2026 World Seniors Snooker Championship: Draw, results, format, schedule, how to watch

Snooker at the Crucible for this year isn’t over quite yet, as several of the sport’s household names will line-up for the 2026 World Seniors Snooker Championship which takes place at the grand venue between May 6-10.

Due to recent changes on who is eligible to play in the competition, this year’s flagship seniors event is set to be the biggest and best yet, with an expanded field of 24 players, and several stars making their debuts in it.

Last year, Alfie Burden claimed this title for the first time when he defeated former champion Aaron Canavan in the final in Sheffield.

50-year-old Ronnie O’Sullivan, who will be aiming to put aside his disappointment of going out of the world professional championship at the last 16 stage last month, is set for his seniors bow.

How does the seniors draw work and who is playing in it?

A total of 24 players are in this year’s Championship. The top eight seeds go straight through to the round of 16, whilst the remaining 16 cueists must start in the preliminary round.

As the reigning and defending champion, Burden is at the top of the draw as the number one seed, with current British Seniors Open champion Joe Perry the second seed at the bottom.

The remaining top eight seeds are determined by the professional world rankings with O’Sullivan, Stuart Bingham, Ali Carter, Matthew Stevens and Robert Milkins also taking those places. Mark Williams was due to be the number three seed but has since withdrawn from the event, and been replaced by a former winner of this title, Nigel Bond.

Amongst those in the preliminary round are several current and recent professional tour players, including record four-time world seniors champion Jimmy White.

Former world professional champion Ken Doherty is back to try and win this crown for the first time, while record 12-time world women's champion Reanne Evans is on her debut.

Dominic Dale, Anthony Hamilton, Tony Drago, Gerard Greene and Craig Steadman are also in the draw, as are former winners of the world seniors title Igor Figueiredo, Peter Lines, and Canavan.

There is a cosmopolitan feel to the proceedings with amateur players qualifying via various international pathways - Mohamed Elkhayat from Egypt facing Brazil's Figueiredo, and Roger Farebrother - the oldest player in the draw - coming from Australia.

English trio Daniel Ward, Neal Jones and Wayne Townsend emerged from the world seniors tour qualifiers.

Ward - who was the last player to book their spot in the draw after winning the ‘Golden Ticket’ event - is the partner of Evans. With both cueists in separate halves of the bracket, they could meet in the final.

What is the order of play, match schedule for the 2026 World Seniors Snooker Championship?

The Championship begins on Wednesday evening with action over the first three days played on two tables inside the Crucible, before the one-table set-up for the weekend's semi-finals and final.

The preliminary round, last 16, and quarter-finals are all the best of seven frames. The semis are the best of 13, and the two-session final is the best of 19.

NOTE: If a match goes all the way, there won’t be a deciding frame, there will be a re-spotted black ball.

Saturday 9th May

12:00BST

• Robert Milkins v Ronnie O’Sullivan

19:00BST

• Craig Steadman v Joe Perry

Sunday 10th May

• 12:00BST & 19:00BST - the final

How to watch the 2026 World Seniors Snooker Championship

The host television broadcaster for the 2026 World Seniors Snooker Championship is Channel 5 in the United Kingdom with live coverage on either its main channel, or subsidiary channel of 5Action.

There will also be online coverage of table two on 5 steaming.

The tournament will also be simulcast on Pluto TV, with streaming available to those in the UK, USA, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Australia.