Ding Junhui, Judd Trump and Mark Williams among players looking to stop Ronnie O’Sullivan winning record eighth World Snooker Championship; tournament runs from April 20 to May 6 at The Crucible in Sheffield, with champion taking home £500,000 and £40,000 awarded for 147 break
The 2024 World Snooker Championship takes place in Sheffield between April 20 and May 6 with Luca Brecel the defending champion and Ronnie O’Sullivan targeting a record eighth title.
Belgian star Brecel defeated O’Sullivan 13-10 at the quarter-final stage at The Crucible last year before beating four-time world champion Mark Selby in the final to become the first player from mainland Europe to claim snooker’s top prize.
O’Sullivan won the World Championship in 2022 to equal Stephen Hendry’s record of seven Crucible crowns and comes into the 2024 event having won five titles in the 2023-2024 season, including The Masters and the UK Championship for a record eighth time each.
The 48-year-old will become only the fourth player to win snooker’s three Triple Crown events (World Championship, The Masters, UK Championship) in the same season if he triumphs in Sheffield, after Steve Davis, Hendry (twice) and Mark Williams.
Second seed O’Sullivan begins his tournament on 2.30pm on Wednesday April 24 against Jackson Page, with top seed Brecel kicking his defence off at 10am on the opening day against David Gilbert and then concluding his opening match later that evening.
If the 32-player tournament goes according to seedings, O’Sullivan will face Barry Hawkins in round two, Ding Junhui in the quarter-finals, Judd Trump in the semi-finals and Brecel in the final on Sunday May 5 and Monday May 6.
Brecel’s route would see him meet Robert Milkins in the last 16, Shaun Murphy in the quarters and Mark Allen in the semis – although the defending champion is not among the most fancied players after only reaching one ranking quarter-final this season.
In the first round, the 16 seeds are drawn against the 16 players who advanced through qualifying.
Six-time runner-up Jimmy White, 1997 champion Ken Doherty and 2010 winner Neil Robertson all failed to make it through qualifying.
Full first-round draw – Best of 19 frames (seeding number in brackets)
(1) Luca Brecel 9-10 David Gilbert
(16) Robert Milkins vs Pang Junxu
(9) Ali Carter vs Stephen Maguire
(8) Shaun Murphy vs Lyu Haotian
(5) Mark Selby vs Joe O’Connor
(12) Kyren Wilson vs Dominic Dale
(13) John Higgins vs Jamie Jones
(4) Mark Allen vs Robbie Williams
(3) Judd Trump vs Hossein Vafaei
(14) Tom Ford vs Ricky Walden
(11) Zhang Anda vs Jak Jones
(6) Mark Williams vs Si Jiahui
(7) Ding Junhui vs Jack Lisowski
(10) Gary Wilson vs Stuart Bingham
(15) Barry Hawkins vs Ryan Day
(2) Ronnie O’Sullivan vs Jackson Page
Where is the World Snooker Championship held?
The Crucible Theatre, in the heart of Sheffield, has staged the World Championship every year since 1977 and the venue’s current contract runs until 2027.
O’Sullivan recently told The Sun that he would like to see the World Championship moved, suggesting Saudi Arabia and China as alternatives.
What do you get for making a maximum 147 break?
Any player who makes a maximum break at the World Championship will receive £40,000, with 14 having been made over the years – including two in the 2023 tournament.
Kyren Wilson achieved the feat in the opening round before Selby became the first player to hit a 147 in a final during his 18-15 defeat to Brecel.
World Snooker Championship – last 10 winners
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
2014: Mark Selby
World Snooker Championship 2024 – latest first-round schedule
Sunday April 21
10am
Mark Selby vs Joe O’Connor
Zhang Anda vs Jak Jones
2.30pm
Shaun Murphy vs Lyu Haotian
Judd Trump vs Hossein Vafaei
7pm
Ali Carter vs Stephen Maguire
Tom Ford vs Ricky Walden
Monday April 22
10am
Shaun Murphy vs Lyu Haotian
Gary Wilson vs Stuart Bingham
2.30pm
Mark Selby vs Joe O’Connor
Mark Williams vs Si Jiahui
7pm
Robert Milkins vs Pang Junxu
Gary Wilson vs Stuart Bingham
Tuesday April 23
10am
Kyren Wilson vs Dominic Dale
Ding Junhui vs Jack Lisowski
2.30pm
Mark Allen vs Robbie Williams
Mark Williams vs Si Jiahui
7pm
Robert Milkins vs Pang Junxu
Barry Hawkins vs Ryan Day
Wednesday April 24
10am
Kyren Wilson vs Dominic Dale
Ding Junhui vs Jack Lisowski
2.30pm
Mark Allen vs Robbie Williams
Ronnie O’Sullivan vs Jackson Page
7pm
John Higgins vs Jamie Jones
Barry Hawkins vs Ryan Day
Thursday, April 25
1pm
Ronnie O’Sullivan vs Jackson Page
7pm
John Higgins vs Jamie Jones
Second round – Thursday April 25-Monday April 29
Quarter-finals – Tuesday April 30-Wednesday May 1
Semi-finals – Thursday May 2, Friday May 3, Saturday May 4
Final – Sunday May 5 and Monday May 6