The World Snooker Championship 2025 starts on April 18 as Kyren Wilson bids to break the ‘Crucible curse’ by becoming the first maiden winner to retain the title, while Ronnie O’Sullivan goes for an eighth crown.
The action starts on Saturday morning when Wilson begins the defence of his title at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre at 10am when he takes on Lei Peifan.
World No 1 and 2019 champion Judd Trump has been drawn against Zhou Yuelong, while Mark Selby faces Ben Woollaston.
Seven-time world champion O’Sullivan faces old foe Ali Carter and confirmed his participation on Friday, saying: “I’m proud to continue my record of having never missed a World Championship. I have many fond memories at The Crucible and look forward to making more in 2025.
“I’ve enjoyed some good prep with my (new!) cue over the last week so feel good ahead of Tuesday.”
2025 World Championship draw
Top Half
First quarter
Kyren Wilson (1) vs Lei Peifan
Jak Jones (16) vs Zhao Xintong
Neil Robertson (9) vs Chris Wakelin
Mark Allen (8) vs Fan Zhengyi
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Second quarter
Ronnie O’Sullivan (5) vs Ali Carter
Zhang Anda (12) vs Pang Junxu
Si Jiahui (13) vs David Gilbert
Mark Selby (4) vs Ben Woollaston
Bottom Half
Third quarter
John Higgins (3) vs Joe O’Connor
Xiao Guodong (14) vs Matt Selt
Barry Hawkins (11) vs Hossein Vafaei
Mark Williams (6) vs Wu Yize
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Fourth quarter
Luca Brecel (7) vs Ryan Day
Ding Junhui (10) vs Zak Surety
Shaun Murphy (15) vs Dan Wells
Judd Trump (2) vs Zhou Yuelong
World Snooker Championship schedule
First round
Saturday 19 April
First round
10am
Kyren Wilson (1) vs Lei Peifan
Xiao Guodong (14) vs Matthew Selt
2.30pm
Neil Robertson (9) vs Chris Wakelin
Mark Williams (6) vs Wu Yize
7pm
Kyren Wilson (1) vs Lei Peifan
Barry Hawkins (11) vs Hossein Vafaei
Sunday 20 April
First round
10am
Jak Jones (16) vs Zhao Xintong
Xiao Guodong (14) vs Matthew Selt
2.30pm
Mark Allen (8) vs Fan Zhengyi
Mark Williams (6) vs Wu Yize
7pm
Neil Robertson (9) vs Chris Wakelin
Barry Hawkins (11) vs Hossein Vafaei
Monday 21 April
First round
10am
John Higgins (3) vs Joe O’Connor
Jak Jones (16) vs Zhao Xintong
2.30pm
Ding Junhui (10) vs Zak Surety
Mark Allen (8) vs Fan Zhengyi
7pm
Si Jiahui (13) vs David Gilbert
John Higgins (3) vs Joe O’Connor
Tuesday 22 April
First round
10am
Zhang Anda (12) vs Pang Junxu
Shaun Murphy (15) vs Daniel Wells
2.30pm
Ronnie O’Sullivan (5) vs Ali Carter
Ding Junhui (10) vs Zak Surety
7pm
Judd Trump (2) vs Zhou Yuelong
Si Jiahui (13) vs David Gilbert
Wednesday 23 April
First round
10am
Zhang Anda (12) vs Pang Junxu
Shaun Murphy (15) vs Daniel Wells
2.30pm
Ronnie O’Sullivan (5) vs Ali Carter
Luca Brecel (7) vs Ryan Day
7pm
Mark Selby (4) vs Ben Woollaston
Judd Trump (2) vs Zhou Yuelong
Thursday 24 April
First round
Mark Selby (4) vs Ben Woollaston
Second round
Schedule TBC
Friday 25 April
Second round
Saturday 26 April
Second round/quarter-finals
Sunday 27 April
Second round
Monday 28 April
Second round
Tuesday 29 April
Quarter-finals
Wednesday 30 April
Quarter-finals
Thursday 1 May
Semi-finals
Friday 2 May
Semi-finals
Saturday 3 May
Semi-finals
Sunday 4 May
Final
13:00-18:00
19:00-22:00
Monday 5 May
Final
13:00-16:00
19:00-22:00
What’s the World Snooker Championship format?
Morning sessions are scheduled to begin at 10am each day, with afternoon sessions starting at 2:30pm and evening sessions at 7pm.
First-round matches are the best of 19 frames, while second round and quarter-final matches are played over a maximum of 25.
Semi-final matches are best of 33 frames and the final is the best of 35 frames.
The final will begin at 1pm on Sunday May 4 and Monday May 5, with the evening sessions for the final beginning at 7pm.
How much is the Crucible prize money?
The winner will receive £500,000 and there is total prize fund of £2,395,000.
Jackson Page became the first player in the history of the game to record two maximum 147 breaks in the same match during a 10-2 qualifying victory over Allan Taylor.
The Welshman’s exploits earned him the £147,000 Triple Crown bonus, awarded to any player who records multiple 147 breaks in one of the Triple Crown events – the World Snooker Championship, The Masters and the UK Championship – during the same season.
Page is also on course for the £15,000 highest break bonus for the tournament itself, and that’s before we take into account standard prize money for progressing through the tournament.
World Snooker Championship – previous 10 winners
2024: Kyren Wilson
2023: Luca Brecel
2022: Ronnie O’Sullivan
2021: Mark Selby
2020: Ronnie O’Sullivan
2019: Judd Trump
2018: Mark Williams
2017: Mark Selby
2016: Mark Selby
2015: Stuart Bingham