A week on one table
There is only one match on at a time. That is the whole point of the Masters, and the reason fans rate it so highly among snooker’s Triple Crown events, alongside the UK Championship and the World Championship.
The 2027 Masters takes place from January 10 to 17, 2027. It is invitation-only and built around the world’s top-ranked players. Every session plays out on one table under one lighting rig, so the entire arena watches the same shot together.
Players walk on to music and introductions. The crowd is far bigger than the usual hushed snooker hall, and it reacts to every long pot and safety exchange. The format runs as a straight knockout through the week and finishes in a final across two sessions on the last day.
Alexandra Palace in January
Alexandra Palace, which Londoners call “Ally Pally”, has hosted the Masters since 2012. It is a huge Victorian building of yellow brick and glass on a ridge in Haringey, between Wood Green and Muswell Hill.
The building has its own television history. The BBC made its first regular public broadcasts from here in 1936, and the transmitter mast still rises from the eastern end of the palace.
In mid-January the park around it is cold, exposed and usually dark by late afternoon. Inside, the arena is tiered seating rising up from a single green baize table. The front rows sit close enough to see a player chalk his cue.
Getting up the hill
Ally Pally sits on a hill, and every route ends with a climb. These are the usual options:
- Alexandra Palace station (National Rail): Great Northern trains from King’s Cross and Moorgate. From the platform it is an uphill walk through the park to the palace.
- Wood Green (Piccadilly line): the W3 bus runs from outside the station up to the palace, which suits anyone who would rather skip the climb.
- Bus from Finsbury Park: the W3 also starts here, which links you to the Victoria line and more National Rail routes.
After the evening session ends, the W3 stops and the path down to the station both fill up quickly. Many fans walk down to Alexandra Palace station together in one long stream. The paths through the park are unlit in places, so a phone torch comes in handy.
Tickets and sessions
Each day is split into separate ticketed sessions, usually one in the afternoon and one in the evening. The World Snooker Tour runs the Masters, and its official site carries the schedule and the ticket links.
Seats closer to the table cost more than those higher up the tiers. The posted prices for each zone appear on the ticketing page. Seats for the semi-finals and the final are usually the hardest to get, because those are the sessions with the biggest names left in the draw.
Early-round sessions are often the easier way in. Every match still has top players in it, since the field is invitation-only from the start.
The rules of a snooker crowd
Snooker crowds stay completely silent while a player is on a shot. The referee will step in if the room gets noisy. Regulars follow a few habits:
- Move only between frames. Ushers hold people at the doors while a frame is in progress. Leaving for a drink mid-frame usually means waiting outside until it ends.
- Phones on silent, flash off. A ringtone or a camera flash on a crucial pot gets the whole arena glaring.
- Applaud at the right moments. People clap a fine pot, a big break or a frame won. Nobody shouts during the player’s backswing.
- Wrap up. It is a January evening on an exposed hill, and the walk back to the station after the last session is cold.
The Masters is noisier than most tournaments. Fans shout between frames and bring banners, so it feels closer to a sports crowd than a members’ club. Once the cue ball is about to be struck, the room goes quiet again.
Around Ally Pally
The terrace on the south side of the palace has one of the widest views across London. On a clear day you can see from the City towers to Canary Wharf. Fans often go out there before an afternoon session.
The park is a large, sloping public space with plenty of room to walk off a long session. Muswell Hill, a short walk or bus ride west, has a Broadway lined with pubs and restaurants. Wood Green, at the bottom of the hill on the other side, has chain restaurants and late food near the Tube station.
For a full day, many visitors pair an afternoon session with dinner in Muswell Hill and then head back up for the evening match.
Frequently asked questions
When is the 2027 Masters Snooker?
The 2027 Masters runs from January 10 to 17, 2027 at Alexandra Palace in north London. The final is played across two sessions on the last day.
How do I get to Alexandra Palace for the snooker?
Take a Great Northern train from King's Cross or Moorgate to Alexandra Palace station, then walk uphill through the park. You can also take the Piccadilly line to Wood Green and catch the W3 bus up to the palace. The W3 runs from Finsbury Park too.
Where are tickets for the Masters sold?
The World Snooker Tour runs the event, and its official site carries the session schedule and ticket links. Prices for each seating zone appear on the ticketing page.
Can I leave my seat during a match?
Only between frames. While a frame is being played, ushers hold people at the doors, and the crowd stays silent whenever a player is on a shot.
What is there to do near Alexandra Palace?
The palace terrace has wide views across London, and the surrounding park is good for a walk. Muswell Hill Broadway, just west of the palace, has plenty of pubs and restaurants between sessions.
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