- Ronnie O’Sullivan faces debutant He Guoqiang in his quest for an eighth world title.
- Zhao Xintong enters as the defending champion and will open the tournament on Saturday.
- The Crucible will remain the official home of the championship until the year 2045.
The World Snooker Championship will return to the Crucible for a 17-day event. The tournament starts on Saturday and concludes on May 4. The final is scheduled to begin on Sunday, May 3, with all matches broadcast live on the BBC.
Ronnie O’Sullivan, aged 50, aims for a record-breaking eighth title. He currently shares the modern era record of seven titles with Stephen Hendry. His first win occurred 25 years ago in 2001. He will play against China’s He Guoqiang starting Tuesday.
The draw includes high-profile matchups for several top players. Judd Trump, the world number one, competes against Gary Wilson. Meanwhile, Mark Selby faces Jak Jones, and John Higgins will play Ali Carter. Kyren Wilson is matched against 19-year-old debutant Stan Moody.
Chinese players have a strong presence in the event. Zhao Xintong, the 2025 winner, opens the tournament on Saturday at 10:00 BST against Liam Highfield. He Guoqiang, ranked 47th, qualified by defeating Jack Lisowski. Sixteen qualifiers joined the top 16 seeds this week.
The Crucible has hosted the championship since 1977. The venue will stay until 2045 following a recent announcement. Plans for redevelopment are in place to increase the capacity by adding up to 500 new seats for spectators.
First-round matches are played as a best of 19 frames. These opening ties occur between April 18 and April 23. The official draw was conducted this Thursday during the BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast program.
