Ronnie O'Sullivan, one of the most celebrated snooker players in history, could still qualify for the Champion of Champions tournament in November, despite not winning a professional title since March 2024. The Champion of Champions is a non-ranking but high-stakes event that brings together the top performers from the past year. Last season, Mark Selby won the tournament, defeating Judd Trump in the final in Leicester and earning the £150,000 top prize. Qualification for the event is based on a points system derived from the results of 16 key tournaments throughout the year. If the top 16 events are all won by different players, then those players will qualify. However, this is highly unlikely, and in the current season, players like Selby, Wu Yize, and Zhao Xintong have already won multiple events, securing their spots. As of now, 14 of the 16 spots are already filled, with two remaining to be decided at the upcoming Shenzhen Open and Northern Ireland Open. If any of the 14 already qualified players win either of these two events, it would create an opening for the next highest-ranked player, which is the winner of the 2026 World Seniors Championship. Ronnie O'Sullivan, known as "The Rocket," won the Seniors event in May, giving him a chance to qualify for the Champion of Champions in Leicester. While the World Seniors Championship was not originally included in the qualifying schedule announced in December, the organizers noted that the schedule could change, and new events could be added. Changes have already occurred, with the Saudi Arabia Masters removed and the China Open returning, while the Xi'an Grand Prix has been rebranded as the Shenzhen Open. O'Sullivan has not always qualified for the Champion of Champions but has participated every year since 2019. There is a strong possibility that the winners of the Shenzhen Open and Northern Ireland Open will already be qualified, which would give O'Sullivan a chance to compete in Leicester. However, he may choose not to participate, in which case the highest-ranked player not yet qualified—likely Neil Robertson—would receive an invitation. The Shenzhen Open will take place from September 28 to October 4, followed by the Northern Ireland Open from October 18 to 25, with the Champion of Champions set for November 9 to 15.