Record-breaking World Women's Snooker Championship underway as Bai Yulu goes for three-peat

Dongguan is fast becoming the new home for the flagship event on the World Women's Snooker Tour, with the southern Chinese city hosting the Championship for a third consecutive year.

The area is heavily investing in snooker with the building of an impressive purpose-built arena. Before this year's tournament began, there was a glitzy opening ceremony held at the Yinxian Resort that wouldn't have looked out of place at the Olympics.

A title first won by Vera Selby in 1976, this year's competition features a record-breaking 78 players, and a very high-quality field at that with 14 of the world's top 15 in the draw.

The entrants have been split into round robin groups with the top two players from each pool qualifying for the last 32 knockouts.

During the Championship's media day, WWST President Mandy Fisher - who won this title in 1984 and who the current trophy is named after - said: “We are delighted to be back in Dongguan Changping for a third successive year and even more so to be at the incredible new Snooker Sports Arena for the first time.

“It is again fantastic to see such a strong entry for the event, which is set to be the biggest ever since WWS was founded almost 45 years ago and I cannot wait for the action to get underway next Tuesday.”

As well as claiming the most prestigious title in the women's game, the Championship winner will also be rewarded with a two-year professional tour card (if they don't already have one).

The reigning champion is home hero Bai Yulu who has won the last two editions back-to-back, and is aiming to become the fourth player (the first non-UK one) to secure three world crowns consecutively.

Both times Bai has defeated 2022 champion Mink Nutcharut in the final; a deciding frame finish in 2024, and 6-4 twelve months ago.

Chinese youngster Bai has been the standout performer on this season's women's circuit, winning four of the six events she has played in, and at one point compiling a winning streak of 41 matches. She also climbed to the top of the world women's rankings for the first time, a position she still holds.

Although Bai is installed as the tournament favourite, it is world number two Ng On Yee who comes into the blue riband spectacular as the most in-form player on the women's circuit.

Hong Kong ace On Yee - who was the first Asian player to win the ultimate women's crown in 2015 before claiming further glories in 2017 and 2018 - has won the last two competitions on the WWST at the Belgian and British Opens. In the latter, she defeated Bai 4-2 in the final.

Thailand's Mink has featured in four of the last five world finals, and the 26-year-old would dearly love to reclaim the prize.

After doubt over whether she would play, 12-times world women's champion Reanne Evans has again made the trip to the Far East as she tries to add to her record-breaking haul.

Evans was the supreme dominant force of the women's game, winning ten consecutive world crowns between 2005 to 2014, but in recent years, victories on the women's tour have been sparse, and her last world success was in 2019 - also her last appearance in the final.

For ways on how to follow the 2026 World Women’s Snooker Championship, visit here.