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

The World Snooker Championship is set to commence with defending champion Zhao Xintong returning to the Crucible, while Ronnie O'Sullivan aims to make history with a record-breaking eighth world title. They will face stiff competition from Judd Trump, four-time champion Mark Selby, Kyren Wilson, Neil Robertson, and Shaun Murphy, starting from April 18. The tournament, which has been ongoing since 1927, boasts a rich history, from the dominance of Joe Davis in the early years to the modern era with O'Sullivan and Stephen Hendry. Since the introduction of 32 players in the first round in 1982, no tournament has seen all 16 top seeds advance to the second round. Zhao will attempt to overcome the 'Crucible Curse' and become the first maiden winner to successfully defend the title, a feat that has eluded 21 players since 1980. O'Sullivan, who will be making his 34th consecutive appearance at the iconic venue, was the last first-time champion to reach the semi-finals, losing to Hendry in 2002. The top 16 seeds will be drawn at random against the 16 players who emerge from the qualifying rounds on April 16. Additional bonuses of £40,000 and £10,000 will be offered for maximum breaks made at the main stage and in the qualifying rounds, respectively. An extra bonus of £147,000 is also available to any player who achieves two maximums across this season's Triple Crown events and the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters. Since 1977, there have been 24 different champions, with Zhao Xintong being the most recent, becoming the first champion from Asia in 2025. O'Sullivan and Hendry currently share the record with seven titles each.