All eyes are on Kyren Wilson as he aims to become the first man to defeat the Crucible Curse
Sport Fraser Clarke Sport Trends Writer 18:00, 18 Apr 2025
It's the date the entire snooker season builds towards, and the world's best are now ready to do battle at the Crucible.
Kyren Wilson is the man to beat, and the Warrior has looked typically fearless when asked about the Crucible Curse - which he is confident he can break.
No first time champion has defended their title since the move to the iconic venue in 1977, and a packed field of stars will include Ronnie O'Sullivan - after the Rocket confirmed he'll be in Sheffield, and kicks off his campaign for a record-breaking eighth world title with a tasty opening round tie against nemesis Ali Carter.
John Higgins' participation however has been thrown into doubt, as his father-in-law suffered a heart attack - with the Wizard of Wishaw always one to put family matters ahead of a battle on the baize.
Other names to watch out for include Mark Selby, picked by Stephen Hendry as his favourite for the crown, and Zhao Xintong - back from a ban - after he excelled in qualifying, showing that he'd lost none of his talent.
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There's plenty to look forward to with the greatest prize in snooker back on the line, and Record Sport is here to ensure you don't miss a single ball.
When is the World Snooker Championship?
The World Snooker Championship gets underway at 10am on Saturday April 19, with reigning champ Kyren Wilson facing Lei Peifan in the opening match.
What TV channel is the World Snooker Championship on?
Fans of free-to-air TV can rejoice, the whole event will be live on the BBC. Opening day coverage begins at 10am on BBC Two. It moves to BBC One at 1.15pm and then BBC Four from 7pm.
The whole event will also be broadcast live on TNT Sport 3 for the duration of the tournament, with coverage underway at 10am, 2.30pm and 6.30pm.
Can I stream World Snooker Championship?
You can! Every match throughout the event will be available to watch live and free on the BBC iPlayer.
Discovery+ subscribers can also watch all the action live and on demand, with plans costing £30.99 a month.
What is the format of the World Snooker Championship?
First-round matches are the best of 19 frames. Second round and quarter-final matches are played over a maximum of 25.
The semi-finals are best of 33 frames with the final a the best of 35 frame epic.
What is the prize money for the World Snooker Championship?
A staggering £2.3m prize pot is on offer to the 32 players battling for glory in Sheffield, with £500,000 on the table for the winner.
- Winner: £500,000
- Runner-up: £200,000
- Semi-finalists: £100,000
- Quarter-finalists: £50,000
- Last 16: £30,000
- Last 32: £20,000
- Highest break (including qualifying): £15,000
When is the final of the World Snooker Championship?
The final takes place across four sessions starting at 1pm on Sunday May 4. The afternoon sessions begin at 7pm, with the same schedule in place a day later where a winner will be crowned.
Saturday April 19
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 April 20
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
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
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
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
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10am Mark Selby (4) vs Ben Woollaston
