World Seniors Snooker Championship Expanded for 2026

World Seniors Snooker (WSS) is pleased to announce that the 2026 World Seniors Snooker Championship will return to the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield with an expanded field.

The flagship event, which will take place on 6-10 May 2026, will be shown live on Channel 5 in the UK and feature an increased line-up of 24 players with a two-table set up in the early rounds.

The 2015 Crucible champion Stuart Bingham will make his World Seniors Snooker Championship debut next May, as will former UK and Masters champion Matthew Stevens, 12-time World Women’s Snooker champion Reanne Evans and ranking event winner Anthony Hamilton.

Jimmy White will be looking to win a record-extending fifth World Seniors Snooker Championship title while 1997 world champion Ken Doherty aims for Seniors glory at the Crucible for the first time.

Defending champion Alfie Burden, Tony Drago, Joe Perry and Dominic Dale will also return to the sport’s most iconic venue in 2026 with six further players to be confirmed in due course.

A global field once again sees each continental Seniors champion earning a place in the tournament. Brazil’s Igor Figueiredo, champion in 2024, will make his return after lifting the Pan-American Seniors Championship title earlier this year while there is also a second consecutive appearance for Craig Steadman after he retained the European title last month.

Mohamed Samy Elkhayat, from Egypt, earns his place as the African Seniors champion and will be joined by the Asia-Pacific winner while four further places will be earned by qualifiers from the World Seniors Tour events.

Jason Francis, Chairman of WSS, said: “I am so pleased to announce our strongest ever field as we enter our new deal with Sheffield City Council, which will see the World Seniors Snooker Championship remain at the Crucible Theatre for at least the next two years.”

“By expanding our event we can give more players the ultimate dream of playing competitive snooker at the sport’s most famous venue. We have six more players to invite and are working on some securing some legends to complete our field. The 2026 World Seniors Snooker Championships promises to be the biggest and best yet – another Sheffield snooker event for Sheffield people.”

Tickets will go on sale on Friday 28 November via https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/