Mark Allen has pulled out of another event as his extended absence from competitive snooker continues following his dramatic run at the 2026 World Championship.

Mark Allen has pulled out of another event as his extended absence from competitive snooker continues following his dramatic run at the 2026 World Championship.

The Northern Irishman has withdrawn from the upcoming International Championship qualifying event, adding another tournament to a growing list he has missed since his heartbreaking World Championship semi-final defeat to Wu Yize at the Crucible. Allen’s latest withdrawal further underlines how unusual the opening months of his 2026/27 campaign have been.

Allen produced one of the most memorable performances of his recent career at the World Championship earlier this year. He reached the semi-finals and came agonisingly close to reaching the final, leading Wu 16–15 before eventually losing the deciding frame 17–16. The defeat was particularly painful after Allen had several opportunities to close out the contest.

Since that impressive Crucible campaign, however, Allen has been absent from the professional circuit.

The 40-year-old did not compete in the Championship League or Shanghai Masters and subsequently missed the China Open and Wuhan Open. He then withdrew from both the British Open and English Open for personal reasons.

His absence was especially noticeable at the English Open, where he was the defending champion. Allen had won the tournament in 2025 after an extraordinary 9–8 victory over Zhou Yuelong, but he was unable to return to Brentwood to defend the Steve Davis Trophy.

The latest withdrawal means Allen’s wait for a competitive appearance continues.

His name had been scheduled for the International Championship qualifying stages, but he has now been removed from the event. The tournament was another opportunity for him to return to action, making the decision particularly significant given how long he has been away from the table.

Importantly, Allen has previously indicated that his withdrawals were due to personal reasons. There has been no confirmed public explanation beyond that, so speculation surrounding the circumstances of his absence should be treated cautiously.

Despite the uncertainty, there remains a clear desire among snooker supporters to see the former world number one back in action. Allen has won 12 ranking titles during his career and remains one of the leading players on the tour.

His next scheduled opportunity appears to be the Shenzhen Open later in September, where he is listed to face Belgium’s Ben Mertens. The match is currently scheduled for September 28.

For now, though, Allen’s remarkable run at the Crucible remains his most recent competitive appearance. What began as an outstanding World Championship campaign has been followed by months away from tournament snooker.

Fans will therefore be hoping that when Allen finally returns, he can put the difficult period behind him and rediscover the form that carried him to the World Championship semi-finals and the English Open title.