The World Snooker Championship at The Crucible in Sheffield will be the undisputed highlight of the 2023/24 season.
The tournament is the pinnacle of the sport, with the extended format providing the top players in the world with a true test of skill and endurance.
Belgium’s Luca Brecel lifted the trophy for the first time in 2023, but may find it difficult to defend the title in the face of some stiff competition.
Read on as we look at the dates, format, players, ticket details and live streaming information for the 2024 World Snooker Championship.
World Snooker Championship 2024 – Dates
The tournament gets underway with the first-round matches on Saturday, April 20, and will culminate with the final on Sunday, May 5 & 6.
World Snooker Championship 2024 – Format
The top 16 players in the Snooker World Rankings automatically secure a spot in the tournament. A further 16 earn their place through a qualifying competition.
The reigning world champion is the number one seed, with the remaining players seeded based on their latest world rankings. The tournament format is as follows:
• First Round: Best of 19 frames.
• Second Round: Best of 25 frames.
• Quarter-Finals: Best of 25 frames.
• Semi-Finals: Best of 33 frames.
• Final: Best of 35 frames.
Two tables are used up to and including the quarter-finals, while only one table is used for the semi-finals and final.
World Snooker Championship 2024 – Players
The final line-up will not be known until next spring, but is guaranteed to feature all of the biggest stars in the snooker world.
Brecel emerged victorious in 2023, defeating four-time winner Mark Selby 18-15 to claim the first major title of his career.
The two players are among the bookmakers’ favourites to win the 2024 tournament, but several other players could be in contention.
They include Northern Ireland star Mark Allen, who was defeated 17-15 by Selby after an epic battle in this year’s semi-finals.
The top UK and Irish betting sites rate Allen as a 14/1 shot to lift the trophy and those odds will likely tempt punters looking for a value wager. The latest ante-post market is as follows:
• Ronnie O’Sullivan – 9/2
• Mark Selby – 5/1
• Judd Trump – 7/1
• Neil Robertson – 15/2
• Luca Brecel – 12/1
• Mark Allen – 14/1
• Kyren Wilson – 14/1
• Shaun Murphy – 14/1
• John Higgins – 16/1
• Mark Williams – 20/1
• Bar – 33/1
World Snooker Championship 2024 – Tickets
Tickets for the tournament are available at www.cruciblesnooker.com and range from £40 for first round matches up to £650 for premium tickets for the final.
The demand for tickets is always extremely high and several sessions at the tournament are already completely sold out.
World Snooker Championship 2024 – Live Streaming
Several outlets broadcast the World Snooker Championship live including the BBC, Eurosport, Discovery+ and DAZN.
The BBC is the go-to broadcaster for millions of people worldwide, with their coverage of the tournament available on television and online.
Live streams from both tables are available the via BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website, meaning you can watch every single minute of the prestigious event for free.
Respected broadcaster Hazel Irvine is the BBC’s lead presenter having been an integral part of their snooker coverage for more than 20 years.
The BBC also have some of the best commentators in the business, with former players John Virgo, Steve Davis, John Parrott, Ken Doherty and Dennis Taylor amongst their line-up.