2025 Snooker Championship: Wilson’s Title Defense
# The 2025 World Snooker Championship: Everything You Need to Know
The 2025 World Snooker Championship starts this weekend. The world’s best players will compete at the famous Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. Defending champion Kyren Wilson is back. He won last year’s final against Jak Jones with a score of 18-14.
## **Tournament Details**
– **Dates:** April 19 – May 5, 2025
– **Venue:** Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
– **Broadcast:** Live on BBC and iPlayer (UK), talkSPORT (radio coverage)
– **Session Times:**
– Morning: 10:00 AM
– Afternoon: 2:30 PM
– Evening: 7:00 PM
– **Final Sessions:**
– May 4 & 5 – Starts at 1:00 PM, evening sessions at 7:00 PM
## **Confirmed Players & Format**
The top 16 ranked players will compete. They will be joined by 16 qualifiers. The full lineup will be confirmed after April 16.
### **Confirmed Top 16:**
– Kyren Wilson (Defending Champion)
– Judd Trump
– Mark Selby
– Ronnie O’Sullivan (7-time champion)
– Mark Williams
– John Higgins
– Luca Brecel
– Mark Allen
– Neil Robertson
– Ding Junhui
– Barry Hawkins
– Zhang Anda
– Si Jiahui
– Xiao Guodong
– Shaun Murphy
– Jak Jones
### **Tournament Format:**
– **First Round:** Best of 19 frames (first to 10 wins)
– **Second Round & Quarter-Finals:** Best of 25 frames (first to 13)
– **Semi-Finals:** Best of 33 frames (first to 17)
– **Final:** Best of 35 frames (first to 18)
## **Prize Money Breakdown**
– **Winner:** £500,000
– **Runner-up:** £200,000
– **Semi-finalists:** £100,000
– **Quarter-finalists:** £50,000
– **Last 16:** £30,000
– **Highest Break Bonus:** £15,000
## **Recent Champions**
– **2024:** Kyren Wilson
– **2023:** Luca Brecel
– **2022:** Ronnie O’Sullivan
– **2021:** Mark Selby
– **2020:** Ronnie O’Sullivan
## **Key Storylines**
– **Ronnie O’Sullivan’s Return:** The Rocket took a break but is back. He’s always a threat to win.
– **Wilson vs. Trump Rivalry:** Wilson calls Trump his “biggest rival.” They’ve faced off in three finals this season.
– **Defending Champion’s Mindset:** Wilson respects O’Sullivan. He says, *”You certainly can’t write that man off.”*
Don’t miss the action. Watch history unfold at the Crucible!
**Follow the action live on BBC, iPlayer, and talkSPORT.**
