The 2026 World Snooker Championship qualifiers commence on Monday with the likes of Stuart Bingham, Jimmy White, Jack Lisowski, and Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in the draw.
As usual, 16 qualifiers will emerge with tickets to compete at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield towards the end of April.
The top 16 players from the world rankings list have already gained automatic spots at the venue stages of the season’s final ranking event.
The likes of reigning world champion Zhao Xintong and world number one Judd Trump will definitely feature in the first round proper of this year’s World Championship as the top two seeds.
Top 16 Seeds
1. Zhao Xintong
2. Judd Trump
3. Kyren Wilson
4. Neil Robertson
5. John Higgins
6. Mark Williams
7. Mark Selby
8. Shaun Murphy
9. Xiao Guodong
10. Wu Yize
11. Barry Hawkins
12. Ronnie O’Sullivan
13. Chris Wakelin
14. Mark Allen
15. Si Jiahui
16. Ding Junhui
The remaining 128 competitors in the 2026 World Snooker Championship draw will head to the dreaded qualifiers at the English Institute of Sport.
There are four rounds in total during the preliminary phase of the sport’s blue-riband competition, with the higher-ranked players from numbers 17 to 48 in the world entering in round three.
Stuart Bingham, Ali Carter, Stephen Maguire, and Jack Lisowski, and Thepchaiya Un-Nooh are among some of the notable competitors who will join the fray at this point.
The players ranked from 49 to 80 will enter before that in the second round, with all the lower seeds facing the daunting task of having to win all four rounds to qualify.
Most of the field comprises professional players from the World Snooker Tour, but the remaining spots in the draw have been filled by various WPBSA invitees and Q School top-ups.
Hammad Miah, for example, gets in on the back of his triumph at the WSF Championship while Alfie Burden will also feature thanks to his memorable win at the Snooker Shoot Out.
Six-time Crucible runner-up Jimmy White, 1997 world champion Ken Doherty, and reigning women’s world champion Bai Yulu will additionally be involved from the first qualifying round.
In another important subplot to proceedings in Sheffield, the qualifiers will represent the last opportunity for players outside the world’s top 64 to secure tour survival.
Among the familiar names at risk of being relegated are Doherty, Robert Milkins, Mark Davis, and Jordan Brown.
When are the World Snooker Championship qualifiers?
The 2026 World Snooker Championship qualifiers run from April 6 to 15, with every match taking place over the best of 19 frames.
The main stages at the Crucible Theatre commence on Saturday, April 18.
2026 World Snooker Championship qualifiers
– draw and schedule –
Qualifier 1
Round 1
Mitchell Mann vs Wang Xinbo
Mon, Apr 6 – 10:00 and 19:00
Jonas Luz vs Peter Lines
Mon, Apr 6 – 10:00 and 19:00
Round 2
Iulian Boiko vs Mann/Wang
Wed, Apr 8 – 14:30 and Thu, Apr 9 – 14:30
Scott Donaldson vs Luz/Lines
Wed, Apr 8 – 14:30 and Thu, Apr 9 – 14:30
Round 3
Stuart Bingham vs Boiko/Mann/Wang
Sat, Apr 11 – 10:00 and 19:00
Matthew Stevens vs Donaldson/Luz/Lines
Sat, Apr 11 – 10:00 and 19:00
Round 4
Bingham/Boiko/Mann/Wang vs Stevens/Donaldson/Luz/Lines
Tues, Apr 14 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 2
Round 1
Michal Szubarczyk vs Ng On Yee
Mon, Apr 6 – 10:00 and 19:00
Gao Yang vs Jimmy White
Mon, Apr 6 – 10:00 and 19:00
Round 2
Sanderson Lam vs Szubarczyk/Ng
Wed, Apr 8 – 14:30 and Thu, Apr 9 – 14:30
Mark Davis vs Gao/White
Wed, Apr 8 – 14:30 and Thu, Apr 9 – 14:30
Round 3
Hossein Vafaei vs Lam/Szubarczyk/Ng
Sat, Apr 11 – 10:00 and Sat, Apr 11 – 19:00
Tom Ford vs Davis/Gao/White
Sat, Apr 11 – 10:00 and Sat, Apr 11 – 19:00
Round 4
Vafaei/Lam/Szubarczyk/Ng vs Ford/Davis/Gao/White
Tues, Apr 14 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 3
Round 1
Yao Pengcheng vs Ryan Davies
Mon, Apr 6 – 10:00 and 19:00
Huang Jiahao vs Leone Crowley
Mon, Apr 6 – 10:00 and 19:00
Round 2
David Lilley vs Yao/Davies
Wed, Apr 8 – 14:30 and Thu, Apr 9 – 14:30
Duane Jones vs Huang/Crowley
Wed, Apr 8 – 14:30 and Thu, Apr 9 – 14:30
Round 3
Aaron Hill vs Lilley/Yao/Davies
Sat, Apr 11 – 10:00 and Sat, Apr 11 – 19:00
David Gilbert vs Jones/Huang/Crowley
Sat, Apr 11 – 10:00 and Sat, Apr 11 – 19:00
Round 4
Hill/Lilley/Yao/Davies vs Gilbert/Jones/Huang/Crowley
Tues, Apr 14 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 4
Round 1
Bai Yulu vs Daniel Womersley
Mon, Apr 6 – 10:00 and 19:00
Robbie McGuigan vs Hammad Miah
Mon, Apr 6 – 10:00 and 19:00
Round 2
Michael Holt vs Bai/Womersley
Wed, Apr 8 – 14:30 and Thu, Apr 9 – 14:30
Gong Chenzhi vs McGuigan/Miah
Wed, Apr 8 – 14:30 and Thu, Apr 9 – 14:30
Round 3
Daniel Wells vs Holt/Bai/Womersley
Sat, Apr 11 – 10:00 and Sat, Apr 11 – 19:00
Zhou Yuelong vs Gong/McGuigan/Miah
Sat, Apr 11 – 10:00 and Sat, Apr 11 – 19:00
Round 4
Wells/Holt/Bai/Womersley vs Zhou/Gong/McGuigan/Miah
Tues, Apr 14 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 5
Round 1
Cheung Ka Wai vs Ashley Carty
Mon, Apr 6 – 14:30 and Tues, Apr 7 – 14:30
Ross Muir vs Mykhailo Larkov
Mon, Apr 6 – 14:30 and Tues, Apr 7 – 14:30
Round 2
Jiang Jun vs Cheung/Carty
Thu, Apr 9 – 10:00 and Thu, Apr 9 – 19:00
Robbie Williams vs Muir/Larkov
Thu, Apr 9 – 10:00 and Thu, Apr 9 – 19:00
Round 3
Elliot Slessor vs Jiang/Cheung/Carty
Sun, Apr 12 – 10:00 and Sun, Apr 12 – 19:00
Stan Moody vs Williams/Muir/Larkov
Sun, Apr 12 – 10:00 and Sun, Apr 12 – 19:00
Round 4
Slessor/Jiang/Cheung/Carty vs Moody/Williams/Muir/Larkov
Tues, Apr 14 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 6
Round 1
Haris Tahir vs Connor Benzey
Mon, Apr 6 – 14:30 and Tues, Apr 7 – 14:30
Reanne Evans vs Vladislav Gradinari
Mon, Apr 6 – 14:30 and Tues, Apr 7 – 14:30
Round 2
Antoni Kowalski vs Tahir/Benzey
Thu, Apr 9 – 10:00 and Thu, Apr 9 – 19:00
Jamie Jones vs Evans/Gradinari
Thu, Apr 9 – 10:00 and Thu, Apr 9 – 19:00
Round 3
Joe O’Connor vs Kowalski/Tahir/Benzey
Sun, Apr 12 – 10:00 and Sun, Apr 12 – 19:00
Matthew Selt vs Jones/Evans/Gradinari
Sun, Apr 12 – 10:00 and Sun, Apr 12 – 19:00
Round 4
O’Connor/Kowalski/Tahir/Benzey vs Selt/Jones/Evans/Gradinari
Tues, Apr 14 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 7
Round 1
Ken Doherty vs Patrick Whelan
Mon, Apr 6 – 14:30 and Tues, Apr 7 – 14:30
Dylan Emery vs Anton Kazakov
Mon, Apr 6 – 14:30 and Tues, Apr 7 – 14:30
Round 2
Robert Milkins vs Doherty/Whelan
Thu, Apr 9 – 10:00 and Thu, Apr 9 – 19:00
Artemijs Zizins vs Emery/Kazakov
Thu, Apr 9 – 10:00 and Thu, Apr 9 – 19:00
Round 3
Jackson Page vs Milkins/Doherty/Whelan
Sun, Apr 12 – 10:00 and Sun, Apr 12 – 19:00
Pang Junxu vs Zizins/Emery/Kazakov
Sun, Apr 12 – 10:00 and Sun, Apr 12 – 19:00
Round 4
Page/Milkins/Doherty/Whelan vs Pang/Zizins/Emery/Kazakov
Tues, Apr 14 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 8
Round 1
Mateus Baronowski vs Florian Nuessle
Mon, Apr 6 – 14:30 and Tues, Apr 7 – 14:30
Liam Pullen vs Alfie Burden
Mon, Apr 6 – 14:30 and Tues, Apr 7 – 14:30
Round 2
Ricky Walden vs Baronowski/Nuessle
Thu, Apr 9 – 10:00 and Thu, Apr 9 – 19:00
Amir Sarkhosh vs Pullen/Burden
Thu, Apr 9 – 10:00 and Thu, Apr 9 – 19:00
Round 3
Noppon Saengkham vs Walden/Baronowski/Nuessle
Sun, Apr 12 – 10:00 and Sun, Apr 12 – 19:00
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh vs Sarkhosh/Pullen/Burden
Sun, Apr 12 – 10:00 and Sun, Apr 12 – 19:00
Round 4
Saengkham/Walden/Baronowski/Nuessle vs Un-Nooh/Sarkhosh/Pullen/Burden
Tues, Apr 14 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 9
Round 1
Marco Fu vs Mink Nutcharut
Tues, Apr 7 – 10:00 and 19:00
Alexander Ursenbacher vs Prin Ratmukda
Tues, Apr 7 – 10:00 and 19:00
Round 2
Liam Davies vs Fu/Nutcharut
Fri, Apr 10 – 10:00 and Fri, Apr 10 – 19:00
Chang Bingyu vs Ursenbacher/Ratmukda
Fri, Apr 10 – 10:00 and Fri, Apr 10 – 19:00
Round 3
Jak Jones vs Davies/Fu/Nutcharut
Sun, Apr 12 – 14:30 and Mon, Apr 13 – 14:30
Luca Brecel vs Bingyu/Ursenbacher/Ratmukda
Sun, Apr 12 – 14:30 and Mon, Apr 13 – 14:30
Round 4
Jones/Davies/Fu/Nutcharut vs Brecel/Bingyu/Ursenbacher/Ratmukda
Wed, Apr 15 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 10
Round 1
Ian Burns vs Sahil Nayyar
Tues, Apr 7 – 10:00 and 19:00
Chris Totten vs Daniel Boyes
Tues, Apr 7 – 10:00 and 19:00
Round 2
Jordan Brown vs Burns/Nayyar
Fri, Apr 10 – 10:00 and Fri, Apr 10 – 19:00
Ishpreet Singh Chadha vs Totten/Boyes
Fri, Apr 10 – 10:00 and Fri, Apr 10 – 19:00
Round 3
Lei Peifan vs Brown/Burns/Nayyar
Sun, Apr 12 – 14:30 and Mon, Apr 13 – 14:30
Ryan Day vs Chadha/Totten/Boyes
Sun, Apr 12 – 14:30 and Mon, Apr 13 – 14:30
Round 4
Lei/Brown/Burns/Nayyar vs Day/Chadha/Totten/Boyes
Wed, Apr 15 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 11
Round 1
Xu Yichen vs Stuart Carrington
Tues, Apr 7 – 10:00 and 19:00
Steven Hallworth vs Kreishh Gurbaxani
Tues, Apr 7 – 10:00 and 19:00
Round 2
Liu Hongyu vs Xu/Carrington
Fri, Apr 10 – 10:00 and Fri, Apr 10 – 19:00
Allan Taylor vs Hallworth/Gurbaxani
Fri, Apr 10 – 10:00 and Fri, Apr 10 – 19:00
Round 3
Xu Si vs Hongyu/Xu/Carrington
Sun, Apr 12 – 14:30 and Mon, Apr 13 – 14:30
Gary Wilson vs Taylor/Hallworth/Gurbaxani
Sun, Apr 12 – 14:30 and Mon, Apr 13 – 14:30
Round 4
Si/Hongyu/Xu/Carrington vs Wilson/Taylor/Hallworth/Gurbaxani
Wed, Apr 15 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 12
Round 1
Liam Graham vs Oliver Sykes
Tues, Apr 7 – 10:00 and 19:00
Bulcsu Revesz vs Craig Steadman
Tues, Apr 7 – 10:00 and 19:00
Round 2
Lyu Haotian vs Graham/Sykes
Fri, Apr 10 – 10:00 and Fri, Apr 10 – 19:00
Louis Heathcote vs Revesz/Steadman
Fri, Apr 10 – 10:00 and Fri, Apr 10 – 19:00
Round 3
Zak Surety vs Lyu/Graham/Sykes
Sun, Apr 12 – 14:30 and Mon, Apr 13 – 14:30
Zhang Anda vs Heathcote/Revesz/Steadman
Sun, Apr 12 – 14:30 and Mon, Apr 13 – 14:30
Round 4
Surety/Lyu/Graham/Sykes vs Zhang/Heathcote/Revesz/Steadman
Wed, Apr 15 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 13
Round 1
David Grace vs Ashley Hugill
Wed, Apr 8 – 10:00 and 19:00
Zhao Hanyang vs Mahmoud El Hareedy
Wed, Apr 8 – 10:00 and 19:00
Round 2
Julien Leclercq vs Grace/Hugill
Fri, Apr 10 – 14:30 and Sat, Apr 11 – 14:30
Martin O’Donnell vs Zhao/El Hareedy
Fri, Apr 10 – 14:30 and Sat, Apr 11 – 14:30
Round 3
Ali Carter vs Leclercq/Grace/Hugill
Mon, Apr 13 – 10:00 and Mon, Apr 13 – 19:00
Anthony McGill vs O’Donnell/Zhao/El Hareedy
Mon, Apr 13 – 10:00 and Mon, Apr 13 – 19:00
Round 4
Carter/Leclercq/Grace/Hugill vs McGill/O’Donnell/Zhao/El Hareedy
Wed, Apr 15 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 14
Round 1
Liam Highfield vs Oliver Brown
Wed, Apr 8 – 10:00 and 19:00
Liu Wenwei vs Mark Lloyd
Wed, Apr 8 – 10:00 and 19:00
Round 2
Wang Yuchen vs Highfield/Brown
Fri, Apr 10 – 14:30 and Sat, Apr 11 – 14:30
Oliver Lines vs Liu/Lloyd
Fri, Apr 10 – 14:30 and Sat, Apr 11 – 14:30
Round 3
Stephen Maguire vs Wang/Highfield/Brown
Mon, Apr 13 – 10:00 and Mon, Apr 13 – 19:00
Ben Woollaston vs Lines/Liu/Lloyd
Mon, Apr 13 – 10:00 and Mon, Apr 13 – 19:00
Round 4
Maguire/Wang/Highfield/Brown vs Woollaston/Lines/Liu/Lloyd
Wed, Apr 15 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 15
Round 1
Lan Yuhao vs Chatchapong Nasa
Wed, Apr 8 – 10:00 and 19:00
Haydon Pinhey vs Jamie Clarke
Wed, Apr 8 – 10:00 and 19:00
Round 2
Fan Zhengyi vs Lan/Nasa
Fri, Apr 10 – 14:30 and Sat, Apr 11 – 14:30
Ben Mertens vs Pinhey/Clarke
Fri, Apr 10 – 14:30 and Sat, Apr 11 – 14:30
Round 3
Jimmy Robertson vs Fan/Lan/Nasa
Mon, Apr 13 – 10:00 and Mon, Apr 13 – 19:00
Yuan Sijun vs Mertens/Pinhey/Clarke
Mon, Apr 13 – 10:00 and Mon, Apr 13 – 19:00
Round 4
Robertson/Fan/Lan/Nasa vs Yuan/Mertens/Pinhey/Clarke
Wed, Apr 15 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 16
Round 1
Hatem Yassen vs Fergal Quinn
Wed, Apr 8 – 10:00 and 19:00
Farakh Ajaib vs Umut Dikme
Wed, Apr 8 – 10:00 and 19:00
Round 2
Long Zehuang vs Yassen/Quinn
Fri, Apr 10 – 14:30 and Sat, Apr 11 – 14:30
Sam Craigie vs Ajaib/Dikme
Fri, Apr 10 – 14:30 and Sat, Apr 11 – 14:30
Round 3
He Guoqiang vs Long/Yassen/Quinn
Mon, Apr 13 – 10:00 and Mon, Apr 13 – 19:00
Jack Lisowski vs Craigie/Ajaib/Dikme
Mon, Apr 13 – 10:00 and Mon, Apr 13 – 19:00
Round 4
He/Long/Yassen/Quinn vs Lisowski/Craigie/Ajaib/Dikme
Wed, Apr 15 – 11:00 and 17:00
How to watch the qualifiers
There are various ways to watch those in action in the 2026 World Snooker Championship qualifiers, depending on your location.
The final round – known as Judgement Day – will be available to watch on WST Play from any territory by signing up for a free account. Coverage of Judgement Day will also be available on YouTube.
A list of the global broadcasters is below:
UK, Ireland, and Mainland Europe: discovery+ in Germany, Italy and Austria and HBO Max in all other markets
China: Huya.com, Migu, CBSA-WPBSA Academy WeChat Channel, CBSA-WPBSA Academy Douyin
All other territories: WST Play
Featured photo credit: WST
What a commitment, thank you Dave.
There was just one tournament I was able to watch live snooker on Huya.com via You Tube, do you think that was just a one of? I truly hope I enjoy watching my first Crucible and thanks for your information over the season.
Not sure about Huya to be honest. Don’t think I’ve ever watched anything there.
I watch a lot on Huya streams, although I do subscrible to all of the snooker platforms. I am also frequently in China in any case. Some of the ‘streamers’ have some very interesting information, particurly about Chinese players who are practically unknown to British audiences and British commentators.
All tables are streamed on Huya, which is not always the case on TNT, WST.play or Matchroom. I often want to see younger players on outside tables. Huya also show CBSA Pro-Am events, and some from Thailand.
I doubt we will see a repeat of last year’s outcome: a first round qualifier winning the World’s; I’m fairly confident in that! Can’t say that I’m able to predict much more though. It’s looking like a highly competitive championship.
I understand many people in the UK are not exactly pleased with the results from the match between John Higgins and Zhao Xintong. However, you can take solace in the fact that it has taken basically a whole generation to watch someone who could take the pressure off the class of 92 with becoming the new star of this era. One match certainly does not make someone, however Zhao Xintong repeatedly is showing us things that no else in 2026 can do. It is not a particular match nor a tournament but the extraordinary high quality shots that many of the top 10 would not even consider taking on. It is not because he is reckless but because he pots those shots for fun. Combined with a stupid ability to control the cue ball and have it rest where he wants it; my friends, we are seeing the beginning of a new era long overdue. There many players passed Xintong’s age that failed to exceed O’Sullivan, Higgins and Mark Willliams.
Yes, Mark Selby and Judd Trump are excluded from that long list of players older than Zhao Xintong who have not even reach any sort of pinnacle resembling what the old men continue to do today.
Now it is Zhao Xintong’s time to prove he can sustain his dominance over time.
Ultimately it will be very difficult to compare British players with overseas players, because snooker is so UK-based. Players need to relocate, usually living in student flats in Sheffield, and this is bound to limit their competitiveness and longevity. It’s been several years since Ding Junhui played a full season, with family and sponsorship commitments back home. The same will inevitably happen to the likes of Zhao Xintong and Wu Yize.
Lewis, I find your insight really beneficial since you spend time in both countries. I have read arguments that say although snooker is not as big as the UK, because of China’s humongous population, there are actually many more players in China than England. However, you bring a great point I never thought of ; being, because the majority of tournaments in the UK, the Chinese players face difficult personal decisions. It is so ironic that there the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan, Neil Robertson and Matt Selt living in Saudi Arabia were there are only 2 tournaments. Not that I would think of those three as family men but yes that is their business. I appreciate your input and look forward to reading more from you. In North America, the propaganda against China is so different than Europe.
Thanks Lewis