World Snooker Championship facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
World Snooker Championship

Tournament information
Venue	Crucible Theatre
Location	Sheffield
Country	England
Established	1927
Organisation(s)	World Snooker Tour
Format	Ranking event
Total prize fund	£2,395,000
Recent edition	2025
Current champion(s)	Zhao Xintong (CHN)

The World Snooker Championship is the most important and oldest tournament in professional snooker. It offers the biggest prize money, with a total of £2,395,000, and the winner takes home £500,000. This championship started in 1927. It is now one of three major tournaments that make up snooker's special "Triple Crown Series". The other two are the UK Championship and the invitational Masters. The current world champion is Zhao Xintong.

Joe Davis was the first big star, winning the first 15 world championships. He retired undefeated in 1946. The famous World Championship trophy, which has a Greek shepherdess statue on top (called the Silver Lady), was bought by Davis in 1926. The tournament did not happen between 1941 and 1945 because of World War II. It also stopped between 1952 and 1963 due to disagreements among snooker organizations. The official championship returned in 1964 and changed to a knockout style in 1969. This year is seen as the start of snooker's modern era. Since 1977, every championship has been held at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England.

The tournament format has mostly stayed the same since 1982. Each year, 32 players compete at the Crucible. The top 16 players in the world rankings automatically get a spot. The other 16 players earn their places through a special qualifying tournament. Only four players who came through qualifying have ever won the championship: Alex Higgins (in 1972), Terry Griffiths (in 1979), Shaun Murphy (in 2005), and Zhao Xintong (in 2025). Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan share the record for most world titles in the modern era, each winning seven times. As of 2025, 29 players have won the championship.

Players have made fifteen "maximum breaks" in the tournament's history. A maximum break is when a player scores the highest possible points in one turn (147 points). Eleven different players have achieved this. Cliff Thorburn made the first one in 1983, and Mark Allen made the most recent one in 2025. In 2022, a record 109 "century breaks" (scores of 100 or more points in one turn) were made at the Crucible.

History of the Championship

Early Years (1927–1934)

The first championship in 1927 was called the Professional Snooker Championship. Ten professional players entered, including many top English billiards players. Matches were played over many frames, with the final being over 31 frames. The first match took place in London. The final between Joe Davis and Tom Dennis was held in Birmingham. Davis won 20–11. The highest break was 60, made by Albert Cope.

In 1928, players had to challenge Davis for the title. Fred Lawrence reached the final but lost to Davis. This challenge system was stopped in 1929. Davis played Dennis again in the final in Nottingham and won 19–14, making a new record break of 61. They met again in the 1930 final, held at Thurston's Hall in London for the first time. Davis won 25–12 and set another record with a break of 79.

In 1931, only two players entered: Davis and Dennis. Davis won a close match 25–21. In 1932, Clark McConachy played Davis in the final. Davis won 30–19 and made a new record break of 99, just missing a century. In 1933, Willie Smith reached the final but lost to Davis 18–25. In 1934, Davis beat Tom Newman 25–22.

Thurston's Hall Era (1935–1940)

The 1935 Championship brought big changes. It was the first to use "world" in its name. Also, all matches were played one after another at the same place, Thurston's Hall in London. This helped players earn more money from ticket sales.

In 1935, Joe Davis beat Willie Smith 28–21 in the final. Davis made the first century break in the championship's history, scoring 110 points. In 1936, a record 13 players entered. Davis beat Horace Lindrum 34–27 in the final.

Qualifying matches were introduced in 1937. Fred Davis, Joe's younger brother, lost his qualifying match. Joe Davis beat Lindrum 32–29 in the final and made the first century break during live play (103 points).

Lindrum did not play in 1938, which Davis won by beating Sidney Smith. Davis beat Smith again in the 1939 final. The 1940 Championship saw the Davis brothers, Joe and Fred, meet in the final. Joe won 37–35, making a 101 break that made the crowd cheer for almost a minute. Thurston's Hall was destroyed during The Blitz in October 1940, and no tournaments were held during the rest of World War II.

Post-War Era (1946–1952)

The championship returned in 1946. Joe Davis played Lindrum again in the final at the Royal Horticultural Hall in London. Davis won 73–62 and made new championship records with breaks of 133 and 136. This event was a financial success for the players.

In October 1946, Joe Davis announced he would no longer play in the World Championship. He had never lost a match since it began in 1927. The 1947 championship final was between Fred Davis and Walter Donaldson. Donaldson won 73–49. They met again in the 1948 final, with Fred Davis winning 73–49. They also played in the 1949 final, where Davis won 73–58. The 1950 final moved to Blackpool Tower Circus. Donaldson won in 1950, and Davis won in 1951.

In 1952, a disagreement led to many players boycotting the official championship. Only two players entered: Lindrum and Clark McConachy. Lindrum won the championship.

World Professional Match-play Championship (1952–1957)

After boycotting the official championship, a group of players created their own tournament called the PBPA Snooker Championship. Ten players entered. Fred Davis and Donaldson met in the final, with Davis winning 38–35. They met again in 1953 and 1954, with Davis winning both times.

Fred Davis played John Pulman in the 1955 final, winning 38–35. Davis beat Pulman again in 1956. Davis did not enter the 1957 championship, and Pulman defeated Jackie Rea to win his first world title.

Challenge Matches (1964–1968)

The championship was brought back in 1964 as challenge matches. John Pulman played Fred Davis in the first match and kept his title. Pulman won two more challenge matches against Rex Williams and Davis. In late 1965, Pulman played a series of matches in South Africa and kept his title. Williams set a new championship record with a break of 142. Pulman also beat South African Fred Van Rensburg. Pulman and Davis played again in April 1966, with Pulman winning. Australian Eddie Charlton challenged Pulman in March 1968, but Pulman won 37–28.

Modern Era Begins (1969–1976)

In 1969, the championship returned to a knockout tournament format. This is seen as the start of snooker's modern era. Eight professionals entered. John Spencer beat the reigning champion, John Pulman. Spencer then won the final against Gary Owen 37–24. Spencer lost to Ray Reardon in the semi-finals of the 1970 Championship. Reardon went on to win his first title against John Pulman.

The next championship in 1970 was held in Australia and had a group stage for the only time. Spencer won the final against Warren Simpson. 1972 saw the rise of Alex Higgins. He won the title on his first try, beating John Spencer in the final. At 22 years old, Higgins was the youngest world champion at that time.

The 1973 Championship changed its format. It was played over two weeks at one venue. Ray Reardon won his second title, beating Eddie Charlton 38–32 in the final. The 1974 Championship was shorter. Reardon won comfortably against Graham Miles 22–12.

The 1975 Championship was held in Australia. Ray Reardon reached the final against Eddie Charlton. Reardon won a very close match, coming back from behind to win the deciding frame.

The 1976 World Snooker Championship was held at two venues. Alex Higgins reached the final against Ray Reardon. Reardon won 27–16, claiming his fourth title in a row. This was the first year the championship had a sponsor, a cigarette brand.

The Crucible Era Starts (1977–1980)

In 1977, the championship moved to its current home, the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. The 1977 championship had 16 players. John Spencer beat defending champion Ray Reardon and then Canadian Cliff Thorburn in a close final, winning 25–21.

The World Snooker Championship trophy in front of the Crucible Theatre

In 1978, defending champion John Spencer lost in the first round. Ray Reardon won his sixth world title, beating Perrie Mans 25–18 in the final. At 45 years old, Reardon became the oldest World Champion at that time.

The 1979 championship was won by Terry Griffiths. He had only become a professional player seven months before the tournament. He won two qualifying matches and then beat Dennis Taylor 24–16 in the final, winning a record £10,000 prize. Canadian Bill Werbeniuk made a break of 142, matching the championship record.

In the 1980 championship, the number of players increased to 24. The final was between Cliff Thorburn and Alex Higgins. Thorburn won the championship 18–16.

Steve Davis's Dominance (1981–1989)

Steve Davis was a favorite for the 1981 championship. He beat three former world champions to reach the final against Doug Mountjoy. Davis won 18–12, becoming the second-youngest champion at 23 years old. Mountjoy made a new championship record break of 145 in his semi-final.

The 1982 championship expanded to 32 players. Defending champion Steve Davis lost in the first round. Alex Higgins reached the final against Ray Reardon. Higgins won 18–15, denying Reardon a seventh world title.

Cliff Thorburn made the first ever maximum break (147 points) at the World Championship in 1983. This was a huge moment, and play on the other table even stopped to watch. Thorburn reached the final but lost to Steve Davis 18–6. The 1984 final was between Steve Davis and Jimmy White. Davis won 18–16.

The 1985 final, known as the "black ball final", was one of the most exciting matches ever. Dennis Taylor beat Steve Davis 18–17 on the very last ball of the final frame. It finished after midnight and was watched by 18.5 million people in the UK, a record for BBC2. Davis played Joe Johnson in the 1986 final. Johnson, who was not expected to win, beat Davis 18–12. Johnson and Davis met again in the 1987 final, but this time Davis won 18–14.

Steve Davis and Terry Griffiths played in the 1988 final, with Davis winning 18–11. Davis reached his seventh final in a row in 1989, beating John Parrott 18–3. This was the biggest winning margin in a World Championship final. Davis won £105,000, a new record prize.

Stephen Hendry's Era (1990–1999)

In 1990, Steve Davis did not reach the final for the first time since 1982. He lost to Jimmy White in the semi-finals. In the final, Stephen Hendry beat White 18–12. At 21 years old, Hendry became the youngest ever world champion.

Hendry lost in the quarter-finals of the 1991 tournament. The final was between John Parrott and Jimmy White, with Parrott winning 18–11.

In 1992, Jimmy White made the second maximum break in the World Championship. Stephen Hendry met Jimmy White in the final. White led 14–8, but Hendry won ten frames in a row to win 18–14.

In 1993, James Wattana from Thailand became the first Asian player to reach the semi-finals. Stephen Hendry beat Jimmy White 18–5 in a one-sided final. This was the last time (as of 2025) the final was won without needing a fourth session. The total prize money reached £1,000,000 for the first time.

Jimmy White reached his sixth final in 1994, playing Stephen Hendry for the fourth time. It was a very close match that went to the final frame. White had a chance to win but missed a shot, and Hendry then won the title.

In 1995, Hendry and White met in the semi-finals, where Hendry won again and made a maximum break. Hendry won the final against Nigel Bond 18–9. Hendry made a record twelve century breaks during the tournament.

The 1996 tournament saw Peter Ebdon reach the final against Stephen Hendry. Hendry won 18–12, claiming his fifth title in a row. A new record of 48 century breaks were made in the final stages.

Ronnie O'Sullivan made the fastest maximum break in snooker history in 1997, taking just five minutes and eight seconds. The final was between Stephen Hendry and Irishman Ken Doherty. Doherty won 18–12, ending Hendry's amazing run of 29 consecutive match wins.

In 1998, Stephen Hendry lost in the first round. Doherty reached the final again, playing 22-year-old John Higgins. Higgins won 18–12, making five centuries in the final. In total, 59 centuries were made in the tournament, with Higgins making 14 of them, both new records.

Stephen Hendry won his seventh and final world title in the 1999 tournament. This record was equaled by Ronnie O'Sullivan in 2022. Hendry beat Mark Williams 18–11 in the final.

The "Class of '92" (2000–2013)

The years from 2000 to 2013 were mostly dominated by three players born in 1975 who became professionals in 1992. They are known as the "Class of '92": Ronnie O'Sullivan won five times, John Higgins three times, and Mark Williams twice.

In 2000, Mark Williams made a comeback from 11–15 down to beat John Higgins 17–15 in the semi-final. In the final, Williams met fellow Welshman Matthew Stevens. Stevens led 13–7, but Williams came back to win 18–16, becoming the first left-handed champion. This was the only time (as of 2025) that two Welsh players played in the final.

Ronnie O'Sullivan won his first world championship in 2001, defeating John Higgins 18–14 in the final.

Stephen Hendry beat defending champion Ronnie O'Sullivan in the semi-final of the 2002 Championship. Peter Ebdon beat Matthew Stevens in the other semi-final. The final went to the very last frame, where Ebdon won the title. A record 68 centuries were made in the tournament.

Mark Williams won his second World title in 2003 by defeating Ken Doherty 18–16 in the final. Prize money reached its highest point in 2003, with the winner getting £270,000. Ronnie O'Sullivan made the fifth maximum break in the World Championship.

Ronnie O'Sullivan won his second world title in 2004, defeating Graeme Dott 18–8 in the final.

Shaun Murphy won the 2005 championship by defeating Matthew Stevens 18–16. Murphy was only the second qualifier to win the World Championship. He was also the lowest-ranked player ever to win.

Graeme Dott beat Peter Ebdon 18–14 in the 2006 final. The match finished very late, at 12:52 AM. This was the first championship sponsored by a betting company.

The 2007 Championship was won by John Higgins, who beat qualifier Mark Selby 18–13 in the final. This match finished even later, at 12:55 AM.

Ronnie O'Sullivan won the 2008 Championship, beating Ali Carter 18–8 in the final. Both O'Sullivan and Carter made maximum breaks earlier in the tournament, which was a first for the World Championship.

John Higgins won his third world title in 2009, beating Shaun Murphy 18–9. Michaela Tabb became the first woman to referee a World Championship final. A record 83 century breaks were made in the championship.

The 2010 Championship was won by Neil Robertson, who beat qualifier Graeme Dott 18–13. Robertson became the fourth non-U.K. winner of the title.

John Higgins won his fourth world title in 2011, beating Judd Trump 18–15 in the final. Trump, at 21, was the youngest finalist since Stephen Hendry in 1990.

Ronnie O'Sullivan won his fourth world title in 2012, defeating Ali Carter 18–11. Stephen Hendry made his third maximum break at the Crucible, matching O'Sullivan's record. Hendry announced his retirement after losing in the quarter-finals. Luca Brecel became the youngest player to compete at the Crucible.

Defending champion Ronnie O'Sullivan won the title again in 2013, beating Barry Hawkins 18–12. He broke Hendry's record for career Crucible centuries, finishing with 131. He also became the first player to make six century breaks in a Crucible final.

Between 1998 and 2020, 17 of the 23 finals featured at least one "Class of '92" player.

Mark Selby and Veterans (2014–2022)

Mark Selby won the world title in 2014 by beating defending champion Ronnie O'Sullivan 18–14. Selby won a record £300,000.

Selby lost in the second round of the 2015 Championship. Stuart Bingham won the title, defeating Ronnie O'Sullivan, Judd Trump, and Shaun Murphy in the final 18–15. At 38, Bingham was the oldest player to win the title since Ray Reardon in 1978. The tournament set a new record for most century breaks at the Crucible, with 86.

Defending champion Stuart Bingham lost in the first round of the 2016 Championship. Mark Selby defeated Ding Junhui 18–14 in the final to win his second world title. Ding was the first Asian player to reach a World Championship final. The tournament again had 86 century breaks. Ding Junhui also set a new record of seven centuries by one player in a World Championship match.

Prize money for the 2017 Championship was a record £1,750,000, with the winner receiving £375,000. Mark Selby beat Ding Junhui in the semi-final. Selby met John Higgins in the final, winning 18–15. Selby became champion for the third time in four years, joining Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry, and Ronnie O'Sullivan as the only players to defend the title at the Crucible.

In 2018, two "Class of '92" players, Mark Williams and John Higgins, met in the final. Williams won 18–16, winning his first World Championship since 2003. He won £425,000.

Higgins reached the final again in 2019 but lost 18–9 to Judd Trump, who won £500,000. Their final set records for most century breaks in a professional match (11) and most centuries in a Crucible final. Trump also set a new record for most centuries by a player in a world final (7). The tournament recorded a record 100 century breaks.

The 2020 championship was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ronnie O'Sullivan made his 28th appearance at the Crucible and won his sixth championship, beating Kyren Wilson 18–8 in the final. This was O'Sullivan's 37th ranking title, passing Stephen Hendry's record. John Higgins made a 147 break, earning a £40,000 bonus.

At the 2021 event, O'Sullivan lost in the second round. Selby met Murphy in the final and won 18–15.

At the 2022 event, O'Sullivan equaled Steve Davis's record of 30 Crucible appearances. The "Class of '92" (O'Sullivan, Higgins, and Williams) all reached the semi-finals for the first time since 1999. O'Sullivan defeated Trump 18–13 in the final to win his seventh world title, matching Hendry's modern-era record. At 46 years old, he became the oldest world champion, beating Ray Reardon's record. O'Sullivan also broke Hendry's record for Crucible wins, reaching 74. A new record of 109 century breaks was set at the Crucible.

New Champions Emerge (2023–)

During the 2023 event, a protest caused a brief stop in play. Luca Brecel became the first player from continental Europe to win the title. He had never won a match at the Crucible before. He made big comebacks in his quarter-final and semi-final matches, including the biggest comeback in Crucible history from 5–14 down. He defeated Selby 18–15 in the final to win his first world title.

Four years after being runner-up, Kyren Wilson won his first world title at the 2024 event, defeating qualifier Jak Jones 18–14 in the final. At the 2025 event, Zhao Xintong became the first Chinese player and first Asian player to win the world title. He had returned to competition after a ban. Competing as an amateur, he won four qualifying matches to reach the main stage. He defeated seven-time winner Ronnie O'Sullivan 17–7 in the semi-finals and three-time winner Mark Williams 18–12 in the final. He was the fourth qualifier to win the World Championship and the youngest winner since Murphy in 2005.

How the Tournament Works

The two-table setup at the 2019 event

The main part of the World Championship has used the same setup since 1982. It is a knockout tournament with 32 players, lasting 17 days and ending on the first Monday in May. Sixteen players are automatically "seeded" (given a direct spot) into the main draw. The other 16 players must win their way in through a qualifying competition held before the main event. The current world champion automatically gets the number one seed. The other 15 direct spots are given based on the latest world rankings.

Before 1982, different formats were used. From 1977 to 1979, only 16 players competed at the Crucible.

The length of matches changes as the tournament goes on:

• The first round is the best of 19 frames, played over two sessions.
• The second round and quarter-finals are the best of 25 frames, played over three sessions.
• The semi-finals are the best of 33 frames, played over four sessions on three days.
• The final is a maximum of 35 frames, played over four sessions on two days.

For the first 12 days, two matches are played at the same time on two tables in the arena. For the last five days (semi-finals and final), only one table is used.

From 1980 to 1996, the semi-finals were best of 31 frames. This changed to best of 33 frames from 1997 onwards. The tournament usually ends on the first Monday in May. The 2020 edition was an exception due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was played from July 31 to August 16.

Changes to the qualifying system happened for the 2015 championship. All living world champions could play in the qualifying rounds. The top 16 seeds still went straight to the Crucible, but all other players had to start in the first of three qualifying rounds. The total number of players increased from 128 to 144.

In 2020, the qualifying competition changed again. Players were seeded based on their world ranking. Lower-ranked players and amateurs played in earlier rounds. The 2020 qualifying round was also the first to be shown on television. Due to the pandemic, the first three qualifying rounds were shorter (best of 11 frames). From 2023, qualifying matches returned to being best of 19 frames.

Winners of the Championship

World Championship Finalists

From 1927, Joe Davis won the first 15 tournaments and retired undefeated in 1946. In 1952, a disagreement led to the creation of the World Professional Match-play Championship. Its winners are also considered world champions. The championship stopped between 1957 and 1964, then returned as challenge matches until 1968.

The "modern" era began in 1969 when it became a knockout tournament again. Since then, Stephen Hendry (1990–1999) and Ronnie O'Sullivan (2001–2022) hold the record with seven wins each. Ray Reardon won six times in the 1970s, and Steve Davis won six times in the 1980s.

Stephen Hendry is the youngest champion, winning his first title in 1990 at 21 years old. Ronnie O'Sullivan became the oldest champion in 2022 when he won his seventh title at 46 years old. Ronnie O'Sullivan also holds the record for most appearances at the Crucible, with 33, playing every year from 1993 to 2025.

Name	Sport country	Winner	Runner-up	Finals	Semi-final or better	Appearances
Davis, JoeJoe Davis	England	15	0	15	15	15
Davis, FredFred Davis	England	8	6	14	20	31
Pulman, JohnJohn Pulman	England	8	3	11	16	28
Hendry, StephenStephen Hendry	Scotland	7	2	9	12	27
O'Sullivan, RonnieRonnie O'Sullivan	England	7	1	8	14	33
Davis, SteveSteve Davis	England	6	2	8	11	30
Reardon, RayRay Reardon	Wales	6	1	7	10	19
Higgins, JohnJohn Higgins	Scotland	4	4	8	11	31
Selby, MarkMark Selby	England	4	2	6	8	21
Williams, MarkMark Williams	Wales	3	2	5	8	27
Spencer, JohnJohn Spencer	England	3	1	4	6	18
Donaldson, WalterWalter Donaldson	Scotland	2	6	8	10	13
Higgins, AlexAlex Higgins	Northern Ireland	2	2	4	7	19
Lindrum, HoraceHorace Lindrum	Australia	1	3	4	6	7
Murphy, ShaunShaun Murphy	England	1	3	4	5	23
Thorburn, CliffCliff Thorburn	Canada	1	2	3	6	19
Trump, JuddJudd Trump	England	1	2	3	6	16
Ebdon, PeterPeter Ebdon	England	1	2	3	4	24
Dott, GraemeGraeme Dott	Scotland	1	2	3	3	20
Doherty, KenKen Doherty	Ireland	1	2	3	3	19
Taylor, DennisDennis Taylor	Northern Ireland	1	1	2	5	21
Wilson, KyrenKyren Wilson	England	1	1	2	4	11
Parrott, JohnJohn Parrott	England	1	1	2	3	23
Griffiths, TerryTerry Griffiths	Wales	1	1	2	3	19
Johnson, JoeJoe Johnson	England	1	1	2	2	8
Robertson, NeilNeil Robertson	Australia	1	0	1	3	20
Bingham, StuartStuart Bingham	England	1	0	1	3	18
Brecel, LucaLuca Brecel	Belgium	1	0	1	1	8
Xintong, ZhaoZhao Xintong	China	1	0	1	1	3
White, JimmyJimmy White	England	0	6	6	10	25
Dennis, TomTom Dennis	England	0	4	4	6	7
Charlton, EddieEddie Charlton	Australia	0	3	3	8	21
Williams, RexRex Williams	England	0	2	2	5	17
Stevens, MatthewMatthew Stevens	Wales	0	2	2	6	18
Smith, SidneySidney Smith	England	0	2	2	6	9
Smith, WillieWillie Smith	England	0	2	2	4	8
Carter, AliAli Carter	England	0	2	2	3	21
McConachy, ClarkClark McConachy	New Zealand	0	2	2	3	4
Hawkins, BarryBarry Hawkins	England	0	1	1	5	19
Rea, JackieJackie Rea	Northern Ireland	0	1	1	4	10
Ding JunhuiDing Junhui	China	0	1	1	3	19
Newman, TomTom Newman	England	0	1	1	3	10
Bond, NigelNigel Bond	England	0	1	1	2	15
Mans, PerriePerrie Mans	South Africa	0	1	1	2	13
Owen, GaryGary Owen	Wales	0	1	1	2	7
Lawrence, FredFred Lawrence	England	0	1	1	2	6
Mountjoy, DougDoug Mountjoy	Wales	0	1	1	1	17
Miles, GrahamGraham Miles	England	0	1	1	1	12
Simpson, WarrenWarren Simpson	Australia	0	1	1	1	4
Jones, JakJak Jones	Wales	0	1	1	1	3
Van Rensburg, FredFred Van Rensburg	South Africa	0	1	1	1	1

• Active players are shown in bold.
• Only players who reached the final are included.
• Appearances relates to appearances in the final stages, not including qualifying matches.
• If records are the same, players are listed in alphabetical order by their last name.

Champions by Country

Country	Players	Total Wins	First Title	Last Title
England	14	58	1927	2024
Scotland	4	14	1947	2011
Wales	3	10	1970	2018
Northern Ireland	2	3	1972	1985
Australia	2	2	1952	2010
Canada	1	1	1980	1980
Ireland	1	1	1997	1997
Belgium	1	1	2023	2023
China	1	1	2025	2025

Tournament Sponsors

From 1969 to 2005, most championships were sponsored by cigarette brands. From 1976 to 2005, a brand called Embassy was the main sponsor. Rules about advertising changed in 2003, so Embassy stopped sponsoring snooker after 2005.

From 2006 to 2022, betting companies sponsored the championships. 888.com was the sponsor from 2006 to 2008. Betfred.com sponsored from 2009 to 2012, then Betfair in 2013, Dafabet in 2014, and Betfred again from 2015 to 2022.

Online car retailer Cazoo became the sponsor from 2023. In 2025, a UK software company called Halo became the new sponsor.

TV Coverage

Before the championship moved to the Crucible in 1977, TV coverage was very limited. In the 1950s, the BBC sometimes showed snooker, including parts of the 1953 and 1955 finals. Even after the show Pot Black started in color in 1969, there was not much coverage of the World Championship.

BBC TV coverage increased for the first Crucible championship in 1977. It included highlights of the semi-finals and some of the final. In 1978, the BBC started daily TV coverage with nightly highlights. In 1979, coverage expanded to include a "Frame of the Day" and live parts of the final. In 1980, daily live coverage started for the first time.

David Vine was the main presenter for the BBC's TV coverage until 2000. Other presenters and commentators have included Ted Lowe, Clive Everton, John Virgo, Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry, and Dennis Taylor.

As of 2023, the BBC has the rights to broadcast the tournament until 2027.

See also

In Spanish: Campeonato Mundial de Snooker para niños

• Crucible curse – A belief that first-time winners at the Crucible Theatre struggle to win again.
• List of snooker ranking tournaments