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

The defending champion, Zhao Xintong, is set to return to the Crucible, while Ronnie O'Sullivan will attempt to secure a record-breaking eighth world title at the World Snooker Championship. Other top contenders include Judd Trump, four-time champion Mark Selby, Kyren Wilson, Neil Robertson, and Shaun Murphy, all competing from April 18. The tournament, steeped in history since its inception in 1927, has seen legendary players like Joe Davis, Steve Davis, and Stephen Hendry dominate the sport. O'Sullivan and Hendry are currently tied for the most world titles, with seven each. The competition will feature 32 players, with the top 16 seeds drawn at random against the 16 players who advance from the qualifying rounds on April 16. The top seed, Judd Trump, will begin his campaign for a second world title on April 21, while O'Sullivan starts on the same day. If both O'Sullivan and John Higgins progress, they will face off in the last 16. Additional prizes, including a £40,000 bonus for the highest break and £147,000 for making two maximum breaks across the season's Triple Crown events, will be up for grabs. The tournament has had 24 different champions since 1977, with Zhao Xintong being the most recent winner in 2025, becoming the first champion from Asia.