World Snooker Championship 2021 - Draw, Schedule, Results, order of play at the Crucible

ByEurosport

Updated 23/04/2021 at 08:45 GMT

Ronnie O'Sullivan is set to defend his title at the World Snooker Championship, which is due to kick off on April 17 at the iconic Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. Judd Trump, Mark Selby and Neil Robertson will be the other men gunning for glory for the most prestigious trophy in snooker. You can watch every match of the World Championship live and ad-free on the Eurosport App and eurosport.co.uk.

Ronnie O’Sullivan was on the receiving end of arguably the biggest shock in Crucible history as he lost to James Cahill

Image credit: PA Sport

Scene Setter

There's plenty at stake in the 2021 edition of the World Snooker Championship, which comes just eight months after the 2020 tournament took place thanks to its postponement due to the Covid-19 pandemic. When Ronnie O'Sullivan defeated Kyren Wilson back in the summer, he lifted the world title for the sixth time and drew level with Steve Davis and Ray Reardon in the pecking order. A further triumph would see him equal Stephen Hendry's record tally of seven.

But the Rocket will have plenty of competition at the Crucible in April. Judd Trump is the bookies' favourite to win what would be his second title ahead of the 45-year-old in second. Mark Selby is third, followed by Neil Robertson then Kyren Wilson.

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The World Championship is the second of snooker's Triple Crowns in 2021, with Yan Bingtao sensationally winning the Masters to announce himself to the world back in January.

The return to the Crucible will be hugely welcome after months of almost uninterrupted play in Milton Keynes, but unlike last year, no crowds will be present this time around unless the government selects it as a test event.

What is the format?

There were 128 players vying to qualify at the nearby English Institute of Sport in Sheffield. That group was whittled down to just 16 across a week, where they joined the 16 top players in the snooker rankings in the draw for the first round. As defending champion, O'Sullivan was the only man with his spot guaranteed before a ball was hit in the 2020-21 season.

The first round is best of 19 frames, the second and quarter-final rounds best of 25. The semi-finals are best of 33 and the final best of 35.

What is the draw for the World Championship first round?

Shaun Murphy v Mark Davis
Mark Allen v Lyu Haotian
Judd Trump v Liam Highfield
Ding Junhui v Stuart Bingham
Anthony McGill v Ricky Walden
Mark Williams v Sam Craigie
Stephen Maguire v Jamie Jones
Mark Selby v Kurt Maflin
Kyren Wilson v Gary Wilson
John Higgins v Tian Pengfei
David Gilbert v Chris Wakelin
Jack Lisowski v Ali Carter
Ronnie O'Sullivan v Mark Joyce
Barry Hawkins v Matthew Selt
Neil Robertson v Liang Wenbo
Yan Bingtao v Martin Gould

Head here for all the scores from qualifying.

How to watch the event

You can watch every match of the World Championship live and ad-free on the Eurosport App and eurosport.co.uk. Download the Eurosport app now for iOS and Android.

Schedule and dates

First round (best of 19 frames - upcoming session times in brackets)

Ronnie O'Sullivan 9-4 Mark Joyce (Sat Apr 17 10am, 7pm)
Yan Bingtao 4-4 Martin Gould (Sat Apr 17 10am, Apr 18 10am)
Stephen Maguire 4-5 Jamie Jones (Sat Apr 17 2:30pm, Apr 18 7pm)
Neil Robertson 6-3 Liang Wenbo (Sat Apr 17 2:30pm, Apr 18 7pm)
David Gilbert 3-1 Chris Wakelin (Sat Apr 17 7pm, Apr 18 2:30pm)
Anthony McGill v Ricky Walden (Sun Apr 18 10am, Apr 19 7pm)
John Higgins v Tian Pengfei (Sun Apr 18 2:30pm, Apr 19 2:30pm)
Ding Junhui v Stuart Bingham (Mon Apr 19 10am, Apr 20 2:30pm)
Kyren Wilson v Gary Wilson (Mon Apr 19 10am, 7pm)
Jack Lisowski v Ali Carter (Mon Apr 19 2:30pm, Apr 20 10am)
Mark Allen v Lu Haotian (Tues Apr 20 10am, 7pm)
Judd Trump v Liam Highfield (Tues Apr 20 2;30pm, Apr 21 2:30pm)
Barry Hawkins v Matthew Selt (Tues Apr 20 7pm, Apr 21 7pm)
Mark Williams v Sam Craigie (Wed Apr 21 10am, 7pm)
Shaun Murphy v Mark Davis (Wed Apr 21 10am, Apr 22 1pm)
Mark Selby v Kurt Maflin (Wed Apr 21 2:30pm, Apr 22 7pm)

Second round (best of 25 frames - upcoming session times in brackets)

O'Sullivan/Joyce v McGill/Walden (Thu Apr 22 1pm, Apr 23 10am, 7pm)
Robertson/Liang v Lisowski/Carter (Thur Apr 22 7pm, Apr 23 2:30pm, Apr 24 10am)
Hawkins/Selt v Wilson/Wilson (Fri Apr 23 10am, 7pm, Apr 24 2:30pm)
Higgins/Tian v Williams/Craigie (Fri Apr 23 2:20pm, Apr 24 10am, 7pm)
Allen/Lu v Selby/Maflin (Sat Apr 24 2:30pm, Apr 25 2:30pm, Apr 26 7pm)
Murphy/Davis v Yan/Gould (Sat Apr 24 7pm, Apr 25 2:30pm, Apr 26 7pm)
Ding/Bingham v Maguire/Jones (Sun Apr 25 10am, 7pm, Apr 26 1pm)
Gilbert/Wakelin v Trump/Highfield (Sun Apr 25 10am, 7pm, Apr 26 1pm)

April 27-28

Quarter-finals

April 29-May 1

Semi-finals

May 2-3

Final

Matches to be scheduled

Prize Money

TBC.

Previous Winners

The World Championship has been running since 1927 and, prior to its move to the Crucible in 1977, it was dominated by Joe Davis, Walter Donaldson, Fred Davis, John Pulman, John Spencer and Ray Reardon, with Alex Higgins and Horace Lundrum winning it once apiece. Since the move to Sheffield, the winners are:

1977: John Spencer
1978: Ray Reardon
1979: Terry Griffiths
1980: Cliff Thorburn
1981: Steve Davis
1982: Alex Higgins
1983: Steve Davis
1984: Steve Davis
1985: Dennis Taylor
1986: Joe Johnson
1987: Steve Davis
1988: Steve Davis
1989: Steve Davis
1990: Stephen Hendry
1991: John Parrott
1992: Stephen Hendry
1993: Stephen Hendry
1994: Stephen Hendry
1995: Stephen Hendry
1996: Stephen Hendry
1997: Ken Doherty
1998: John Higgins
1999: Stephen Hendry
2000: Mark Williams
2001: Ronnie O'Sullivan
2002: Peter Ebdon
2003: Mark Williams
2004: Ronnie O'Sullivan
2005: Shaun Murphy
2006: Graeme Dott
2007: John Higgins
2008: Ronnie O'Sullivan
2009: John Higgins
2010: Neil Robertson
2011: John Higgins
2012: Ronnie O'Sullivan
2013: Ronnie O'Sullivan
2014: Mark Selby
2015: Stuart Bingham
2016: Mark Selby
2017: Mark Selby
2018: Mark Williams
2019: Judd Trump
2020: Ronnie O'Sullivan

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