British Open Semi-Finals: Selby Seeks 27th Title as All-British Last Four Takes Shape

Four British Players Remain in Cheltenham as Semi-Final Line-Up Is Confirmed

The 2026 British Open has produced an entirely domestic semi-final line-up, with three Englishmen and a Welshman now the only players standing between the first round and the £100,000 top prize on offer at the Centaur in Cheltenham. Saturday's schedule pairs Mark Selby against Liam Highfield and Judd Trump against Jak Jones, with the Clive Everton Trophy the reward for whoever emerges from both ties.

Selby vs Highfield — 13:00 BST, Saturday 5 September

Mark Selby arrived at the quarter-final stage having ground out three deciding-frame victories earlier in the week, but the Leicester cueman shifted gears emphatically on Friday, dismantling local favourite Jack Lisowski 5-0 without dropping a frame. That kind of escalating form across a tournament is a pattern Selby has demonstrated throughout his career, and there is little reason to suggest things will be any different in Cheltenham this weekend.

The 43-year-old already claimed the British Open title two years ago and added the China Open to his collection earlier this season, meaning a victory here would represent a 27th career ranking event crown — a tally that would further cement his status among the sport's all-time greats. His record at this stage of tournaments, combined with his experience as a four-time world champion, makes him the clear favourite heading into Saturday's opener.

Liam Highfield, meanwhile, made history of his own by reaching a maiden ranking event semi-final following a composed 5-2 defeat of Stan Moody in the last eight. The 35-year-old, who turned professional in 2010, has long occupied a journeyman tag on the tour, but his form has taken a noticeable upturn since linking up with former German Masters champion Anthony Hamilton as a coaching partner. Highfield pushed defending champion Zhao Xintong at the Crucible earlier this year and has continued that upward trajectory in Cheltenham. History, however, represents a significant obstacle — Highfield has recorded just three wins from 11 previous meetings against Selby, according to CueTracker data, and overturning that head-to-head record in a semi-final would rank among the most significant results of his professional career.

Trump vs Jones — The Season's First Two Champions Collide

The second semi-final offers an intriguing sub-narrative: the 2026/27 season's opening two ranking event winners will face each other directly. Jak Jones claimed the Championship League Snooker title in July — his first-ever ranking crown on the World Snooker Tour — before Judd Trump followed up by winning the prestigious Shanghai Masters. Two players in confident form, two contrasting styles, and a place in the British Open final at stake.

Trump, a former world number one and world champion, is no stranger to this stage of events and will carry the weight of expectation that has followed him throughout his career. The Bristol-born cueman's consistency at ranking level remains among the best on tour, and a run to the final in Cheltenham would only add to what is shaping up to be a productive season. Jones, by contrast, is very much building momentum as a player capable of competing deep into major tournaments. The Welshman's Championship League triumph demonstrated he can close out titles under pressure, and back-to-back deep runs at ranking events would further signal that his maiden ranking crown was no isolated achievement.

What to Expect on Saturday

Both semi-finals carry a broadly similar dynamic: a seasoned, elite-level performer up against a player still working to establish themselves as a consistent presence at the latter stages of ranking events. Selby and Trump enter as favourites on form, ranking, and historical record, but Highfield and Jones will be far from overawed — both arrive having already produced performances this week to dispel any notion they are merely making up the numbers.

The British Open final, scheduled for Sunday, will be played over a longer format, but Saturday's semi-finals give all four players the opportunity to impose themselves on a tournament that has already delivered several compelling storylines. For Highfield in particular, simply reaching this point represents new territory. Whether he can go one further against one of the sport's most decorated champions remains the central question ahead of the afternoon session at the Centaur.

All head-to-head statistics sourced from CueTracker. Schedule details correct as of publication.