First established in 1927, the World Snooker Championship has been played under numerous guises in its near-100-year history, and is the sport's biggest event.
Initially organised by the Billiards Association and Control Council, Joe Davis won each of the first 15 editions.
After a disagreement with the BACC, the Professional Billiards Players' Association organised their own event, known as the World Professional Match-play Championship in 1952, which was then replaced by a new format in 1964, with players challenging champion John Pulman between 1964 and 1968.
The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association took control of the game from there, organising the World Snooker Championship from 1969 onwards.
Ronnie O'Sullivan and Stephen Hendry have captured more modern day titles than any other player with seven, while Wu Yize became the second Chinese player to land the coveted crown in 2026, seeing off Shaun Murphy in the showpiece final.
Find out details of every World Snooker Championship winner below.
World Snooker Championship previous winners
Year | Winner |
BACC-organised knockout tournament | |
1927 | Joe Davis |
1928* | Joe Davis |
1929 | Joe Davis |
1930 | Joe Davis |
1931 | Joe Davis |
1932 | Joe Davis |
1933 | Joe Davis |
1934 | Joe Davis |
1935 | Joe Davis |
1936 | Joe Davis |
1937 | Joe Davis |
1938 | Joe Davis |
1939 | Joe Davis |
1940 | Joe Davis |
1941–1945: No tournament | |
1946 | Joe Davis |
1947 | Walter Donaldson |
1948 | Fred Davis |
1949 | Fred Davis |
1950 | Walter Donaldson |
1951 | Fred Davis |
PBPA-organised World Professional Match-play Championship | |
1952 | Horace Lindrum |
1952 | Fred Davis |
1953 | Fred Davis |
1954 | Fred Davis |
1955 | Fred Davis |
1956 | Fred Davis |
1957 | John Pulman |
1958–1963: No tournament | |
BACC-organised challenge matches | |
1964 | John Pulman |
1964 | John Pulman |
1965 | John Pulman |
1965 | John Pulman |
1965 | John Pulman |
1966 | John Pulman |
1968 | John Pulman |
WPBSA-organised knockout tournament | |
1969 | John Spencer |
1970 | Ray Reardon |
1971 | John Spencer |
1972 | Alex Higgins |
1973 | Ray Reardon |
1974 | Ray Reardon |
1975 | Ray Reardon |
1976 | Ray Reardon |
1977 | John Spencer |
1978 | Ray Reardon |
1979 | Terry Griffiths |
1980 | Cliff Thorburn |
1981 | Steve Davis |
1982 | Alex Higgins |
1983 | Steve Davis |
1984 | Steve Davis |
1985 | Dennis Taylor |
1986 | Joe Johnson |
1987 | Steve Davis |
1988 | Steve Davis |
1989 | Steve Davis |
1990 | Stephen Hendry |
1991 | John Parrott |
1992 | Stephen Hendry |
1993 | Stephen Hendry |
1994 | Stephen Hendry |
1995 | Stephen Hendry |
1996 | Stephen Hendry |
1997 | Ken Doherty |
1998 | John Higgins |
1999 | Stephen Hendry |
2000 | Mark Williams |
2001 | Ronnie O'Sullivan |
2002 | Peter Ebdon |
2003 | Mark Williams |
2004 | Ronnie O'Sullivan |
2005 | Shaun Murphy |
2006 | Graeme Dott |
2007 | John Higgins |
2008 | Ronnie O'Sullivan |
2009 | John Higgins |
2010 | Neil Robertson |
2011 | John Higgins |
2012 | Ronnie O'Sullivan |
2013 | Ronnie O'Sullivan |
2014 | Mark Selby |
2015 | Stuart Bingham |
2016 | Mark Selby |
2017 | Mark Selby |
2018 | Mark Williams |
2019 | Judd Trump |
2020 | Ronnie O'Sullivan |
2021 | Mark Selby |
2022 | Ronnie O'Sullivan |
2023 | Luca Brecel |
2024 | Kyren Wilson |
2025 | Zhao Xintong |
2026 | Wu Yize |
*In 1928, Joe Davis received a bye to the final.
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