Record-breaker Reanne Evans '50/50' on missing World Women's Snooker Championship due to event clash

The record-breaking 12-time World Women’s Snooker Championship title winner may skip this year’s blue riband event on the World Women’s Snooker Tour to instead play in the inaugural Global Pluto TV Snooker 900 Championship, for which she has been given an invitation to the main draw.

It was announced last week that the 2026 World Women’s Snooker Championship will take place in Dongguan Changping, China between May 12-19.

However, the Global 900 Championship - which carries a prize fund of £100,000 - is scheduled at a similar time between May 12-17.

Held at the Crucible Sports and Social Club in Reading, the Global 900 Championship - played to unique rules against the clock - is set to feature an eclectic mix of professional and amateur stars, with Ronnie O’Sullivan, Shaun Murphy, Stuart Bingham and Jimmy White amongst those who are in the draw.

A tournament to be shown live and exclusive on the Pluto TV platform, Evans’ participation for the Global 900 Championship was announced several weeks ago, but with entries for the World Women’s Snooker Championship expected to open shortly, she faces the difficult decision of which competition to go to.

Evans weighing up decision, says she is ‘50/50’

Speaking exclusively to Totally Snookered, Evans said she understands that events will sometime clash when different organisers are involved, but is undecided on which of the two tournaments she will attend.

“I was a little disappointed to see the clash and so soon after the world seniors too as we thought the women’s world championship would have been towards the end of May” said Evans.

“I’m 50/50 on what I’m going to do.”

Last year’s World Women’s Snooker Championship also took place in Dongguan, but a little later in the month (May 20-27).

Finances will surely be a factor in Englishwoman Evans’ decision with one event on the other side of the world, and the other being fairly close to home.

Something else Evans will have to consider are the ranking points on the women’s circuit she’ll miss out on if she doesn’t travel to China.

For the past few years, the World Women’s Snooker Tour has provided a direct pathway for its players to qualify for the professional circuit, with two, two-year tour cards on offer each season. This is how Evans - and fellow top-flight women players Bai Yulu, Ng On Yee, and Mink Nutcharut - is currently part of the sport’s big time.

Evans is guaranteed to be on the World Snooker Tour pro scene next season as she is still using the first year of her latest card, but may need to use the women’s tour route next year to maintain her top tier stripes. Currently placed fourth on the women’s tour ranking list, points from the upcoming world championship in the Far East could prove very handy for her.

But the expenses involved going to Asia for nearly a fortnight, and the prize money on offer at the Pluto event may sway her ultimate decision. Evans added: “I think I’m on money from the start for the Global Pluto TV Snooker 900 Championship and it would be great to be part of such a great line-up.

“Without a sponsor traveling to China and sorting a visa etc. are the things I need to weigh up.

“It would be weird not playing the Women’s World Championship; don’t get me wrong, but it’s something I really need to think about.”

Evans is, by some distance, the most decorated winner in World Women’s Snooker Championship history with 12 crowns to her name - five more than second-placed Allison Fisher. She has played in every edition since her debut in 2002, and enjoyed an incredible winning streak between 2005 to 2014 - claiming the title ten times in a row.

Evans prepares for busy upcoming snooker diary

It is set to be a very busy time for Evans, regardless of which tournament she elects to feature in during the middle of May.

Last week, at the latest Snooker 900 Champions Week, she won all her group matches and reached the final, although was denied the title after being pipped 5-3 by snooker legend White. A few days later, Evans made the semi-finals of the British Women’s Open held in Walsall.

Next week, Evans will take part in the qualifying rounds for the 2026 World Professional Snooker Championship at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield where she’ll need to navigate four rounds to qualify for the main draw at the Crucible Theatre.

However, 40-year-old Evans is already guaranteed a Crucible appearance this spring, as she is in the draw for the 2026 World Seniors Snooker Championship which will be held at the iconic venue between May 6-10.

Following her seniors debut, Evans will then finish her season in either Reading or Dongguan.