The Manchester Summer: What This Event Can Do to the Rankings

Next weekend is the Manchester Summer, and with eight players from the current Top 20 taking to the tables, this weekend could have a significant impact on the UKTC's 2025/2026 Season rankings.

With the leaderboard already incredibly tight in several places, a strong performance in Manchester could see players climb multiple positions, while those around them will be hoping to protect their place. With so much of the Top 20 separated by only a handful of points, there is plenty to play for.

Let's take a look at some of the biggest ranking battles heading into the weekend.

The Race for No. 1

At the top of the leaderboard, Mani Cheema enters Manchester Summer as the No. 1 ranked player. However, his lead is far from comfortable.

Right behind him is Ben Jones, with only a 19 point difference between the two players. With both Mani and Ben attending Manchester, the tournament could have a direct impact on the battle for the top spot.

Mani will be looking to extend his lead and strengthen his position at the top of the rankings, while Ben has a clear opportunity to close the gap. A strong performance from Ben combined with a less successful weekend for Mani could make the race for No. 1 considerably tighter. You can read the breakdown of Mani and Ben's lists in this post.

But the battle doesn't stop there.

Ross Tully currently sits third, just 10.34 points behind Ben and 29.48 points behind Mani. With all three players competing in Manchester, the top of the rankings could look very different by the time the weekend is over.

The margins are small enough that every result could matter.

The Battle for the Top 10

Further down the table, Manchester could have an equally significant impact on the fight for the Top 10.

Christopher Langton currently sits seventh, while Andy Quas-Cohen is eighth. The point gap between both players is only 0.43.

Even more interestingly, Byron Sidhu sits ninth on 897.70 points, only 0.66 points behind Andy, while Nassim Fouchane is tenth on 896.47.

That means four players are separated by just 2.32 points across positions seven to ten.

While Byron and Nassim won't be taking part in Manchester, Christopher and Andy have the opportunity to make a move. A strong performance from either player could see them climb into the upper reaches of the rankings, while a weaker result could leave them vulnerable to the players around them.

For Andy in particular, Manchester offers an interesting opportunity. Already the highest-ranked Necron player attending the event, his performance could have an impact both on his individual ranking and on how we view the faction's success in one of its biggest appearances of the season. You can read the breakdown of Andy's list in this post.

Climbing the Table

The potential for movement doesn't disappear once we leave the Top 10.

Reece Knight currently sits 15th with 863.39 points, putting him just 3.34 points behind Scott McCutcheon in 14th. A strong Manchester could therefore give Reece an immediate opportunity to move further up the table.

Behind him, the margins become even tighter.

Danny Evison is currently 17th with 861.50 points, while Chris Cho sits 18th with 861.14. Just 0.36 points separate the two players, meaning Danny has a chance to move up if he can put together a strong weekend.

And then there is Kyle Grundy in 19th on 859.65 points.

Kyle is only 1.85 points behind Danny and 1.49 points behind Chris Cho, meaning the battle around 17th-19th is exceptionally close. A good result in Manchester could allow Kyle to make a significant move towards the middle of the Top 20.

With Reece, Danny and Kyle all competing, this part of the leaderboard could see plenty of movement.

Every Point Matters

One of the most interesting things about the current rankings is just how tightly packed they are.

From 11th place to 20th place, there are only 21.44 points separating the entire group.

That means Manchester Summer isn't simply about the players fighting for No. 1. The tournament could reshape large sections of the leaderboard, with players potentially moving several places depending on how their weekend plays out.

The same is true at the very top. Mani, Ben and Ross are all competing, with less than 30 points separating the three of them.

Behind them, Christopher and Andy are almost tied, while the players around 15th–19th are separated by similarly small margins.

This makes Manchester particularly important from a rankings perspective. With eight of the current Top 20 competing, there are opportunities for movement throughout the table rather than just at the top.

Manchester Could Change the Picture

We've already seen how quickly a major event can change the rankings, and Manchester Summer has all the ingredients to do the same.

The race for No. 1, the fight for the Top 10, and the tightly packed group further down the leaderboard all have players competing this weekend.

For some, Manchester is an opportunity to strengthen an already impressive position. For others, it's a chance to climb several places and put themselves firmly into the conversation for the latter stages of the ranking season.

With the margins this small, Manchester Summer could be about more than just who wins the tournament. It could determine who leaves the weekend in a very different position from where they started.

Didn’t make it to this tournament?

Coventry, our three-day tournament, is just around the corner. While tickets are selling fast, there are still places available for anyone looking to keep climbing the rankings.

📅When: October 23-25

📌Where: Sports Connexion Leisure Club

🎫Buy your ticket here

Plus, tomorrow tickets go live for two massive 2027 events: the Manchester Super-Major: Winter and the Hertfordshire Super-Major. With UKTC events being more popular than ever, tickets usually sell out fast. Set your alarms for tomorrow so you don't miss out!