The World Snooker Championship is an annual snooker tournament founded in 1927, and played at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England since 1977. The tournament is now played over seventeen days in late April and early May, and is chronologically the third of the three Triple Crown events of the season. The event was not held from 1941 to 1945 because of World War II and between 1958 and 1963 due to declining interest from players.[1]
The governing body that organises this event is the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA). Prior to the WPBSA assuming control of the professional game in 1968, the world championship was organised by the Billiards Association and Control Council (BACC), except for between 1952 and 1957 when the Professional Billiards Players' Association (PBPA) staged their own event, the World Professional Match-play Championship, following a dispute with the BACC.[2]
As of 2025, 29 players have won the World Snooker Championship. The most successful player at the World Snooker Championship is Joe Davis, who won fifteen consecutive titles between 1927 and 1946. The record in the modern era, usually dated from the reintroduction in 1969 of a knock-out tournament format, rather than a challenge format, is shared by Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan, both having won the title seven times.[3][4]
Champions
Format | Format
| Organiser
|
| Knockout tournament (†) | BACC
|
| Challenge event with defending champion receiving a bye to the final (*) | BACC
|
| World Professional Match-play Championship (◊) | PBPA
|
| Challenge matches (‡) | BACC
|
| Knockout tournament | WPBSA
|
List of World Snooker Championship winners[10] | Year
| Winner
| Runner-up
| Final score
| Season
| Venue
| | 1927† | Joe Davis (ENG) | Tom Dennis (ENG) | 20–11
| n/a
| Camkin's Hall, Birmingham | | 1928*
| Joe Davis (ENG) | Fred Lawrence (ENG) | 16–13 | n/a
| Camkin's Hall, Birmingham | | 1929† | Joe Davis (ENG) | Tom Dennis (ENG) | 19–14
| n/a
| Lounge Hall, Nottingham | | 1930† | Joe Davis (ENG) | Tom Dennis (ENG) | 25–12
| n/a
| Thurston's Hall, London | | 1931† | Joe Davis (ENG) | Tom Dennis (ENG) | 25–21
| n/a
| Lounge Hall, Nottingham | | 1932† | Joe Davis (ENG) | Clark McConachy (NZL) | 30–19
| n/a
| Thurston's Hall, London | | 1933† | Joe Davis (ENG) | Willie Smith (ENG) | 25–18
| n/a
| Joe Davis Centre, Chesterfield | | 1934† | Joe Davis (ENG) | Tom Newman (ENG) | 25–22
| n/a
| Lounge Hall, Nottingham and Central Hall, Kettering
| | 1935† | Joe Davis (ENG) | Willie Smith (ENG) | 25–20
| n/a
| Thurston's Hall, London | | 1936† | Joe Davis (ENG) | Horace Lindrum (AUS) | 34–27
| n/a
| | 1937† | Joe Davis (ENG) | Horace Lindrum (AUS) | 32–29
| n/a
| | 1938† | Joe Davis (ENG) | Sidney Smith (ENG) | 37–24
| n/a
| | 1939† | Joe Davis (ENG) | Sidney Smith (ENG) | 43–30
| n/a
| | 1940† | Joe Davis (ENG) | Fred Davis (ENG) | 37–36
| n/a
| | 1941–1945: No tournament[a] | | 1946† | Joe Davis (ENG) | Horace Lindrum (AUS) | 78–67
| n/a
| Royal Horticultural Hall, London | | 1947† | Walter Donaldson (SCO) | Fred Davis (ENG) | 82–63
| n/a
| Leicester Square Hall, London | | 1948† | Fred Davis (ENG) | Walter Donaldson (SCO) | 84–61
| n/a
| | 1949† | Fred Davis (ENG) | Walter Donaldson (SCO) | 80–65
| n/a
| | 1950† | Walter Donaldson (SCO) | Fred Davis (ENG) | 51–46
| n/a
| Tower Circus, Blackpool | | 1951† | Fred Davis (ENG) | Walter Donaldson (SCO) | 58–39
| n/a
| | 1952† | Horace Lindrum (AUS)[b] | Clark McConachy (NZL) | 94–49
| n/a
| Houldsworth Hall, Manchester | | 1952◊
| Fred Davis (ENG) | Walter Donaldson (SCO) | 38–35
| n/a
| Tower Circus, Blackpool | | 1953◊
| Fred Davis (ENG) | Walter Donaldson (SCO) | 37–34
| n/a
| Leicester Square Hall, London | | 1954◊
| Fred Davis (ENG) | Walter Donaldson (SCO) | 45–26
| n/a
| Houldsworth Hall, Manchester | | 1955◊
| Fred Davis (ENG) | John Pulman (ENG) | 38–35
| n/a
| Tower Circus, Blackpool | | 1956◊
| Fred Davis (ENG) | John Pulman (ENG) | 38–35
| n/a
| | 1957◊
| John Pulman (ENG) | Jackie Rea (NIR) | 39–34
| n/a
| Jersey Billiards Association Match Room, St Helier, Jersey | | 1958–1963: No tournament[c] | | 1964‡
| John Pulman (ENG) | Fred Davis (ENG) | 19–16
| 1963–64
| Burroughes Hall, London | | 1964‡
| John Pulman (ENG) | Rex Williams (ENG) | 40–33
| 1964–65
| | 1965‡
| John Pulman (ENG) | Fred Davis (ENG) | 37–36
| 1964–65
| | 1965‡
| John Pulman (ENG) | Rex Williams (ENG) | 25–22[d] | 1965–66
| South Africa | | 1965‡
| John Pulman (ENG) | Fred Van Rensburg (SAF) | 39–12
| 1965–66
| | 1966‡
| John Pulman (ENG) | Fred Davis (ENG) | 5–2[d] | 1965–66
| St George's Hall, Liverpool | | 1968‡
| John Pulman (ENG) | Eddie Charlton (AUS) | 39–34
| 1967–68
| Co-operative Hall, Bolton | | 1969
| John Spencer (ENG) | Gary Owen (WAL) | 37–24
| 1968–69
| Victoria House, London | | 1970
| Ray Reardon (WAL) | John Pulman (ENG) | 37–33
| 1969–70
| | 1971
| John Spencer (ENG) | Warren Simpson (AUS) | 37–29
| 1970–71
| Chevron Hotel, Sydney | | 1972
| Alex Higgins (NIR) | John Spencer (ENG) | 37–31[14][e] | 1971–72
| Selly Park British Legion, Birmingham | | 1973
| Ray Reardon (WAL) | Eddie Charlton (AUS) | 38–32
| 1972–73
| City Exhibition Hall, Manchester | | 1974
| Ray Reardon (WAL) | Graham Miles (ENG) | 22–12
| 1973–74
| Belle Vue, Manchester | | 1975
| Ray Reardon (WAL) | Eddie Charlton (AUS) | 31–30
| 1974–75
| Nunawading Basketball Centre, Melbourne, Australia
| | 1976
| Ray Reardon (WAL) | Alex Higgins (NIR) | 27–16
| 1975–76
| Wythenshawe Forum, Manchester | | 1977
| John Spencer (ENG) | Cliff Thorburn (CAN) | 25–21
| 1976–77
| Crucible Theatre, Sheffield | | 1978
| Ray Reardon (WAL) | Perrie Mans (SAF) | 25–18
| 1977–78
| | 1979
| Terry Griffiths (WAL) | Dennis Taylor (NIR) | 24–16
| 1978–79
| | 1980 | Cliff Thorburn (CAN) | Alex Higgins (NIR) | 18–16
| 1979–80
| | 1981 | Steve Davis (ENG) | Doug Mountjoy (WAL) | 18–12
| 1980–81
| | 1982 | Alex Higgins (NIR) | Ray Reardon (WAL) | 18–15
| 1981–82
| | 1983 | Steve Davis (ENG) | Cliff Thorburn (CAN) | 18–6
| 1982–83
| | 1984 | Steve Davis (ENG) | Jimmy White (ENG) | 18–16
| 1983–84
| | 1985 | Dennis Taylor (NIR) | Steve Davis (ENG) | 18–17
| 1984–85
| | 1986 | Joe Johnson (ENG) | Steve Davis (ENG) | 18–12
| 1985–86
| | 1987 | Steve Davis (ENG) | Joe Johnson (ENG) | 18–14
| 1986–87
| | 1988 | Steve Davis (ENG) | Terry Griffiths (WAL) | 18–11
| 1987–88
| | 1989 | Steve Davis (ENG) | John Parrott (ENG) | 18–3
| 1988–89
| | 1990
| Stephen Hendry (SCO) | Jimmy White (ENG) | 18–12
| 1989–90
| | 1991
| John Parrott (ENG) | Jimmy White (ENG) | 18–11
| 1990–91
| | 1992
| Stephen Hendry (SCO) | Jimmy White (ENG) | 18–14
| 1991–92
| | 1993
| Stephen Hendry (SCO) | Jimmy White (ENG) | 18–5
| 1992–93
| | 1994
| Stephen Hendry (SCO) | Jimmy White (ENG) | 18–17
| 1993–94
| | 1995
| Stephen Hendry (SCO) | Nigel Bond (ENG) | 18–9
| 1994–95
| | 1996
| Stephen Hendry (SCO) | Peter Ebdon (ENG) | 18–12
| 1995–96
| | 1997
| Ken Doherty (IRL) | Stephen Hendry (SCO) | 18–12
| 1996–97
| | 1998
| John Higgins (SCO) | Ken Doherty (IRL) | 18–12
| 1997–98
| | 1999
| Stephen Hendry (SCO) | Mark Williams (WAL) | 18–11
| 1998–99
| | 2000
| Mark Williams (WAL) | Matthew Stevens (WAL) | 18–16
| 1999–00 | | 2001
| Ronnie O'Sullivan (ENG) | John Higgins (SCO) | 18–14
| 2000–01
| | 2002 | Peter Ebdon (ENG) | Stephen Hendry (SCO) | 18–17
| 2001–02
| | 2003
| Mark Williams (WAL) | Ken Doherty (IRL) | 18–16
| 2002–03
| | 2004
| Ronnie O'Sullivan (ENG) | Graeme Dott (SCO) | 18–8
| 2003–04
| | 2005
| Shaun Murphy (ENG) | Matthew Stevens (WAL) | 18–16
| 2004–05
| | 2006
| Graeme Dott (SCO) | Peter Ebdon (ENG) | 18–14
| 2005–06
| | 2007
| John Higgins (SCO) | Mark Selby (ENG) | 18–13
| 2006–07
| | 2008 | Ronnie O'Sullivan (ENG) | Ali Carter (ENG) | 18–8
| 2007–08
| | 2009
| John Higgins (SCO) | Shaun Murphy (ENG) | 18–9
| 2008–09
| | 2010
| Neil Robertson (AUS) | Graeme Dott (SCO) | 18–13
| 2009–10
| | 2011
| John Higgins (SCO) | Judd Trump (ENG) | 18–15
| 2010–11
| | 2012 | Ronnie O'Sullivan (ENG) | Ali Carter (ENG) | 18–11
| 2011–12
| | 2013 | Ronnie O'Sullivan (ENG) | Barry Hawkins (ENG) | 18–12
| 2012–13
| | 2014 | Mark Selby (ENG) | Ronnie O'Sullivan (ENG) | 18–14
| 2013–14
| | 2015 | Stuart Bingham (ENG) | Shaun Murphy (ENG) | 18–15
| 2014–15
| | 2016 | Mark Selby (ENG) | Ding Junhui (CHN) | 18–14
| 2015–16
| | 2017 | Mark Selby (ENG) | John Higgins (SCO) | 18–15
| 2016–17
| | 2018 | Mark Williams (WAL) | John Higgins (SCO) | 18–16
| 2017–18
| | 2019 | Judd Trump (ENG) | John Higgins (SCO) | 18–9
| 2018–19
| | 2020 | Ronnie O'Sullivan (ENG) | Kyren Wilson (ENG) | 18–8
| 2019–20
| | 2021
| Mark Selby (ENG) | Shaun Murphy (ENG) | 18–15
| 2020–21
| | 2022
| Ronnie O'Sullivan (ENG) | Judd Trump (ENG) | 18–13
| 2021–22
| | 2023
| Luca Brecel (BEL) | Mark Selby (ENG) | 18–15
| 2022–23
| | 2024
| Kyren Wilson (ENG) | Jak Jones (WAL) | 18–14
| 2023–24
| | 2025
| Zhao Xintong (CHN) | Mark Williams (WAL) | 18–12
| 2024–25
| | |
Multiple champions
Key
| ‡ | Challenge match |
| * | World Professional Match-play Championship
|
| ¤ | Player competed in 2025[16] |
| † | Date of death
|
Multiple-time Snooker World Championship winners
| Player
| Total
| Years
| Status
| Ref. |
| Joe Davis (ENG) | 15
| 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1946
| †10 July 1978
| [17][18] |
| Fred Davis (ENG) | 8
| 1948, 1949, 1951, 1952*, 1953*, 1954*, 1955*, 1956*
| †16 April 1998
| [19] |
| John Pulman (ENG) | 1957*, 1964‡, 1964‡, 1965‡, 1965‡, 1965‡, 1966‡, 1968‡
| †25 December 1998
| [19] |
| Stephen Hendry (SCO) | 7
| 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999
| retired
| [3] |
| Ronnie O'Sullivan (ENG) | 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2020, 2022
| ¤ | [20] |
| Ray Reardon (WAL) | 6
| 1970, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978
| †19 July 2024
| [21][22] |
| Steve Davis (ENG) | 1981, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1989
| retired
| [23] |
| John Higgins (SCO) | 4
| 1998, 2007, 2009, 2011
| ¤ | [24] |
| Mark Selby (ENG) | 2014, 2016, 2017, 2021
| ¤ | [25] |
| John Spencer (ENG) | 3
| 1969, 1971, 1977
| †11 July 2006
| [26] |
| Mark Williams (WAL) | 2000, 2003, 2018
| ¤ | [27] |
| Walter Donaldson (SCO) | 2
| 1947, 1950
| †24 May 1973
| [19] |
| Alex Higgins (NIR) | 1972, 1982
| †24 July 2010
| [28] |
Notes
- Due to World War II[9]
- Due to a disagreement with the Billiards Association and Control Club and the Professional Billiards Players' Association (PBPA), Lindrum and McConachy were the only players to compete, with most professional players playing in the World Professional Match-play Championship instead. As a result, Lindrum's title win is sometimes ignored, with Cliff Thorburn (CAN) usually regarded as the first non-United Kingdom winner.[8]
- Due to a lack of interest there was no championship organised between 1958 and 1963. In 1964, it was agreed between the Professional Billiard Players Association and the BACC that the championship would be contested by having the reigning champion play in challenge matches. There were seven such challenge matches between 1964 and 1968, until knockout competition resumed with the 1969 Championship.[1] The agreement in 1964 was that there should be a stake by both parties of £50 (equivalent to earnings of £2,000 in 2021[11]), that matches could be of any duration agreed by both participants, and that the challenger would be responsible for finding a suitable venue.[12]
- The title was decided over a series of matches rather than frames.[13]
- Some sources give the score as 37–32. The CueSport Book of Professional Snooker: The Complete Record & History (2004) says "Higgins triumphed 37-31 (not 37-32 as so many publications have wrongly printed)"[15]
References
- Everton, Clive (1985). Guinness Snooker: The Records. Enfield: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. pp. 55–56. ISBN 978-0-85112-448-3.
- "World Snooker Title". The Glasgow Herald. 19 February 1952. p. 2. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016.
- "Seventh title for Hendry". BBC News. 4 May 1999. Archived from the original on 31 August 2017.
- "O'Sullivan one frame from seventh world title - video & text". BBC Sport. 2022-05-01.
- Turner, Chris. "World Professional Championship". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 April 2013.
- "World Championship – Roll of Honour". Global Snooker. Archived from the original on 22 February 2012.
- "Hall of Fame". Snooker.org. Archived from the original on 28 July 2019.
- "History of the World Snooker Championship". worldsnooker.com. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. Archived from the original on 15 March 2011.
- "Embassy World Championship". snookerscene.co.uk. Snooker Scene. Archived from the original on 24 January 2013.
- [5][6][7][8][9]
- Officer, Lawrence H. "Five Ways to Compute the Relative Value of a UK Pound Amount, 1270 to Present". MeasuringWorth. Archived from the original on 2 January 2024.
- "Professional Snooker". Billiards and Snooker. the Billiards Association and Control Council. January 1964. p. 13.
- Everton, Clive (1981). Guinness Book of Snooker. Enfield: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 65. ISBN 978-0-85112-230-4.
- "Snooker: Higgins makes final flourish". The Times. 28 February 1972. p. 7.
- Hayton, Eric; Dee, John (2004). The CueSport Book of Professional Snooker: The Complete Record & History. Rose Villa Publications. p. 8. ISBN 978-0954854904.
- "Betfred World Championship (2025)". snooker.org.
- Hale, Janice (1987). Rothmans Snooker Yearbook 1987–88. Aylesbury: Queen Anne Press. pp. 246–249. ISBN 978-0-356-14690-4.
- Morrison, Ian (1987). The Hamlyn Encyclopedia of Snooker. London: Hamlyn Publishing Group. pp. 27–30. ISBN 978-0-600-55604-6.
- Hayton, Eric (2004). The CueSport Book of Professional Snooker. Lowestoft: Rose Villa Publications. p. 144. ISBN 978-0-9548549-0-4.
- "Ronnie O'Sullivan wins seventh World Snooker title and becomes oldest champion in history". skynews.com. 2 May 2022.
- "Ray Reardon". wst.tv. Archived from the original on 14 January 2021.
- "Snooker legend Ray Reardon dies". Sky News. 20 July 2024.
- "1989: Davis makes it six". BBC Sport. 12 April 2002. Archived from the original on 1 March 2014.
- Ashenden, Mark (2 May 2011). "Higgins beats Trump to win title". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 25 October 2018.
2 May 2011
- Hincks, Michael (4 May 2021). "World Snooker Championship 2021 – Mark Selby wins fourth Crucible title with win over Shaun Murphy". Eurosport.
- "Then and Now: John Spencer". Eurosport. 25 February 2010. Archived from the original on 7 October 2012.
- Hafez, Shamoon (7 May 2018). "Williams wins world title for third time". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020.
- Rawling, John (25 July 2010). "Alex Higgins obituary". The Guardian.