John Virgo Trophy: Format, Players, Schedule and How to Watch the Inaugural Event
A Fitting Tribute to a Snooker Icon
The inaugural John Virgo Trophy takes place this weekend at the iconic Goffs venue in Ireland, bringing together four of the sport's most decorated players in honour of one of snooker's most beloved figures. Ronnie O'Sullivan, John Higgins, Mark Williams, and Stephen Hendry will contest the Snooker 900 exhibition event across Saturday and Sunday, in what promises to be a memorable occasion for players and supporters alike.
The tournament was announced shortly after Virgo's passing earlier this year at the age of 79, with exhibition promoter Jason Francis — who ran the Snooker Legends series alongside Virgo for many years — moving quickly to stage a fitting memorial event in his honour.
John Virgo: Player, Broadcaster, and Snooker Institution
John Virgo's contribution to snooker stretched across more than four decades, both at the table and in front of the microphone. As a player, he reached a career-high ranking of number 10 in the world and claimed the 1979 UK Championship, one of the sport's most prestigious titles. His connection to Goffs is a long-standing one — he played there during the 1981 Irish Masters, where he was defeated in the first round by Steve Davis, who would go on to dominate the sport throughout that decade.
After retiring from the professional circuit, Virgo carved out an equally influential second career in broadcasting. He became one of the BBC's most recognisable snooker voices, serving as a lead commentator at Triple Crown events including the World Championship, the UK Championship, and the Masters. Away from commentary, he co-fronted the long-running primetime show Big Break alongside Jim Davidson, which introduced snooker to a mainstream television audience throughout the 1990s. He remained a popular and energetic presence at Snooker Legends exhibitions right up until his later years, frequently serving as emcee at those events.
The Players: Four All-Time Greats
The four players assembled for the John Virgo Trophy represent an extraordinary collection of snooker achievement. Between them, O'Sullivan, Higgins, Williams, and Hendry have accumulated 40 World Championship titles — a statistic that underlines the calibre of the tribute being paid to Virgo.
Stephen Hendry, who claimed seven World Championship titles between 1990 and 1999 (CueTracker), dominated the sport during the very era in which Virgo was at his most prominent as a broadcaster. Ronnie O'Sullivan has since matched and surpassed Hendry's world title haul, winning his seventh World Championship in 2022. John Higgins and Mark Williams have each claimed three world titles apiece, with Williams famously winning his third as recently as 2018 at the age of 43 (snooker.org). All four players would have known Virgo personally through his long association with the sport, lending the occasion a genuinely personal dimension.
Venue and Format
The event is staged at Goffs, the celebrated bloodstock sales venue in County Kildare, Ireland, which has a rich history of hosting high-profile snooker. The Irish Masters was held at Goffs from 1978 until 2016 and attracted some of the finest players of each generation across those years, making it an apt and emotionally resonant choice for an event of this nature.
The Snooker 900 format differs from the standard professional game, with the scoring system designed to create a fast-paced and entertainment-focused contest. While the format may be unfamiliar to some, the involvement of four elite-level players ensures the snooker itself will carry genuine quality and competitive edge.
How to Watch
The John Virgo Trophy takes place across Saturday and Sunday, with further broadcast and streaming details expected to be confirmed ahead of the weekend. Fans are advised to monitor official channels from Jason Francis and Snooker Legends for the latest viewing information as it becomes available.
For a sport that has lost one of its most distinctive personalities in 2026, the John Virgo Trophy offers an early and heartfelt opportunity to reflect on a career that touched every corner of the game — from the ranking event circuit to the television studio. That the event returns to Goffs, a venue with which Virgo had his own history, adds a final layer of significance to what should be a memorable weekend.