The World Snooker Championship will be held at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, with qualifiers taking place at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield. The top 16 players in the world rankings qualify directly for the Crucible, though which specific top 16 seeds will face which qualifiers in the first round remains to be determined by the draw. The main tournament at the Crucible begins on Saturday, April 18, with the exact number of spectators expected at the venue still unknown.
Among the top contenders, Zhao Xintong enters as the defending world champion, while Judd Trump holds the current world number one ranking. Ronnie O'Sullivan, a seven-time world champion, is competing with the possibility of winning a record-breaking eighth world title, and Mark Selby, a four-time world champion, adds to the field of former winners. Whether Zhao Xintong will successfully defend his title and break the 'Crucible Curse' is one of the tournament's key uncertainties.
International representation has reached new heights this year, with China fielding a record 11 players in the World Snooker Championship. Four players are making their Crucible debuts: Stan Moody, Liam Pullen, Antoni Kowalski, and He Guoqiang. Kowalski's qualification marks a historic moment as he becomes the first Polish player to reach the Crucible. Hossein Vafaei remains the only Iranian player to have played at the venue, emphasizing the global spread of the sport.
Player stories from the qualifying rounds have added drama to the buildup. Mark Davis is fighting to maintain his professional status at World Championship qualifying, with the pressure mounting in recent years. Elliot Slessor struggles to control his emotions during snooker matches. Zak Surety made four centuries in his Crucible debut match last year, showcasing his potential. In low-confidence reports, Marco Fu won his first-round qualifying match 10-1 against Mink Nutcharut, and Ken Doherty lost his qualifying match and will not return to the Crucible.
The Champions Dinner for world champions will take place before the World Championship, though how many world champions will attend this year is not yet confirmed. Kyren Wilson will miss the Champions Dinner due to his wife's surgery, adding a personal note to the event's preparations.