Is Ronnie O’Sullivan playing at the German Masters snooker? All we know about his return

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Ronnie O’Sullivan withdrew from the Masters at Alexandra Palace earlier this month on medical grounds but The Rocket is gearing up for a return to competitive play

Snooker icon Ronnie O’Sullivan withdrew from the Masters this month(Image: PA)

Everything you need to know about Ronnie O’Sullivan’s participation at the German Masters

Ronnie O’Sullivan is set to return to competitive action at the 2026 German Masters, which is held at the Tempodrom in Berlin. He is scheduled to play his heldover qualifying match against world No. 54 Long Zehuang on Tuesday, January 27th.
This marks a significant return for the Rocket, who has a complicated relationship with this specific tournament and has often skipped the trip to Germany in recent years. His fans in Berlin are particularly expectant, as he has not won this title since his lone victory there in 2012.
His return follows a late withdrawal from the 2026 Masters at Alexandra Palace just weeks ago, which he missed on unspecified medical grounds. That absence sparked concerns about his health, but his arrival in Berlin suggests he is now fit to compete.
O’Sullivan has maintained a very selective schedule throughout the 2025/26 season, notably opting out of the Wuhan Open and the British Open. He has been vocal about “picking and choosing” events that suit his lifestyle following his move to Dubai.
Despite his recent inactivity, O’Sullivan enters the German Masters as the No. 9 seed. This seeding ensures his opening match was “held over” to be played at the main venue in front of the live Berlin crowd rather than in the earlier qualifying rounds.
The German Masters is famous for the Tempodrom’s unique “circus tent” atmosphere and massive crowd capacity. O’Sullivan’s participation is a major boost for the event’s organisers.
The man currently holding the trophy is Kyren Wilson, who enters this year’s event as the defending champion. Wilson secured the 2025 title in a classic final by narrowly defeating Barry Hawkins 10–9.
This tournament serves as a vital warm-up and ranking-point opportunity as the tour moves toward the World Championship in April. A strong run in Berlin would help O’Sullivan regain match sharpness after missing several weeks of competitive play.
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