2026 World Snooker Championship: Semi-finals preview and predictions

Only four players remain in the hunt for the 2026 World Snooker Championship title as the semi-finals take centre stage at the Crucible Theatre.

With the longer format of best-of-33 frames over four sessions and the arena transformed from two cramped tables to the full focus of just one, both endurance and temperament will be pushed to the limit.

A stellar lineup of top 16 seeds and proven ranking event winners offers an exciting blend of experience, pedigree, and rising ambition.

Taking place across Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, below is the preview and predictions for the penultimate round in Sheffield.

Shaun Murphy vs John Higgins

Head-to-head in all comps: 16-13 to Higgins
Last result: 6-5 to Murphy at the 2025 UK Championship

Shaun Murphy inflicted the Curse of the Crucible on Zhao Xintong to reach the semi-finals of a World Snooker Championship for the first time since 2021.

The Magician bullied his opponent out of the tournament with an aggressive style of play that evoked memories of his memorable title-winning bid of 2005.

When Murphy won that maiden world title at the age of 22, few would have believed that, two decades later, he would still be stuck on just one.

Three more finals have come and gone since then, including a defeat in 2009 to the player he must face in the penultimate round this year.

In a scoring sense, John Higgins might not be replicating his absolute best, but his battle-hardened resilience and temperament remain at the peak of their powers.

The Scot won seven frames out of eight to overturn a 9-6 deficit and beat Neil Robertson 13-10 in the quarters, having also mounted a stirring comeback to deny Ronnie O’Sullivan in the round prior.

Higgins has accumulated four world crowns, but like Murphy, the Wizard of Wishaw has lost in three finals since claiming the last of those in 2011.

This run marks his first to the semi-finals and single-table setup since 2022, and just shy of his 51st birthday he would become the oldest-ever finalist if he were to overcome one more hurdle in Sheffield.

Murphy and Higgins share a relatively even head-to-head record, supported by their two meetings this season from which they have taken one victory apiece.

With Higgins certain to fight to the bitter end, a lot may come down to Murphy and his ability to sustain the ominous form he has produced since the second round.

Prediction: Murphy 17-13

Mark Allen vs Wu Yize

Head-to-head in all comps: 3-2 to Allen
Last result: 5-1 to Wu at the 2026 World Open

Mark Allen reached the World Snooker Championship semi-finals for only the third time in his career with a hard-fought triumph over Barry Hawkins.

The Pistol is regarded as one of the best players in history to have never got his hands on the sport’s blue-riband prize, but he is now two wins away from finally fulfilling his potential.

Allen, once an out-and-out break-building force who later transitioned into a tactical dynamo, may just have struck the right balance between attack and defence during this edition of the tournament.

The 40 year-old, looking to complete the Triple Crown set having already won the UK Championship and the Masters during a successful career, has battled hard but also scored heavily when required – underlined by his tally of seven century breaks.

Against Wu Yize, Allen meets a rising star who, despite his inferior experience, the bookmakers rate as the new favourite in the outright market.

Wu backed up his standout victory over four-time world champion Mark Selby with an assured 13-8 defeat of Hossein Vafaei in the last eight.

Already a breakthrough season following his success at the International Championship and emergence as a top ten player, the Chinese cueist could yet end the 2025/26 term on the highest of highs.

Wu, still only 22, reached this stage of the Masters in January on his debut only to lose the last two frames in a crushing 6-5 defeat to eventual champion Kyren Wilson.

And for all his prodigious talent, there are still a few question marks over whether or not he will be able to handle the pressure when it reaches its most intense levels at the Crucible.

Allen has proven time and time again throughout his career that he has the mettle for the tense occasion, and that might just stand him in good stead again here.

Prediction: Allen 17-15

Featured photo credit: WST