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 4-10 Wang Xinbo
Jonas Luz 2-10 Peter Lines
Round 2
Iulian Boiko 4-10 Wang Xinbo
Scott Donaldson 8-10 Peter Lines
Round 3
Stuart Bingham vs Wang Xinbo
Sat, Apr 11 – 10:00 and 19:00
Matthew Stevens vs Peter Lines
Sat, Apr 11 – 10:00 and 19:00
Round 4
Bingham/Wang vs Stevens/Lines
Tues, Apr 14 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 2
Round 1
Michal Szubarczyk 10-7 Ng On Yee
Gao Yang 10-9 Jimmy White
Round 2
Sanderson Lam 8-10 Michal Szubarczyk
Mark Davis 6-10 Gao Yang
Round 3
Hossein Vafaei vs Michal Szubarczyk
Sat, Apr 11 – 10:00 and Sat, Apr 11 – 19:00
Tom Ford vs Gao Yang
Sat, Apr 11 – 10:00 and Sat, Apr 11 – 19:00
Round 4
Vafaei/Szubarczyk vs Ford/Gao
Tues, Apr 14 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 3
Round 1
Yao Pengcheng 10-9 Ryan Davies
Huang Jiahao 5-10 Leone Crowley
Round 2
David Lilley 5-10 Yao Pengcheng
Duane Jones 5-10 Leone Crowley
Round 3
Aaron Hill vs Yao Pengcheng
Sat, Apr 11 – 10:00 and Sat, Apr 11 – 19:00
David Gilbert vs Leone Crowley
Sat, Apr 11 – 10:00 and Sat, Apr 11 – 19:00
Round 4
Hill/Yao vs Gilbert/Crowley
Tues, Apr 14 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 4
Round 1
Bai Yulu 10-7 Daniel Womersley
Robbie McGuigan 10-8 Hammad Miah
Round 2
Michael Holt 10-4 Bai Yulu
Gong Chenzhi 7-10 Robbie McGuigan
Round 3
Daniel Wells vs Holt
Sat, Apr 11 – 10:00 and Sat, Apr 11 – 19:00
Zhou Yuelong vs Robbie McGuigan
Sat, Apr 11 – 10:00 and Sat, Apr 11 – 19:00
Round 4
Wells/Holt vs Zhou/McGuigan
Tues, Apr 14 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 5
Round 1
Cheung Ka Wai 9-10 Ashley Carty
Ross Muir 10-5 Mykhailo Larkov
Round 2
Jiang Jun 10-3 Ashley Carty
Robbie Williams 10-4 Ross Muir
Round 3
Elliot Slessor vs Jiang Jun
Sun, Apr 12 – 10:00 and Sun, Apr 12 – 19:00
Stan Moody vs Robbie Williams
Sun, Apr 12 – 10:00 and Sun, Apr 12 – 19:00
Round 4
Slessor/Jiang vs Moody/Williams
Tues, Apr 14 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 6
Round 1
Haris Tahir 6-10 Connor Benzey
Reanne Evans 7-10 Vladislav Gradinari
Round 2
Antoni Kowalski 10-1 Connor Benzey
Jamie Jones 10-3 Vladislav Gradinari
Round 3
Joe O’Connor vs Antoni Kowalski
Sun, Apr 12 – 10:00 and Sun, Apr 12 – 19:00
Matthew Selt vs Jamie Jones
Sun, Apr 12 – 10:00 and Sun, Apr 12 – 19:00
Round 4
O’Connor/Kowalski vs Selt/Jones
Tues, Apr 14 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 7
Round 1
Ken Doherty 5-10 Patrick Whelan
Dylan Emery 10-9 Anton Kazakov
Round 2
Robert Milkins 3-10 Patrick Whelan
Artemijs Zizins 6-10 Dylan Emery
Round 3
Jackson Page vs Patrick Whelan
Sun, Apr 12 – 10:00 and Sun, Apr 12 – 19:00
Pang Junxu vs Dylan Emery
Sun, Apr 12 – 10:00 and Sun, Apr 12 – 19:00
Round 4
Page/Whelan vs Pang/Emery
Tues, Apr 14 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 8
Round 1
Mateus Baronowski 10-5 Florian Nuessle
Liam Pullen 10-9 Alfie Burden
Round 2
Ricky Walden 10-4 Mateus Baronowski
Amir Sarkhosh 7-10 Liam Pullen
Round 3
Noppon Saengkham vs Ricky Walden
Sun, Apr 12 – 10:00 and Sun, Apr 12 – 19:00
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh vs Liam Pullen
Sun, Apr 12 – 10:00 and Sun, Apr 12 – 19:00
Round 4
Saengkham/Walden vs Un-Nooh/Pullen
Tues, Apr 14 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 9
Round 1
Marco Fu 10-1 Mink Nutcharut
Alexander Ursenbacher w/o Prin Ratmukda
Round 2
Liam Davies 9-10 Marco Fu
Chang Bingyu 10-2 Prin Ratmukda
Round 3
Jak Jones vs Marco Fu
Sun, Apr 12 – 14:30 and Mon, Apr 13 – 14:30
Luca Brecel vs Chang Bingyu
Sun, Apr 12 – 14:30 and Mon, Apr 13 – 14:30
Round 4
Jones/Fu vs Brecel/Chang
Wed, Apr 15 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 10
Round 1
Ian Burns 10-6 Sahil Nayyar
Chris Totten 10-5 Daniel Boyes
Round 2
Jordan Brown 10-9 Ian Burns
Ishpreet Singh Chadha 10-5 Chris Totten
Round 3
Lei Peifan vs Jordan Brown
Sun, Apr 12 – 14:30 and Mon, Apr 13 – 14:30
Ryan Day vs Ishpreet Singh Chadha
Sun, Apr 12 – 14:30 and Mon, Apr 13 – 14:30
Round 4
Lei/Brown vs Day/Chadha
Wed, Apr 15 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 11
Round 1
Xu Yichen 10-4 Stuart Carrington
Steven Hallworth 10-6 Kreishh Gurbaxani
Round 2
Liu Hongyu 10-5 Xu Yichen
Allan Taylor 10-6 Steven Hallworth
Round 3
Xu Si vs Liu Hongyu
Sun, Apr 12 – 14:30 and Mon, Apr 13 – 14:30
Gary Wilson vs Allan Taylor
Sun, Apr 12 – 14:30 and Mon, Apr 13 – 14:30
Round 4
Si/Hongyu vs Wilson/Taylor
Wed, Apr 15 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 12
Round 1
Liam Graham 4-10 Oliver Sykes
Bulcsu Revesz 10-6 Craig Steadman
Round 2
Lyu Haotian 8-10 Oliver Sykes
Louis Heathcote 8-10 Bulcsu Revesz
Round 3
Zak Surety vs Oliver Sykes
Sun, Apr 12 – 14:30 and Mon, Apr 13 – 14:30
Zhang Anda vs Bulcsu Revesz
Sun, Apr 12 – 14:30 and Mon, Apr 13 – 14:30
Round 4
Surety/Sykes vs Zhang/Revesz
Wed, Apr 15 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 13
Round 1
David Grace 4-10 Ashley Hugill
Zhao Hanyang 10-3 Mahmoud El Hareedy
Round 2
Julien Leclercq vs Ashley Hugill
Fri, Apr 10 – 14:30 and Sat, Apr 11 – 14:30
Martin O’Donnell vs Zhao Hanyang
Fri, Apr 10 – 14:30 and Sat, Apr 11 – 14:30
Round 3
Ali Carter vs Leclercq/Hugill
Mon, Apr 13 – 10:00 and Mon, Apr 13 – 19:00
Anthony McGill vs O’Donnell/Zhao
Mon, Apr 13 – 10:00 and Mon, Apr 13 – 19:00
Round 4
Carter/Leclercq/Hugill vs McGill/O’Donnell/Zhao
Wed, Apr 15 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 14
Round 1
Liam Highfield 10-4 Oliver Brown
Liu Wenwei 3-10 Mark Lloyd
Round 2
Wang Yuchen vs Liam Highfield
Fri, Apr 10 – 14:30 and Sat, Apr 11 – 14:30
Oliver Lines vs Mark Lloyd
Fri, Apr 10 – 14:30 and Sat, Apr 11 – 14:30
Round 3
Stephen Maguire vs Wang/Highfield
Mon, Apr 13 – 10:00 and Mon, Apr 13 – 19:00
Ben Woollaston vs Lines/Lloyd
Mon, Apr 13 – 10:00 and Mon, Apr 13 – 19:00
Round 4
Maguire/Wang/Highfield vs Woollaston/Lines/Lloyd
Wed, Apr 15 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 15
Round 1
Lan Yuhao 10-5 Chatchapong Nasa
Haydon Pinhey 5-10 Jamie Clarke
Round 2
Fan Zhengyi vs Lan Yuhao
Fri, Apr 10 – 14:30 and Sat, Apr 11 – 14:30
Ben Mertens 10-0 Jamie Clarke
Round 3
Jimmy Robertson vs Fan/Lan
Mon, Apr 13 – 10:00 and Mon, Apr 13 – 19:00
Yuan Sijun vs Ben Mertens
Mon, Apr 13 – 10:00 and Mon, Apr 13 – 19:00
Round 4
Robertson/Fan/Lan vs Yuan/Mertens
Wed, Apr 15 – 11:00 and 17:00
Qualifier 16
Round 1
Hatem Yassen 4-10 Fergal Quinn
Farakh Ajaib 7-10 Umut Dikme
Round 2
Long Zehuang vs Fergal Quinn
Fri, Apr 10 – 14:30 and Sat, Apr 11 – 14:30
Sam Craigie vs Umut Dikme
Fri, Apr 10 – 14:30 and Sat, Apr 11 – 14:30
Round 3
He Guoqiang vs Long/Quinn
Mon, Apr 13 – 10:00 and Mon, Apr 13 – 19:00
Jack Lisowski vs Craigie/Dikme
Mon, Apr 13 – 10:00 and Mon, Apr 13 – 19:00
Round 4
He/Long/Quinn vs Lisowski/Craigie/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.
I’m not English, don’t live in the UK, but am European, and the result did not bother me at all.
What I find a bit unfortunate is the decline in the general competitiveness of John Higgins — not that long ago, if someone had asked me to name the player most likely to win a must-win frame of snooker, without hesitation I would’ve picked Higgins — it was amazing how reliable he was, and how good he was in all aspects of the game.
But in the last few years, his competitiveness has clearly declined — his body language and facial expressions often reflect this.
I will also say that it’s my anecdotal impression, i.e. just watching events, that the best young players today are predominantly Chinese — but I do not follow snooker all that closely, so I may be wrong.
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
So far a good showing by Ng On Yee, her match is 3-3 right now — unfortunately things are not going as well for Bai Yulu, who I personally rate a bit higher: she has fallen behind 1-3.
It would be fun to see one of the women make it to The Crucible.
Yes I just watched Reanne Evans do a tremendous job potting multiple balls to try and get a steal in the seventh frame to only leave the black ball dangling. Ng On Yee fell apart before going to the break down 6-3 against Polish sensation Michal Szubarczyk . Actually Bai Yulu is facing a weak opponent in Daniel Womersley and leads 4-3 at the break. Since eah mentioned the women, I will also add that Thai Mink Nutcharut, the only woman to achieve a max 147, plays lightning Marco Fu tomorrow. Truth be told other than being pretty ladies, with the men Reanne Evans has made £21,500 ranked 94th in the yearly rankings while Bai Yulu ranked 113 has only made £9,000 and Mink Nutcharut ranked an outer space 147 earned a measly £1,000 with the men’s tour. Truly not even worth the mention at the end of the day.
Back to today, notables Alfie Burden is up 5-4 in the afternoon session against Liam Pullen and Jimmy White is also slightly up 5-4 over China’s Gao Yang.
Marco Fu was dominant over Mink Nutcharut scoring three tons, a 94 break plus even more breaks over 50. At 10 -1, Mink was shut out 4 times.
Robert Milkins has his back to the wall down 8-1 with Patrick Whelan going after another big win when he put away Ken Doherty 10-5 in the first round.
Leeds resident Sanderson Lam tried his heart out but came up short of retaining his tour card by losing to Michal Szubarczyk 10-8.
Robbie McGuigan won a very tight match over Gong Chenzhi 10-7. I really don’t understand what Gong was thinking, potting the blue ball when he did not have enough points on the table to win. And seconds later he cough up an easy pot for Robbie to put him away, strange.
And leaving us hung to try Irelaand’s Leone Crowley is up 9-5 over Welshman Duane Jones.
England’s Peter Lines is in a nail bitter up 9-8 over Scotland’s Scott Donaldson.
Good night my friends. All the best.
Patrick Whelan 10 – Robert Milkins (3 former ranked 12th Bristol 50 yrs old)
Leone Crowley (age 19 yrs. old, Cork, Ireland) 10 – Duane Jones 5
Peter Lines (Oliver Lines father. 56 yrs. old) 10 – Scott Donaldson 8
Other winners from Thursday
Welshman Dylan Emery winner
Welshman Jamie Jones winner
England’s Liam Pullen winner
England’s Ricky Walden winner
England’s Robbie Williams winner
Robbie Williams became yesterday the 92nd player to compile 100 career centuries. He’s the second Merseysider to reach the milestone after John Parrott.
I know I do not speak the beautiful British English but considering the miserable times the world is going through I just want to make it as clear as I could, I am NOT American.
Jamie Clarke had to end his match against Ben Mertans due to illness. I wish him a speedy recovery.
Chang Bingyu made short order of Prin Ratukda with at least 3 tons and three breaks over 90.
More to come…
Liu Hongyu will be 22 in ten days this his second year on tour and is safely ranked 50 on the 2 yr list. Winner
Ishpreet Singh Chadha 29 yrs. old Indian on the bubble for retaining tour card winner…Dave can you tell us his status as it stands.
In my opinion the 2nd most exciting match is a match between Oliver Sykes and Lyu Haotian. 9-5. Oliver Skyes just went on winning four frames to take a clear lead after being tied at 5 all.
The most exciting match is with Marco Fu up 9-5 when Welsh young star Liam Davies refuses to lose; bringing the score all the way back to 9 each.
Oliver Sykes from Eastleigh, Hampshire Up 9-6 Oliver potted a very difficult last red to then put the brown and then to clear table starting with the yellow left it hanging. That was that. Still up
9-7 but he is running on fumes. Oliver goes up 38 – 0 in the 16th frame. 38-15…52-15…52-42,
Lyu Haotian cleared the table; I can’t watch this…9-8
Liam Davies from Wales was the youngest player to ever play in a ranking event in 2019 at the age of 12. Today he plays a match he will never forget in his lifetime. Liam came as close as being up over 41 – 14 in the 19th frame before just coming up short, 57 -69. 48 yr. old Hong Kong Marco Fu winner
I hate to say this but likewise Louis Heathcote came back from 5 -9 to 8–9 to lose in the 18th frame. He lost to the first ever Hungarian snooker professional in young star Bulcsu Revesz.
Allan Taylor 41 yrs. old Basildon, Essex …winner
Oliver Sykes from Eastleigh, Hampshire Up 9-6 Oliver potted a very difficult last red to then put the brown and then to clear table starting with the yellow left it hanging. That was that. Still up
9-7 but he is running on fumes. Oliver goes up 38 – 0 in the 16th frame. 38-15…52-15…52-42,
Lyu Haotian cleared the table; I can’t watch this…9-8
Liam Davies from Wales was the youngest player to ever play in a ranking event in 2019 at the age of 12. Today he plays a match he will never forget in his lifetime. Liam came as close as being up over 41 – 14 in the 19th frame before just coming up short, 57 -69. 48 yr. old Hong Kong Marco Fu winner
I hate to say this but likewise Louis Heathcote came back from 5 -9 to 8–9 to lose in the 18th frame. He lost to the first ever Hungarian snooker professional in young star Bulcsu Revesz.
Allan Taylor 41 yrs. old Basildon, Essex …winner
England’s Jordan Brown and Ian Burns 9-9
He did it! He Did IT! Oliver Sykes WON 10-8 Well done young man.