2026 World Snooker Championship Starts at Crucible

The 2026 World Snooker Championship begins Saturday at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre, where defending champion Zhao Xintong of China will launch his title defense against qualifier Liam Highfield in the opening match, setting the stage for a 17-day tournament featuring top players vying for glory and a record prize.

Zhao, who became the first Chinese winner last year by defeating Mark Williams in the final, enters as the top seed and bookmaker favorite. He faces a formidable challenge in overcoming the so-called Crucible Curse, under which no first-time champion has successfully defended the title since the event moved to the venue in 1977. Only four players have achieved back-to-back victories there: Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O'Sullivan and Mark Selby. Zhao begins his bid with what appears a favorable first-round matchup, a best-of-19 frames encounter, but a potential second-round clash with fellow Chinese player Ding Junhui could test his form early.

Ronnie O'Sullivan, the 50-year-old Englishman tied with Hendry on seven modern-era world titles, opens Tuesday against Crucible debutant He Guoqiang of China. The 25-year-old qualifier has defeated O'Sullivan in two of...