World Snooker Championship Schedule: Ronnie O'Sullivan Pursues Historic Eighth Title

The reigning champion, Zhao Xintong, is set to return to the Crucible, while Ronnie O'Sullivan will attempt to break records by securing his eighth world title at the World Snooker Championship. They will face stiff competition from Judd Trump, four-time champion Mark Selby, Kyren Wilson, Neil Robertson, and Shaun Murphy, starting from April 18. With a rich history dating back to 1927, the tournament has seen legendary players like Joe Davis, Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry, and Ronnie O'Sullivan dominate the sport. Since the introduction of 32 players in the first round in 1982, there has never been an instance where all 16 top seeds have progressed to the second round. Zhao aims to overcome the infamous 'Crucible Curse' and become the first debut winner to successfully defend the title, a feat that has eluded 21 players since 1980. As O'Sullivan prepares for his record 34th consecutive appearance at the iconic venue, he will face a challenging path to the title, with potential matchups against John Higgins and other top seeds. The top 16 seeds will be randomly drawn against the 16 players who emerge from the qualifying rounds on April 16. In addition to the highest break prize, bonuses of £40,000 and £10,000 will be awarded for maximum breaks achieved at the main stage and in the qualifying rounds, respectively. An additional bonus of £147,000 is on offer for any player who achieves two maximum breaks across this season's Triple Crown events and the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters. The tournament has seen 24 different champions since 1977, with Zhao Xintong being the most recent winner in 2025, becoming the first champion from Asia. Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan currently hold the record for the most titles, with seven crowns each.