When does new 2023/24 snooker season begin? When do Ronnie O'Sullivan and Luca Brecel return? Full calendar, dates

The provisional 2023/24 snooker calendar sees the sport return to mainland China for the first time since 2019 with the staging of three tournaments worth over £2m in prize money. The elite non-ranking Shanghai Masters (September), and Wuhan Open (October) and International Championship (November) – both enjoying full ranking status – will be the first events to be held in the country since the global pandemic decimated the sporting calendar three years ago.

Ad China last staged a World Snooker Tour competition in November 2019 when Judd Trump defeated Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 10-5 in the World Open final in Yushan. World Seniors ChampionshipWhite vows to keep 'trying my heart out' after record fourth World Seniors title19 HOURS AGO Ronnie O'Sullivan overcame Marco Fu 6-4 to win the Hong Kong Masters before a world-record snooker audience of over 9,000 fans last October, but there is no confirmation yet about when the invitational event will return to the calendar.

The season begins with eight places on the main circuit available via the 208-player Q School at Leicester's Morningside Arena later this month. A further four spots will be on the line at Asia-Oceania Q School in Bangkok in early June.

The Championship League is the first ranking event of the new season with Leicester hosting the various groups of the competition between June 26-July 21. World champion Luca Brecel lifted the title last year with a 3-1 win over Lu Ning and will be among the favourites with O'Sullivan, Mark Selby and Judd Trump among the leading men who competed in last year's event.