Vafaei first qualifier to win at Crucible in 2026

World Championship 2026: Match schedule, BBC TV times & results

Hossein Vafaei has advanced to the last 16 of the World Championship for the third time in his career, following his appearances in 2023 and 2025. The Iranian qualifier made history by overcoming a seeded player in this year’s tournament, defeating China’s Si Jiahui 10-3. This victory sets up a clash against world number one Judd Trump.

Si Jiahui, a semifinalist in 2023, began with a 3-1 lead, but Vafaei, ranked 32nd globally, turned the tide with a remarkable run of nine consecutive frame wins. His standout performance included breaks of 81, 61, 60, 105, 53, 78, and 68. During the final three frames of the first session on Wednesday and the next four on Thursday, Si managed just 64 points combined, while Vafaei displayed consistent form.

“He is one of my friends and a nice guy on and off the table. He is the world number one, so it’s the best match,” Vafaei remarked. “I’m getting a lot of support from back home, and they would love me to do very good in this tournament.” “Si is one of the best players China has, so a tough opponent for me. I respect his game and I’m one of his fans—he is such a great player.”

With Vafaei’s win, the initial 14 matches of the tournament saw all seeded players prevail, ending the possibility of a perfect sweep. However, the 15-16 seed record from the first round, previously set in 1983 and matched in 1993, remains within reach if fourth seed Neil Robertson defeats Pang Junxu. The Australian, 2010 champion, holds a 5-4 advantage in that match, which concluded during Thursday’s evening session at 19:00 BST.