
- Refresh the event page, or try the official app instead of a browser, or vice versa.
- Check whether another official live Channel 5 stream loads.
- Reduce other bandwidth-heavy activity on your connection.
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