Ronnie O'Sullivan eyes eighth World Snooker Championship

Ronnie O’Sullivan begins his quest for a record-breaking eighth World Snooker Championship title at the Crucible Theatre on 18 April.

The 50th edition of the iconic Sheffield tournament runs until 4 May and features a highly anticipated title defence from China’s Zhao Xintong.

The reigning champion returns to the baize as the top seed and faces the daunting task of overcoming the infamous Crucible Curse.

Zhao bids to break Crucible Curse

No maiden winner has successfully defended the prestigious trophy, with 21 players trying and failing since 1980.

The trailblazing Chinese star will open proceedings on the first morning, playing to a conclusion during the evening session.

He will be joined in the opening day’s action by leading contenders including Mark Allen, Mark Williams and Barry Hawkins.

The legendary Englishman makes an unprecedented 34th consecutive appearance at the famous venue this year.

Seeded 12th for the 2026 event, the seven-time world champion gets his campaign under way during the afternoon session on 21 April.

Should the veteran progress past his opening-round qualifier, a mouth-watering last-16 clash against historic rival John Higgins could await.

World number one Judd Trump enters the competition as the second seed and begins his challenge for a second world crown on 21 April.

The top five automatic seeds for the tournament feature heavily decorated former champions and recent finalists.

The remaining 16 spots in the main draw will be randomly drawn against the top seeds following the conclusion of the qualifying rounds on 16 April.