The 2023 Championship League was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place from 26 June to 21 July 2023 at the Morningside Arena in Leicester, England. The event featured 128 players and was played as three rounds of round-robin groups of four, before a best-of-five final. It was the fourth edition of the ranking version of the Championship League, and the first ranking tournament of the 2023–24 snooker season.

Luca Brecel was the reigning champion, having defeated Lu Ning 3–1 in the final of the previous ranking edition of the tournament. However, he opted not to enter the draw for the tournament and consequently was not defending the title. Other notable players choosing not to enter the draw were Mark Selby, Jack Lisowski, John Higgins, Mark Allen and Ding Junhui. Six players who were due to enter the tournament, withdrew and were replaced including Ronnie O'Sullivan, Neil Robertson and Marco Fu.

Shaun Murphy won the tournament, defeating Mark Williams 3–0 in the final to claim his twelfth ranking title.

Tournament format
The 2023 Championship League took place from 26 June to 21 July 2023 at the Morningside Arena in Leicester, England.
128 players took part in the event. The competition began with 32 rounds of group matches with each group consisting of four players. Two groups were played to a finish every day during four blocks using a two-table setup in the arena. The groups were contested using a round-robin format, with six matches played in each group. All matches in group play were played as best of four frames, with three points awarded for a win and one point for a draw. Group positions were determined by points scored, frame difference and then head-to-head results between players who were tied. Places that were still tied were then determined by the highest  made in the group.

The 32 players that topped the group tables qualified for the group winners' stage, consisting of eight groups of four players. The eight winners from the group winners' stage qualified for the two final groups, with the final taking place later on the same day. The winner took the Championship League title and a place at the 2023 Champion of Champions.

There were 20 players not currently on the professional tour who were entered into the draw as follows:

Alfie Davies
Ryan Davies
Steven Hallworth
Daniel Holoyda
Michael Holt

Duane Jones
Peter Lines
Sean McAllister
Rory McLeod
Josh Mulholland

Florian Nüßle
Jamie O'Neill
Barry Pinches
Haydon Pinhey
Fergal Quinn

Craig Steadman
Alex Taubman
Joshua Thomond
Chris Totten
Sydney Wilson

Prize fund
The breakdown of prize money for the tournament is shown below.

Stage One
Winner: £3,000
Runner-up: £2,000
Third place: £1,000
Fourth place: £0

Stage Two
Winner: £4,000
Runner-up: £3,000
Third place: £2,000
Fourth place: £1,000

Stage Three
Winner: £6,000
Runner-up: £4,000
Third place: £2,000
Fourth place: £1,000

Final
Winner: £20,000
Runner-up: £10,000

Tournament total: £328,000

Stage One
Stage One consisted of 32 groups, each containing four players.

Order of play

Group 1
Group 1 was played on 10 July. Michael Holt won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group A.

Matches

 Scott Donaldson 1–3 Michael Holt
 Rod Lawler 0–3 Alfie Burden
 Scott Donaldson 1–3 Alfie Burden
 Rod Lawler 3–1 Michael Holt
 Alfie Burden 0–3 Michael Holt
 Scott Donaldson 2–2 Rod Lawler

Table

Group 2
Group 2 was played on 11 July. Judd Trump won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group B.

Matches

 Judd Trump 3–0 Reanne Evans
 Xu Si 3–0 Jimmy White
 Judd Trump 3–0 Jimmy White
 Xu Si 2–2 Reanne Evans
 Jimmy White 1–3 Reanne Evans
 Judd Trump 2–2 Xu Si

Table

Group 3
Group 3 was played on 26 June. Ashley Carty won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group C.

Matches

 Craig Steadman 2–2 Ashley Carty
 Sean McAllister 3–1 Adam Duffy
 Craig Steadman 2–2 Adam Duffy
 Sean McAllister 2–2 Ashley Carty
 Adam Duffy 0–3 Ashley Carty
 Craig Steadman 2–2 Sean McAllister

Table

Group 4
Group 4 was played on 12 July. Shaun Murphy won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group D.

Matches

 Shaun Murphy 3–0 Andrew Pagett
 Tian Pengfei 3–1 Lukas Kleckers
 Shaun Murphy 3–1 Lukas Kleckers
 Tian Pengfei 3–1 Andrew Pagett
 Lukas Kleckers 3–0 Andrew Pagett
 Shaun Murphy 3–1 Tian Pengfei

Table

Group 5
Group 5 was played on 29 June. Kyren Wilson won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group E.

Matches

 Kyren Wilson 3–0 Josh Mulholland
 Andy Hicks 1–3 Louis Heathcote
 Kyren Wilson 3–0 Louis Heathcote
 Andy Hicks 3–1 Josh Mulholland
 Josh Mulholland 0–3 Louis Heathcote
 Kyren Wilson 3–1 Andy Hicks

Table

Group 6
Group 6 was played on 30 June. Mark Williams won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group F.

Matches

 Mark Williams 3–0 Daniel Holoyda
 Dylan Emery 3–0 Ken Doherty
 Mark Williams 3–1 Ken Doherty
 Dylan Emery 3–1 Daniel Holoyda
 Ken Doherty 3–0 Daniel Holoyda
 Mark Williams 3–0 Dylan Emery

Table

Group 7
Group 7 was played on 6 July. Long Zehuang won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group G.

Matches

 Ali Carter 2–2 Ryan Davies
 Jackson Page 2–2 Long Zehuang
 Ali Carter 1–3 Long Zehuang
 Jackson Page 3–1 Ryan Davies
 Long Zehuang 3–0 Ryan Davies
 Ali Carter 2–2 Jackson Page

Table

Group 8
Group 8 was played on 7 July. Robert Milkins won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group H.

Matches

 Robert Milkins 3–0 Alex Taubman
 Dominic Dale 3–1 Muhammad Asif
 Robert Milkins 2–2 Muhammad Asif
 Dominic Dale 3–1 Alex Taubman
 Muhammad Asif 3–1 Alex Taubman
 Robert Milkins 3–0 Dominic Dale

Table

Group 9
Group 9 was played on 14 July. John Astley won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group H.

Matches

 Gary Wilson 2–2 Ma Hailong
 John Astley 3–1 Mink Nutcharut
 Gary Wilson 2–2 Mink Nutcharut
 John Astley 2–2 Ma Hailong
 Mink Nutcharut 2–2 Ma Hailong
 Gary Wilson 1–3 John Astley

Table

Group 10
Group 10 was played on 28 June. Michael White won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group G.

Matches

 Ryan Day 2–2 Jiang Jun
 Michael White 3–1 Himanshu Jain
 Ryan Day 3–0 Himanshu Jain
 Michael White 3–1 Jiang Jun
 Himanshu Jain 0–3 Jiang Jun
 Ryan Day 1–3 Michael White

Table

Group 11
Group 11 was played on 27 June. Martin O'Donnell won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group F.

Matches

 Hossein Vafaei 1–3 Fergal Quinn
 Aaron Hill 0–3 Martin O'Donnell
 Hossein Vafaei 2–2 Martin O'Donnell
 Aaron Hill 3–0 Fergal Quinn
 Martin O'Donnell 3–1 Fergal Quinn
 Hossein Vafaei 3–1 Aaron Hill

Table

Group 12
Group 12 was played on 12 July. Sanderson Lam won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group E.

Matches

 Barry Hawkins 3–1 Jamie O'Neill
 Zhang Anda 1–3 Sanderson Lam
 Barry Hawkins 2–2 Sanderson Lam
 Zhang Anda 3–1 Jamie O'Neill
 Sanderson Lam 3–1 Jamie O'Neill
 Barry Hawkins 2–2 Zhang Anda

Table

Group 13
Group 13 was played on 13 July. David Gilbert won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group D.

Matches

 David Gilbert 2–2 Ishpreet Singh Chadha
 Yuan Sijun 3–0 Sean O'Sullivan
 David Gilbert 3–0 Sean O'Sullivan
 Yuan Sijun 3–0 Ishpreet Singh Chadha
 Sean O'Sullivan 0–3 Ishpreet Singh Chadha
 David Gilbert 3–1 Yuan Sijun

Table

Group 14
Group 14 was played on 14 July. Liu Hongyu won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group C.

Matches

 Ricky Walden 1–3 Liu Hongyu
 David Lilley 3–1 Peng Yisong
 Ricky Walden 2–2 Peng Yisong
 David Lilley 0–3 Liu Hongyu
 Peng Yisong 1–3 Liu Hongyu
 Ricky Walden 2–2 David Lilley

Table

Group 15
Group 15 was played on 4 July. Matthew Stevens won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group B.

Matches

 Stuart Bingham 2–2 Duane Jones
 Matthew Stevens 3–1 Allan Taylor
 Stuart Bingham 1–3 Allan Taylor
 Matthew Stevens 3–0 Duane Jones
 Allan Taylor 2–2 Duane Jones
 Stuart Bingham 3–1 Matthew Stevens

Table

Group 16
Group 16 was played on 3 July. Ben Woollaston won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group A.

Matches

 Jimmy Robertson 1–3 Peter Lines
 Ben Woollaston 3–0 Liam Graham
 Jimmy Robertson 3–1 Liam Graham Ben Woollaston 3–0 Peter Lines
 Liam Graham 2–2 Peter Lines
 Jimmy Robertson 2–2 Ben Woollaston

Table

Group 17
Group 17 was played on 5 July. Zhou Yuelong won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group A.

Matches

 Zhou Yuelong 3–0 Chris Totten
 Ashley Hugill 3–1 Oliver Brown
 Zhou Yuelong 0–3 Oliver Brown Ashley Hugill 1–3 Chris Totten Oliver Brown 2–2 Chris Totten
 Zhou Yuelong 3–0 Ashley Hugill

Table

Group 18
Group 18 was played on 11 July. Joe Perry won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group B.

Matches

 Joe Perry 2–2 Stuart Carrington
 Jamie Clarke 3–1 Andy Lee
 Joe Perry 3–0 Andy Lee
 Jamie Clarke 3–1 Stuart Carrington
 Andy Lee 0–3 Stuart Carrington Joe Perry 3–0 Jamie Clarke

Table

Group 19
Group 19 was played on 10 July. Noppon Saengkham won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group C.

Matches

 Noppon Saengkham 3–0 Ross Muir
 Mark Davis 3–0 Jenson Kendrick
 Noppon Saengkham 3–1 Jenson Kendrick
 Mark Davis 2–2 Ross Muir
 Jenson Kendrick 2–2 Ross Muir
 Noppon Saengkham 2–2 Mark Davis

Table

Group 20
Group 20 was played on 8 July. James Cahill won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group D.

Matches

 Matthew Selt 3–0 Sydney Wilson
 James Cahill 3–0 Andres Petrov
 Matthew Selt 3–0 Andres Petrov
 James Cahill 0–3 Sydney Wilson Andres Petrov 2–2 Sydney Wilson
 Matthew Selt 0–3 James CahillTable

Group 21
Group 21 was played on 27 June. Chris Wakelin won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group E.

Matches

 Chris Wakelin 3–0 Liam Pullen
 Oliver Lines 2–2 Anton Kazakov
 Chris Wakelin 3–1 Anton Kazakov
 Oliver Lines 2–2 Liam Pullen
 Anton Kazakov 1–3 Liam Pullen Chris Wakelin 0–3 Oliver LinesTable

Group 22
Group 22 was played on 28 June. Robbie Williams won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group F.

Matches

 Joe O'Connor 1–3 Alfie Davies Robbie Williams 2–2 Zak Surety
 Joe O'Connor 3–0 Zak Surety
 Robbie Williams 3–1 Alfie Davies
 Zak Surety 3–0 Alfie Davies
 Joe O'Connor 1–3 Robbie WilliamsTable

Group 23
Group 23 was played on 7 July. Sam Craigie won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group G.

Matches

 Fan Zhengyi 3–0 Ahmed Aly Elsayed
 Sam Craigie 3–0 Fergal O'Brien
 Fan Zhengyi 2–2 Fergal O'Brien
 Sam Craigie 3–0 Ahmed Aly Elsayed
 Fergal O'Brien 3–0 Ahmed Aly Elsayed
 Fan Zhengyi 2–2 Sam Craigie

Table

Group 24
Group 24 was played on 6 July. Pang Junxu won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group H.

Matches

 Pang Junxu 3–0 Stan Moody
 Wu Yize 2–2 Hammad Miah
 Pang Junxu 3–1 Hammad Miah
 Wu Yize 3–1 Stan Moody
 Hammad Miah 2–2 Stan Moody
 Pang Junxu 3–1 Wu Yize

Table

Group 25
Group 25 was played on 8 July. Si Jiahui won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group H.

Matches

 Si Jiahui 3–1 Haydon Pinhey
 Mark Joyce 2–2 Mohamed Ibrahim
 Si Jiahui 2–2 Mohamed Ibrahim
 Mark Joyce 3–0 Haydon Pinhey
 Mohamed Ibrahim 2–2 Haydon Pinhey
 Si Jiahui 3–0 Mark Joyce

Table

Group 26
Group 26 was played on 5 July. Jak Jones won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group G.

Matches

 Jak Jones 2–2 Dean Young
 Jamie Jones 3–0 Rebecca Kenna
 Jak Jones 3–0 Rebecca Kenna
 Jamie Jones 2–2 Dean Young
 Rebecca Kenna 2–2 Dean Young
 Jak Jones 3–1 Jamie Jones

Table

Group 27
Group 27 was played on 30 June. Barry Pinches won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group F.

Matches

 Jordan Brown 2–2 Joshua Thomond
 Julien Leclercq 1–3 Barry Pinches Jordan Brown 2–2 Barry Pinches
 Julien Leclercq 3–1 Joshua Thomond
 Joshua Thomond 1–3 Barry Pinches Jordan Brown 0–3 Julien LeclercqTable

Group 28
Group 28 was played on 4 July. Anthony Hamilton won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group E.

Matches

 Anthony Hamilton 3–0 Xing Zihao
 Ben Mertens 2–2 Ryan Thomerson
 Anthony Hamilton 2–2 Ryan Thomerson
 Ben Mertens 2–2 Xing Zihao
 Ryan Thomerson 1–3 Xing Zihao Anthony Hamilton 2–2 Ben Mertens

Table

Group 29
Group 29 was played on 29 June. Thepchaiya Un-Nooh won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group D.

Matches

 Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 3–0 Florian Nüßle
 Elliot Slessor 3–1 Victor Sarkis
 Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 3–1 Victor Sarkis
 Elliot Slessor 0–3 Florian Nüßle Victor Sarkis 0–3 Florian Nüßle Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 3–0 Elliot Slessor

Table

Group 30
Group 30 was played on 26 June. Daniel Wells won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group C.

Matches

 Graeme Dott 0–3 Andrew Higginson David Grace 0–3 Daniel Wells Graeme Dott 1–3 Daniel Wells David Grace 2–2 Andrew Higginson
 Daniel Wells 3–0 Andrew Higginson
 Graeme Dott 3–1 David Grace

Table

Group 31
Group 31 was played on 13 July. Cao Yupeng won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group B.

Matches

 Cao Yupeng 3–0 Steven Hallworth
 Lyu Haotian 2–2 Ian Burns
 Cao Yupeng 3–0 Ian Burns
 Lyu Haotian 3–0 Steven Hallworth
 Ian Burns 3–1 Steven Hallworth
 Cao Yupeng 3–1 Lyu Haotian

Table

Group 32
Group 32 was played on 3 July. Xiao Guodong won the group and advanced to Stage 2, Group A.

Matches

 Xiao Guodong 2–2 Rory McLeod
 Martin Gould 2–2 Alexander Ursenbacher
 Xiao Guodong 3–1 Alexander Ursenbacher
 Martin Gould 2–2 Rory McLeod
 Alexander Ursenbacher 3–0 Rory McLeod
 Xiao Guodong 3–0 Martin Gould

Table

Stage Two
Stage Two consisted of eight groups, each containing four players.

Order of play

Group A
Group A was played on 19 July. Xiao Guodong won the group and advanced to Stage 3, Group 1.

Matches

 Zhou Yuelong 2–2 Michael Holt
 Xiao Guodong 2–2 Ben Woollaston
 Zhou Yuelong 2–2 Ben Woollaston
 Xiao Guodong 2–2 Michael Holt
 Ben Woollaston 0–3 Michael Holt Zhou Yuelong 0–3 Xiao GuodongTable

Group B
Group B was played on 20 July. Cao Yupeng won the group and advanced to Stage 3, Group 2.

Matches

 Judd Trump 3–1 Matthew Stevens
 Joe Perry 0–3 Cao Yupeng Judd Trump 2–2 Cao Yupeng
 Joe Perry 2–2 Matthew Stevens
 Cao Yupeng 2–2 Matthew Stevens
 Judd Trump 2–2 Joe Perry

Table

Group C
Group C was played on 18 July. Noppon Saengkham won the group and advanced to Stage 3, Group 2.

Matches

 Noppon Saengkham 3–0 Liu Hongyu
 Daniel Wells 1–3 Ashley Carty Noppon Saengkham 2–2 Daniel Wells
 Ashley Carty 1–3 Liu Hongyu Daniel Wells 2–2 Liu Hongyu
 Noppon Saengkham 3–1 Ashley Carty

Table

Group D
Group D was played on 19 July. Shaun Murphy won the group and advanced to Stage 3, Group 1.

Matches

 Shaun Murphy 3–1 James Cahill
 David Gilbert 2–2 Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
 Shaun Murphy 3–0 Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
 David Gilbert 3–0 James Cahill
 Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 2–2 James Cahill
 Shaun Murphy 2–2 David Gilbert

Table

Group E
Group E was played on 17 July. Chris Wakelin won the group and advanced to Stage 3, Group 1.

Matches

 Kyren Wilson 3–0 Sanderson Lam
 Chris Wakelin 3–0 Anthony Hamilton
 Kyren Wilson 3–0 Anthony Hamilton
 Chris Wakelin 2–2 Sanderson Lam
 Anthony Hamilton 3–0 Sanderson Lam
 Kyren Wilson 1–3 Chris WakelinTable

Group F
Group F was played on 17 July. Mark Williams won the group and advanced to Stage 3, Group 2.

Matches

 Mark Williams 3–0 Barry Pinches
 Robbie Williams 2–2 Martin O'Donnell
 Mark Williams 3–0 Martin O'Donnell
 Robbie Williams 3–0 Barry Pinches
 Martin O'Donnell 3–1 Barry Pinches
 Mark Williams 3–0 Robbie Williams

Table

Group G
Group G was played on 20 July. Sam Craigie won the group and advanced to Stage 3, Group 2.

Matches

 Jak Jones 2–2 Long Zehuang
 Sam Craigie 3–0 Michael White
 Jak Jones 1–3 Michael White Sam Craigie 2–2 Long Zehuang
 Michael White 2–2 Long Zehuang
 Jak Jones 1–3 Sam CraigieTable

Group H
Group H was played on 18 July. Robert Milkins won the group and advanced to Stage 3, Group 1.

Matches

 Robert Milkins 3–0 John Astley
 Pang Junxu 1–3 Si Jiahui Robert Milkins 2–2 Si Jiahui
 Pang Junxu 2–2 John Astley
 Si Jiahui 1–3 John Astley Robert Milkins 2–2 Pang Junxu

Table

Stage Three
Stage Three consisted of two groups, each containing four players.

Group 1
Group 1 was played on 21 July. Shaun Murphy won the group and advanced to the final.

Matches

 Shaun Murphy 2–2 Xiao Guodong
 Robert Milkins 2–2 Chris Wakelin
 Shaun Murphy 3–1 Chris Wakelin
 Robert Milkins 2–2 Xiao Guodong
 Chris Wakelin 3–1 Xiao Guodong
 Shaun Murphy 2–2 Robert Milkins

Table

Group 2
Group 2 was played on 21 July. Mark Williams won the group and advanced to the final.

Matches

 Mark Williams 2–2 Sam Craigie
 Noppon Saengkham 3–0 Cao Yupeng
 Mark Williams 3–1 Cao Yupeng
 Noppon Saengkham 2–2 Sam Craigie
 Cao Yupeng 0–3 Sam Craigie Mark Williams 3'''–1 Noppon Saengkham

Table

Final

Century breaks
A total of 101 century breaks were made in the tournament.

 145, 141, 134, 133, 122  Cao Yupeng
 140, 132, 111, 105  Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
 140, 114  Ma Hailong
 140  Sean McAllister
 138, 104, 102, 102  Zhang Anda
 137  Robbie Williams
 136, 128, 121, 119, 101  Mark Williams
 135, 123, 113, 101  David Gilbert
 135  Pang Junxu
 134, 128, 118, 111, 102, 100  Kyren Wilson
 134  Michael Holt
 133, 133, 110, 106, 100  Shaun Murphy
 132, 106  Yuan Sijun
 132  Ian Burns
 131  Ben Mertens
 131  Gary Wilson
 131  Martin O'Donnell
 129  Allan Taylor
 128, 102  Joe Perry
 128  John Astley
 126  Oliver Lines
 124, 101  Michael White
 123, 109, 101  Xiao Guodong
 123, 100  Noppon Saengkham
 120, 119, 109, 109, 103, 102  Judd Trump
 120  Hossein Vafaei
 117  Jackson Page
 117  Sam Craigie
 116  Adam Duffy
 116  Muhammad Asif
 116  Lukas Kleckers
 115, 110, 103  Anthony Hamilton
 115  Lyu Haotian
 114, 103  Chris Wakelin
 113, 107, 105  Zhou Yuelong
 112, 106, 104  Matthew Selt
 112  Mark Joyce
 111  Craig Steadman
 111  Peng Yisong
 111  Matthew Stevens
 110, 102, 101  Fan Zhengyi
 109  Jamie Jones
 108  Dylan Emery
 105  Ken Doherty
 105  Stuart Bingham
 105  Mark Davis
 104  Alexander Ursenbacher
 104  Ross Muir
 104  Si Jiahui
 103, 102  Julien Leclercq
 103  Victor Sarkis
 100  Stan Moody
 100  Daniel Wells

Notes

References

External links
 Matchroom Sport – Championship League Snooker
 World Snooker – Live Scores

Championship League
2023 in snooker
2023 in English sport
June 2023 sports events in the United Kingdom
July 2023 sports events in the United Kingdom
2023 Championship League