The 2026 World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre continues to deliver drama, with Ronnie O'Sullivan's bid for a record eighth title ended by John Higgins in a last-16 classic. Higgins won the deciding frame 13-12 after coming back from 9-4 down, marking a statement victory 30 years after their first meeting in Sheffield.
Defending champion Zhao Xintong, the first Chinese winner of the tournament, fell to the 'Crucible Curse' as Shaun Murphy beat him 13-10 in the quarter-finals. Four-time winner Mark Selby, world No 1 Judd Trump, and 2024 champion Kyren Wilson have also been eliminated.
Iran's Hossein Vafaei was the only qualifier to reach the second round, but he was beaten in the quarter-finals by rising Chinese talent Wu Yize. Every session of the championship is broadcast live on BBC channels and iPlayer, as well as TNT Sports and HBO Max for subscribers.
