The World Snooker Championship is snooker’s most prestigious annual tournament, contested since 1927 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England.
The championship features the world’s elite snooker players competing for the trophy and substantial prize money in professional snooker’s greatest event.
This guide covers World Snooker Championship winners from 1927 through 2025, including record holders and the evolution of professional snooker at the sport’s most iconic venue.
World Snooker Championship Winners: 2010-2025
| Year | Winner | Runner-Up | Prize Money |
| 2025 | Zhao Xintong | Mark Williams | £500,000 |
| 2024 | Kyren Wilson | Jak Jones | £500,000 |
| 2023 | Luca Brecel | Mark Selby | £500,000 |
| 2022 | Ronnie O’Sullivan | Judd Trump | £500,000 |
| 2021 | Mark Selby | Shaun Murphy | £500,000 |
| 2020 | Ronnie O’Sullivan | Kyren Wilson | £500,000 |
| 2019 | Judd Trump | John Higgins | £500,000 |
| 2018 | Mark Selby | Ali Carter | £500,000 |
| 2017 | Mark Allen | Graeme Dott | £500,000 |
| 2016 | Mark Selby | Gerry Connelly | £500,000 |
| 2015 | Stuart Bingham | Shaun Murphy | £500,000 |
| 2014 | Mark Selby | Ali Carter | £500,000 |
| 2013 | Ronnie O’Sullivan | Barry Hawkins | £500,000 |
| 2012 | Ali Carter | Graeme Dott | £500,000 |
| 2011 | John Higgins | Thepchaiya Un-Nooh | £500,000 |
| 2010 | Neil Robertson | Graeme Dott | £500,000 |
Most World Snooker Championship Titles
Ronnie O’Sullivan and Stephen Hendry share the record with 7 World Snooker Championship titles each.
Ray Reardon and Steve Davis each won 6 championships during their careers in snooker’s modern era.
Mark Selby has claimed 4 titles, making him one of snooker’s most successful modern champions.
John Higgins achieved 3 World Snooker Championship victories throughout his professional snooker career competing at the Crucible Theatre.
Multiple Champions
- Ronnie O’Sullivan: 7 titles
- Stephen Hendry: 7 titles
- Ray Reardon: 6 titles
- Steve Davis: 6 titles
- Mark Selby: 4 titles
- John Higgins: 3 titles
Recent Winners: 2020-2025
Zhao Xintong won the 2025 World Snooker Championship by defeating Mark Williams 18-12, becoming the first Chinese player to win the championship.
Kyren Wilson won in 2024, claiming his breakthrough championship title after multiple final appearances.
Ronnie O’Sullivan claimed championships in 2022 and 2020, extending his legendary dominance in professional snooker.
Mark Selby won in 2023 and 2021, maintaining consistency among snooker’s elite players competing for the sport’s greatest prize at Sheffield’s historic venue.
Championship Format and Venues
The World Snooker Championship features best-of-35-frames finals with earlier rounds using best-of-25 or best-of-33 frames.
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The Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England has hosted the championship continuously since 1977, establishing the venue as snooker’s traditional home and the most iconic location in professional snooker.
Before 1977, the championship moved between various English locations including Birmingham and London.
The permanent Crucible venue created consistency and prestige for the World Snooker Championship across nearly five decades of continuous tournaments, making it the only venue to host 49 consecutive championships.
Greatest Players in Championship History
Stephen Hendry dominated snooker during the 1990s, winning 7 World Snooker Championship titles between 1990 and 1999 and setting technical standards for professional snooker excellence.
Ronnie O’Sullivan matched Hendry’s record by winning his seventh world title in 2022, extending his dominance across multiple decades of competitive snooker.
Ray Reardon and Steve Davis each won 6 championships, establishing themselves as snooker’s legendary champions.
These players shaped professional snooker’s development and elevated the sport’s technical standards through their championship performances and consistent excellence at the Crucible Theatre.
Prize Money Growth and International Competitiveness
Modern World Snooker Championship winners receive £500,000, reflecting growth from minimal prize money in 1927. Prize money increases have attracted international snooker talent from Asia, Europe, and other continents competing at the professional level in Sheffield.
Chinese players like Ding Junhui reached championship finals, bringing global recognition to snooker beyond traditional British strongholds.
For comprehensive snooker talent development information, professional snooker training and championship preparation resources provide insights into how international players compete at the World Snooker Championship level.
This international expansion demonstrates snooker’s transformation from regional British sport to globally competitive professional championship where players from Asia now claim titles.
FAQs
What is the World Snooker Championship?
The World Snooker Championship is snooker’s most prestigious annual tournament held at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, featuring elite professional snooker players competing for the championship title and £500,000 prize money.
Who has won the most titles?
Ronnie O’Sullivan and Stephen Hendry both hold the record with 7 World Snooker Championship titles each in snooker’s competitive history since the modern era began in 1969.
Where is the championship held?
The Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England has hosted the World Snooker Championship continuously since 1977 as the tournament’s permanent and iconic venue.
How much prize money does the winner receive?
The 2025 World Snooker Championship winner received £500,000 from the tournament’s prize purse, reflecting snooker’s transformation into a lucrative professional sport over nearly a century of championship competition.
When was the first championship played?
The inaugural World Snooker Championship was held in 1927, making it snooker’s oldest championship spanning nearly a century of competitive history and professional excellence.
What is the match format?
The World Snooker Championship final is contested as a best-of-35-frames match with earlier rounds using best-of-25 or best-of-33 frames, requiring extraordinary skill, endurance, and mental resilience over multiple days of competition.
Who was the first Chinese World Champion?
Zhao Xintong became the first Chinese winner of the World Snooker Championship in 2025, defeating three-time champion Mark Williams 18-12 to capture snooker’s greatest prize and represent a major breakthrough for Asian snooker development.
