The highlight of snooker’s year is upon us, with the world’s greatest players descending on the Crucible to face the sport’s most difficult test. From mid-April to early May, 32 of the game’s most well-known players and disruptive outsiders will compete to become the next global champion.
Ronnie O’Sullivan hopes to win this trophy for the record-breaking eighth time, but he will have to overcome a competition that includes reigning champion Zhao Xintong, who returns a year after a stunning run from qualifiers to title.
There’s more than just prestige on the line, with the winner receiving a £500,000 check and more than £2 million in total prize money.
World Snooker Championship dates and the location
The event is being held at the Crucible Theatre, as it has been every year since 1977, and it is unlikely to leave anytime soon. Last month, a deal was reached to extend the venue’s lease until at least 2045, easing worries that the World Championship would depart its spiritual home.
Where: Crucible Theatre, Sheffield.
When: April 18 – May 4, 2026
World Snooker Championship Schedule, Draw, and Times
The first round draw was held on Thursday, April 16, at 8.45 a.m. It came after the final set of qualifying matches, known as ‘Judgement Day’, on April 14 and 15, in which the final 16 players were confirmed for the competition.
First round
(best of 19 frames)
April 18
Zhao Xintong 10-7 Liam Highfield
April 19
Mark Allen 10-6 Zhang Anda
Barry Hawkins 10-4 Matthew Stevens
Xiao Guodong 10-6 Zhou Yuelong
Mark Williams 10-4 Antoni Kowalski
April 20
Ding Junhui 10-5 David Gilbert
Kyren Wilson 10-7 Stan Moody
John Higgins 10-7 Ali Carter
April 21
Wu Yize 10-2 Lei Peifan
Judd Trump 10-5 Gary Wilson
Shaun Murphy 10-9 Fan Zhengyi
April 22
Chris Wakelin 10-6 Liam Pullen
Ronnie O’Sullivan 10-2 He Guoqiang
Mark Selby 10-2 Jak Jones
April 23
Si Jiahui 3-10 Hossein Vafaei
Neil Robertson 10-6 Pang Junxu
Second round
(best of 25 frames)
April 24
Xiao Guodong 3-13 Shaun Murphy
Kyren Wilson 9-13 Mark Allen
Barry Hawkins 13-9 Mark Williams
Zhao Xintong 13-9 Ding Junhui
April 25
Chris Wakelin 6-10 Neil Robertson — resumes on April 27
Hossein Vafaei 7-9 Judd Trump — resumes on April 27
John Higgins 7-9 Ronnie O’Sullivan — resumes on April 27
April 26
Mark Selby 7-9 Wu Yize — resumes on April 27
Quarterfinals
(best of 25 frames)
April 28
Semifinals
(best of 33 frames)
April 29-30
Final
(best of 35 frames)
May 3
What is the prize money?
- Last 112: £5,000
- Last 80: £10,000
- Last 48: £15,000
- Last 32: £20,000
- Last 16: £30,000
- Quarterfinals: £50,000
- Semifinals: £100,000
- Runner-up: £200,000
- Winner: £500,000
- High break: £15,000
- Total: £2,395,000
World Snooker Championship format
The World Championship is a straight knockout competition, with 32 players competing over 17 days at the Crucible. The field is divided into two groups: the world’s top 16 players, who qualify automatically based on their rating from the 2025-26 snooker season, and the remaining 16 players, who must compete in the qualifying rounds at Sheffield.
Zhao Xintong became only the third qualifier to win last year, having played four more matches than runner-up Mark Williams before facing off in the final.
The number of frames per match grows during the competition, from a best-of-19 encounter in the first round to a best-of-33 championship.
How to Watch the 2026 World Snooker Championship
The competition will be broadcast live in the United Kingdom on BBC and TNT Sports. The BBC will broadcast matches on BBC One, BBC Two, and BBC Four, with each match also available on BBC iPlayer.
TNT Sports will also broadcast the competition on television every day, with HBO Max offering streaming options.
Previous World Snooker Championship Winners
There have been 24 different world champions since the World Championship set up permanent home at the Crucible in 1977.
2025: Zhao Xintong 18-12 Mark Williams
2024: Kyren Wilson 18-14 Jak Jones
2023: Luca Brecel 18-15 Mark Selby
2022: Ronnie O’Sullivan 18-13 Judd Trump
2021: Mark Selby 18-15 Shaun Murphy
2020: Ronnie O’Sullivan 18-8 Kyren Wilson
2019: Judd Trump 18-9 John Higgins
2018: Mark Williams 18-16 John Higgins
2017: Mark Selby 18-15 John Higgins
2016: Mark Selby 18-14 Ding Junhui
2015: Stuart Bingham 18-15 Shaun Murphy
2014: Mark Selby 18-14 Ronnie O’Sullivan
2013: Ronnie O’Sullivan 18-12 Barry Hawkins
2012: Ronnie O’Sullivan 18-11 Ali Carter
2011: John Higgins 18-15 Judd Trump
2010: Neil Robertson 18-13 Graeme Dott
2009: John Higgins 18-9 Shaun Murphy
2008: Ronnie O’Sullivan 18-8 Ali Carter
2007: John Higgins 18-13 Mark Selby
2006: Graeme Dott 18-14 Peter Ebdon
2005: Shaun Murphy 18-16 Matthew Stevens
2004: Ronnie O’Sullivan 18-8 Graeme Dott
2003: Mark Williams 18-16 Ken Doherty
2002: Peter Ebdon 18-17 Stephen Hendry
2001: Ronnie O’Sullivan 18-14 John Higgins
2000: Mark Williams 18-16 Matthew Stevens
1999: Stephen Hendry 18-11 Mark Williams
1998: John Higgins 18-12 Ken Doherty
1997: Ken Doherty 18-12 Stephen Hendry
1996: Stephen Hendry 18-12 Peter Ebdon
1995: Stephen Hendry 18-9 Nigel Bond
1994: Stephen Hendry 18-17 Jimmy White
1993: Stephen Hendry 18-5 Jimmy White
1992: Stephen Hendry 18-14 Jimmy White
1991: John Parrott 18-11 Jimmy White
1990: Stephen Hendry 18-12 Jimmy White
1989: Steve Davis 18-3 John Parrott
1988: Steve Davis 18-11 Terry Griffiths
1987: Steve Davis 18-14 Joe Johnson
1986: Joe Johnson 18-12 Steve Davis
1985: Dennis Taylor 18-17 Steve Davis
1984: Steve Davis 18-16 Jimmy White
1983: Steve Davis 18-6 Cliff Thorburn
1982: Alex Higgins 18-15 Ray Reardon
1981: Steve Davis 18-12 Doug Mountjoy
1980: Cliff Thorburn 18-16 Alex Higgins
1979: Terry Griffiths 24-16 Dennis Taylor
1978: Ray Reardon 25-18 Perrie Mans
1977: John Spencer 25-21 Cliff Thorburn
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