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

The reigning champion, Zhao Xintong, returns to the Crucible Theatre as Ronnie O'Sullivan seeks a record eighth world title at the World Snooker Championship. They will face stiff competition from Judd Trump and four-time champion Mark Selby, as well as Kyren Wilson, Neil Robertson, and Shaun Murphy, starting April 18. With a rich history dating back to 1927, the tournament has been dominated by legends such as Joe Davis, Steve Davis, and Stephen Hendry. O'Sullivan, who will be making his 34th consecutive appearance at the iconic venue, will attempt to break the 'Crucible Curse' and become the first player to successfully defend the title since 1980. The top 16 seeds will be randomly drawn against the 16 players who advance from the qualifying rounds on April 16. All first-round matches are best of 19 frames. The tournament will feature notable players such as Mark Allen, Xiao Guodong, Mark Williams, and Barry Hawkins on the first day. Judd Trump will begin his bid for a second world title on April 21, while O'Sullivan starts on the same day. If O'Sullivan and John Higgins both advance to the next round, they will face each other in the last 16. Bonuses of £40,000 and £10,000 will be awarded for maximum breaks made at the main stage and in the qualifying rounds, respectively. An additional £147,000 bonus is available to any player who makes two maximum breaks across the Triple Crown events and the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters. Since 1977, there have been 24 different champions, with Zhao Xintong being the most recent winner in 2025. Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan currently share the record with seven titles each.