Snooker World Championship Guide: Draw, Seeds & Coverage

The 2025 World Snooker Championship started astatine nan Crucible Theatre successful Sheffield connected Saturday, pinch a awesome daze connected nan opening day.

Defending champion and apical seed Kyren Wilson, who defeated Jak Jones 18‍–‍14 successful nan 2024 final, was knocked retired 10-9 by Chinese qualifier Lei Peifan successful nan first round.

Seven-time victor Ronnie O'Sullivan is playing successful a 33rd consecutive version of nan tourney contempt battling "stage fright" and "nerves" complete nan past 2 years.

Seeded 5th this year, nan 49-year-old is group to look two-time finalist Ali Carter successful his opening lucifer astatine 14:30 BST connected Tuesday.

World number 1 Judd Trump originates his run against Zhou Yuelong astatine 19:00 connected Tuesday.

BBC Sport has broad unrecorded sum of nan title connected BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Four and Red Button, while each lucifer will beryllium shown successful afloat connected iPlayer, nan BBC Sport website and nan BBC Sport app.

The last takes spot complete 2 days, starting connected Sunday 4 May.

As nan defending champion, Wilson had nan honour of being nan apical seed.

Trump is nan 2nd seed, pinch four-time champions John Higgins and Mark Selby 3rd and 4th respectively.

Higgins hit Selby successful nan Tour Championship final earlier successful April to move supra him successful nan listings.

O'Sullivan, bidding for an eighth title to surpass nan grounds he shares pinch Stephen Hendry, is seeded fifth.

Full seedings:

1) Kyren Wilson, 2) Judd Trump, 3) John Higgins, 4) Mark Selby

5) Ronnie O'Sullivan, 6) Mark Williams, 7) Luca Brecel, 8) Mark Allen

9) Neil Robertson, 10) Ding Junhui, 11) Barry Hawkins, 12) Zhang Anda

13) Si Jiahui 14) Xiao Guodong, 15) Shaun Murphy, 16) Jak Jones

Among nan 16 players who secured their places astatine nan Crucible were two-time runner-up Carter and 2021 UK champion Zhao Xintong, while Daniel Wells, Zak Surety and Lei will make their Crucible debuts.

China's Zhao returned to nan sport arsenic an amateur subordinate successful September pursuing a 20-month prohibition for his engagement successful a match-fixing scandal.

Five of Zhao's chap countrymen besides qualified, bringing nan number of Chinese players successful nan first information up to a grounds 10.

Jack Lisowski, 2015 victor Stuart Bingham, world number 17 Gary Wilson and Jackson Page were among nan names to miss out.

In nan 3rd qualifying round, Page became nan first subordinate to compile 2 maximum 147 breaks successful nan aforesaid match, earning nan Welshman a £147,000 bonus.

But Page did not suffice for nan Crucible, losing 10-7 to Englishman Joe O'Connor successful nan 4th and last qualifying round.

Six-time finalist Jimmy White's bid to play astatine nan Crucible for nan first clip since 2006 ended successful nan 2nd round, while erstwhile semi-finalist Joe Perry and Dominic Dale retired from nan athletics aft going retired successful nan 3rd round.

The victor will person £500,000 and location is full prize money of £2,395,000.

Winner: £500,000

Runner-up: £200,000

Semi-finalists: £100,000

Quarter-finalists: £50,000

Last 16: £30,000

Last 32: £20,000

Last 48: £15,000

Last 80: £10,000

Last 112: £5,000

Highest break (qualifying shape included): £15,000

First-round matches are nan champion of 19 frames.

Second information and quarter-final matches are played complete a maximum of 25.

Semi-final matches are champion of 33 frames.

The last is nan champion of 35 frames.

Watch unrecorded sum connected BBC One, BBC Two and BBC Four, aliases return your prime of nan matches connected iPlayer and nan BBC Sport website and app.

For further coverage, audiences tin tune into Snooker Extra each nighttime connected BBC Two and iPlayer to drawback up connected nan action from nan day's early games.

Radio 5 Live will person regular updates and features successful programmes passim nan tournament.

Meanwhile, nan BBC Sport website and app will person matter updates connected nan early rounds and quarter-finals earlier afloat unrecorded matter commentary connected nan semi-finals and final.

World Snooker Championship

19 April to 5 May

The BBC's presenting squad will beryllium Hazel Irvine, Seema Jaswal and Rishi Persad, pinch reporting from Shabnam Younus-Jewell and Abigail Davis.

Audiences tin expect master commentary and insights from snooker legends Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry, John Parrott, Ken Doherty, Dennis Taylor and John Virgo, alongside immoderate of nan game's existent players including Masters victor Shaun Murphy.

First round

10:00

Zhang Anda (12) v Pang Junxu

Shaun Murphy (15) v Daniel Wells

14:30

Ronnie O'Sullivan (5) v Ali Carter

Ding Junhui (10) 6-3 Zak Surety

19:00

Judd Trump (2) v Zhou Yuelong

Si Jiahui (13) 6-3 David Gilbert

Live coverage

10:00-12:15 - BBC Two

10:00-14:00 - iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Sport website and app

13:00-18:00 - BBC Two

14:30-18:00 - iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Sport website and app

19:00-22:00 - BBC Four

19:00-22:30 - iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Sport website and app

Highlights

00:05-02:05 - World Championship Extra - BBC Two

First round

10:00

Zhang Anda (12) v Pang Junxu

Shaun Murphy (15) v Daniel Wells

14:30

Ronnie O'Sullivan (5) v Ali Carter

Luca Brecel (7) v Ryan Day

19:00

Mark Selby (4) v Ben Woollaston

Judd Trump (2) v Zhou Yuelong

Live coverage

10:00-11:15 - BBC Two

10:00-14:00 - iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Sport website and app

13:00-18:00 - BBC Two

14:30-18:00 - iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Sport website and app

19:00-22:00 - BBC Four

19:00-22:30 - iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Sport website and app

Highlights

01:05-03:05 - World Championship Extra - BBC Two

First round

13:00

Luca Brecel (7) v Ryan Day

19:00

Mark Selby (4) v Ben Woollaston

Second round

13:00

Chris Wakelin v Mark Allen (8)/Fan Zhengyi

19:00

John Higgins (3)/Joe O'Connor v Xiao Guodong (14)

Live coverage

13:00-17:00 - BBC Two

14:30-18:00 - iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Sport website and app

19:00-22:00 - BBC Four

19:00-22:30 - iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Sport website and app

Highlights

23:55-01:55 - World Championship Extra - BBC Two (00:55-01:55 connected BBC Two Northern Ireland)

Second round

10:00

Chris Wakelin v Mark Allen (8)/Fan Zhengyi

Hossein Vafaei v Mark Williams (6)

14:30

John Higgins (3)/Joe O'Connor v Xiao Guodong (14)

Lei Peifan v Zhao Xintong

19:00

Hossein Vafaei v Mark Williams (6)

Chris Wakelin v Mark Allen (8)/Fan Zhengyi

Live coverage

10:00-12:00 - BBC Two

10:00-14:00 - iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Sport website and app

13:00-18:00 - BBC Two

14:30-18:00 - iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Sport website and app

19:00-22:00 - BBC Four

19:00-22:30 - iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Sport website and app

Highlights

00:25-02:25 - World Championship Extra - BBC Two

Second round

10:00

John Higgins (3)/Joe O'Connor v Xiao Guodong (14)

Lei Peifan v Zhao Xintong

14:30

Hossein Vafaei v Mark Williams (6)

Ronnie O'Sullivan (5)/Ali Carter v Zhang Anda (12)/Pang Junxu

19:00

Si Jiahui (13)/David Gilbert v Mark Selby (4)/Ben Woollaston

Luca Brecel (7)/Ryan Day v Ding Junhui (10)/Zak Surety

Live coverage

10:00-12:00 - BBC Two & Red Button

10:00-14:00 - iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app

13:45-16:30 - BBC Two

14:30-18:00 - iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app

16:25-18:00 - Red Button

19:00-20:00 - BBC Two

19:00-22:30 - iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Sport website and app

20:00-22:00 - BBC Four

Highlights

00:05-02:05 - World Championship Extra - BBC Two

Second round

10:00

Lei Peifan v Zhao Xintong

Shaun Murphy (15)/Daniel Wells v Judd Trump (2)/Zhou Yuelong

14:30

Ronnie O'Sullivan (5)/Ali Carter v Zhang Anda (12)/Pang Junxu

Luca Brecel (7)/Ryan Day v Ding Junhui (10)/Zak Surety

19:00

Si Jiahui (13)/David Gilbert v Mark Selby (4)/Ben Woollaston

Shaun Murphy (15)/Daniel Wells v Judd Trump (2)/Zhou Yuelong

Live coverage

10:00-12:25 - BBC Two

10:00-14:00 - iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app (Red Button 10:00-12:15)

13:00-18:00 - BBC Two

14:30-18:00 - iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app (Red Button 14:40-18:00)

15:00-18:00 - BBC Two

19:00-20:00 - BBC Two

19:00-22:30 - iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Sport website and app

20:00-22:00 - BBC Four

Highlights

00:05-02:05 - World Championship Extra - BBC Two

Second round

13:00

Si Jiahui (13)/David Gilbert v Mark Selby (4)/Ben Woollaston

Shaun Murphy (15)/Daniel Wells v Judd Trump (2)/Zhou Yuelong

19:00

Ronnie O'Sullivan (5)/Ali Carter v Zhang Anda (12)/Pang Junxu

Luca Brecel (7)/Ryan Day v Ding Junhui (10)/Zak Surety

Live coverage

13:00-17:00 - BBC Two

13:00-18:00 - iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Sport website and app

19:00-20:00 - BBC Two

19:00-22:30 - iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Sport website and app

20:00-22:00 - BBC Four

Highlights

00:05-02:05 - World Championship Extra - BBC Two

Quarter-finals

Live coverage

10:00-12:15 - BBC Two

10:00-14:00 - iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Sport website and app

13:00-18:00 - BBC Two

14:30-18:00 - iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Sport website and app

19:00-20:00 - BBC Two

19:00-22:30 - iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app

20:00-22:00 - BBC Four

Highlights

00:05-02:05 - World Championship Extra - BBC Two

Quarter-finals

Live coverage

10:00-11:15 - BBC Two

10:00-14:00 - iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Sport website and app

13:00-18:00 - BBC Two

14:30-18:00 - iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Sport website and app

19:00-20:00 - BBC Two

19:00-22:30 - iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app

20:00-22:00 - BBC Four

Highlights

00:05-02:05 - World Championship Extra - BBC Two

The 1985 Black Ball Final: Final Frame

A afloat replay of nan final, melodramatic framework of nan 1985 World Snooker Championship betwixt Steve Davis and Dennis Taylor

Semi-finals

Live coverage

13:00-16:00 - BBC Two

13:00-18:00 - iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Sport website and app

19:00-20:00 - BBC Two

19:00-22:30 - iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Sport website and app

20:00-22:00 - BBC Four

Highlights

00:05-02:05 - World Championship Extra - BBC Two

Semi-finals

Live coverage

10:00-12:00 - BBC Two

10:00-14:00 - iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Sport website and app

14:00-18:00 - BBC Two

14:30-18:00 - iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Sport website and app

19:00-20:00 - BBC Two

19:00-22:30 - iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Sport website and app

20:00-23:00 - BBC Four

Semi-finals

Live coverage

10:00-12:00 - BBC Two

10:00-14:00 - iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app

13:15-16:30 - BBC One

14:30-18:00 - iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app

16:30-17:30 - BBC Two

19:00-22:00 - BBC Two

19:00-22:30 - iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Sport website and app

20:00-23:00 - BBC Four

Final

Live coverage

13:00-18:00 - BBC Two

19:00-22:00 - BBC Two

Final

Live coverage

13:00-16:00 - BBC Two

19:00-22:00 - BBC Two

First round

Kyren Wilson (1) 9-10 Lei Peifan

Xiao Guodong (14) 10-4 Matthew Selt

Mark Williams (6) 10-8 Wu Yize

Barry Hawkins (11) 9-10 Hossein Vafaei

Neil Robertson (9) 8-10 Chris Wakelin

Jak Jones (16) 4-10 Zhao Xintong

Mark Allen (8) 10-6 Fan Zhengyi

John Higgins (3) 10-7 Joe O'Connor

Framed: The Snooker Podcast

Explore nan athletics of snooker, from its biggest names to stories of nan group progressive astatine each levels of nan game