O’Sullivan to play China’s He in Crucible round one

Final Dates and Key Match

The 2026 World Snooker Championship final is scheduled for Sunday, 3 May, and Monday, 4 May. Ronnie O’Sullivan, the seven-time champion, will attempt to claim an eighth title in his first match at the Crucible Theatre, facing China’s He Guoqiang, a first-time entrant. O’Sullivan, 50, will begin his campaign on Tuesday and finish his opening round encounter by Wednesday.

Qualifying Highlights

Seventeen players have secured their spots for the tournament, with 16 qualifying through the English Institute of Sport. He Guoqiang earned his place by defeating Jack Lisowski of England in a crucial match. Meanwhile, Zhao Xintong, the first Chinese player to win a world title, claimed the 2025 championship and will compete in the first session on Saturday (10:00 BST), challenging Liam Highfield, who advanced via four qualifying rounds.

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Draw and Notable Encounters

The draw was revealed during a BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast session on Thursday. Other high-profile fixtures include Judd Trump, the reigning world number one, against Gary Wilson, and Masters champion Kyren Wilson facing Stan Moody, a 19-year-old debutant. Four-time winner John Higgins will meet Ali Carter, while Mark Selby, with four Crucible titles, will take on Jak Jones, the 2024 runner-up.

First-Round Fixtures

The first-round matches span from Saturday, 18 April, to Thursday, 23 April, with all games set as best-of-19 frames. Seeds are listed in brackets: – Zhao Xintong (China, 1) vs Liam Highfield (England) – Ding Junhui (China, 16) vs David Gilbert (England) – Xiao Guodong (China, 9) vs Zhou Yuelong (China) – Shaun Murphy (England, 8) vs Fan Zhengyi (China) – John Higgins (Scotland, 5) vs Ali Carter (England) – Ronnie O’Sullivan (England, 12) vs He Guoqiang (China) – Chris Wakelin (England, 13) vs Liam Pullen (England) – Neil Robertson (Australia, 4) vs Pang Junxu (China) – Kyren Wilson (England, 3) vs Stan Moody (England) – Mark Allen (Northern Ireland, 14) vs Zhang Anda (China) – Barry Hawkins (England, 11) vs Matthew Stevens (Wales) – Mark Williams (Wales, 6) vs Antoni Kowalski (Poland) – Mark Selby (England, 7) vs Jak Jones (Wales) – Wu Yize (China, 10) vs Lei Peifan (China) – Si Jiahui (China, 15) vs Hossein Vafaei (Iran) – Judd Trump (England, 2) vs Gary Wilson (England)

Crucible History and Venue Upgrades

The Crucible Theatre has hosted the World Championship annually since 1977 and will continue to do so until 2045. A recent announcement confirmed its relocation to a new venue with expanded seating capacity, adding up to 500 seats. This year’s 17-day event kicks off on Saturday, with the final concluding on Monday, 4 May, and full coverage available on the BBC.