The 2026 World Seniors Snooker Championship will happen this week with an expanded area and a bunch of high-profile names competing on the Crucible Theatre.
The favored occasion on the World Seniors Snooker Tour runs from Could sixth to tenth in Sheffield, starting simply two days after the conclusion of the 2026 World Snooker Championship on the similar iconic venue.
Defending champion Alfie Burden returns as the highest seed, however the 2026 version boasts one of many strongest line-ups within the event’s historical past with the sector elevated from 16 to 24 gamers.
Who’s within the 2026 World Seniors Championship draw?
There may be appreciable intrigue surrounding this 12 months’s draw with a number of adorned professionals becoming a member of the seniors ranks.
Seven-time world champion and all-time legend Ronnie O’Sullivan headlines the sector alongside six-time rating occasion winners Stuart Bingham and Ali Carter, all of whom are seeded by to the final 16.
Burden begins his title defence towards both 2024 champion Igor Figueiredo or Mohamed Elkhayat, whereas Joe Perry – the reigning British Seniors Open champion and second seed – will face Reanne Evans or Aaron Canavan.
Mark Williams was due to participate however has withdrawn, with substitute Nigel Bond opening his marketing campaign towards Craig Steadman or Neal Jones as an alternative.
Bingham is ready to fulfill both Peter Strains or Anthony Hamilton, whereas Carter will make his maiden seniors bow towards both Tony Drago or Roger Farebrother.
One of many standout ties within the opening spherical sees Ken Doherty tackle Gerard Greene in an all-Eire conflict, with the winner incomes a high-profile showdown towards O’Sullivan.
Jimmy White, a document four-time world seniors champion and bidding to roll again the years as soon as once more in Sheffield, may even function within the first spherical towards qualifier Daniel Ward.
Robert Milkins, this season relegated from the primary tour, awaits the winner of that tie, whereas Matthew Stevens will play both two-time rating occasion winner Dominic Dale or Wayne Townsend.
With the highest eight seeds receiving byes into the final 16, the opening couple of days promise loads of aggressive motion earlier than the event intensifies later within the week.
Gamers will compete for a complete prize fund of £80,000 – up from £50,000 final 12 months.
The winner is ready to obtain £30,000, making it the biggest prize within the historical past of the World Seniors Snooker Tour.
2026 World Seniors Snooker Championship Draw
Spherical 1 – Final 24 (bo7)
Igor Figueiredo 4-2 Mohamed Elkhayat
Jimmy White 4-1 Daniel Ward
Peter Strains 4-2 Anthony Hamilton
Ken Doherty 4-3 Gerard Greene
Craig Steadman 4-0 Neal Jones
Tony Drago 2-4 Roger Farebrother
Dominic Dale 4-0 Wayne Townsend
Reanne Evans 2-4 Aaron Canavan
Spherical 2 – Final 16 (bo7)
Alfie Burden 0-4 Igor Figueiredo
Robert Milkins 4-3 Jimmy White
Stuart Bingham 2-4 Peter Strains
Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-1 Ken Doherty
Nigel Bond 3-4 Craig Steadman
Ali Carter 4-2 Roger Farebrother
Matthew Stevens 4-2 Dominic Dale
Joe Perry 4-2 Aaron Canavan
Quarter-Finals (bo7)
Igor Figueiredo 1-4 Robert Milkins
Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-2 Peter Strains
Craig Steadman 4-3 Ali Carter
Matthew Stevens 1-4 Joe Perry
Semi-Finals (bo13)
Robert Milkins vs Ronnie O’Sullivan
(Could ninth, 12:30 BST)
Craig Steadman vs Joe Perry
(Could ninth, 19:00 BST)
Last (bo19)
Milkins/O’Sullivan vs Steadman/Perry
(Could tenth, 12:30 and 19:00 BST)
Who’re the betting favourites?
All-time nice and seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan heads the outright betting market because the clear favorite at 8/11.
Ali Carter (5/1) and Stuart Bingham (6/1) are additionally among the many main contenders this 12 months.
Defending champion Alfie Burden might be aiming to mount a powerful defence of his crown and is priced at 25/1, whereas Joe Perry’s latest success on the seniors circuit enhances his credentials at 16/1.
Additional down the market, Jimmy White is a 50/1 outsider however stays a harmful opponent given his pedigree on this competitors.
What’s the format?
The format has undergone some notable tweaks for the 2026 version, each by way of match size and the way tied matches are determined.
The primary spherical, final 16, and quarter-finals might be contested over the best-of-seven frames, with the semi-finals prolonged to best-of-13 and the ultimate performed over 19 frames.
Nonetheless, in a big departure from conventional guidelines, matches is not going to function a deciding body.
As a substitute, if gamers are tied at 3-3, 6-6, or 9-9 relying on the spherical, the competition might be settled by a black-ball shootout.
watch the World Seniors Snooker Championship?
Viewers in the UK and components of Eire will be capable of watch the 2026 World Seniors Snooker Championship reside throughout 5, 5 Motion, and the 5 app.
Pluto TV may even present reside streaming protection within the UK and internationally, relying on location.
Quite a few tickets are nonetheless obtainable for followers wishing to attend on the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.
What occurred final 12 months?
In 2025, Alfie Burden gained the World Seniors Snooker Championship title with an 8-4 victory over Aaron Canavan within the closing.
The Englishman produced a composed show on the Crucible Theatre to safe some of the important titles of his profession.
Earlier World Seniors Snooker Championship Finals
1991: Cliff Wilson 5-4 Eddie Charlton
2010: Jimmy White 4-1 Steve Davis
2011: Darren Morgan 2-1 Steve Davis
2012: Nigel Bond 2-0 Tony Chappel
2013: Steve Davis 2-1 Nigel Bond
2015: Mark Williams 2-1 Fergal O’Brien
2016: Mark Davis 2-1 Darren Morgan
2017: Peter Strains 4-0 John Parrott
2018: Aaron Canavan 4-3 Patrick Wallace
2019: Jimmy White 5-3 Darren Morgan
2020: Jimmy White 5-4 Ken Doherty
2021: David Lilley 5-3 Jimmy White
2022: Lee Walker 5-4 Jimmy White
2023: Jimmy White 5-3 Alfie Burden
2024: Igor Figueiredo 5-2 Ken Doherty
2025: Alfie Burden 8-4 Aaron Canavan
Featured picture credit score: WST
