Why snooker great Mark Williams could become a unique record-breaking double world champion at Crucible in 2026

Mark Williams could pull off a historic double at the World Championship in Sheffield in 2026. The Welsh snooker icon is set to chase a fourth Crucible title in May before entering the World Seniors event a few days later. Williams intends to hand over any prize money to charity from the Seniors events as he bids to emulate his success of a decade ago, when he won the title in Blackpool.

Mark Williams is set to chase a second World Seniors title in Sheffield in May, less than a week after the main event finishes at the Crucible.

Three-time world champion Williams, who lifted the sport's biggest trophy in 2000, 2003 and 2018, has announced plans to extend his stay in the city to make his Crucible debut in the 24-player World Seniors Championship, which runs between May 6-10.

Williams, 50, has said he will give any prize money won at the tournament to charity.

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The world No. 4 lost 18-12 to Zhao Xintong in the final of the World Championship last May, but will again aim to become the oldest winner of the modern era when the 50th Crucible tournament is staged between April 18 until May 4, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

The Welshman has already won the Seniors title in 2015, with a 2-1 win over Fergal O'Brien in Blackpool, but it has become a much more competitive environment over the past decade.

Restrictions being lifted on players inside the top 64 in the world rankings means a number of leading figures are set to compete, including 2015 Crucible winner Stuart Bingham and former UK and Masters champion Matthew Stevens.

Judd Trump joked that he was involved in a World Seniors Championship before defeating Williams 17-16 in the semi-finals of the 2022 World Championship, a year which saw Ronnie O'Sullivan complete his seventh victory by seeing off John Higgins in the last four and then beating Trump 18-13 in the final.

Williams is already the oldest winner of a ranking event following his 10-3 victory over Shaun Murphy at the Xi'an Grand Prix in October.

Four-time Seniors world champion Jimmy White, 1997 world champion Ken Dohery and Reanne Evans, the 12-time women's world champion, are also set to compete for the title, alongside former ranking event winners Joe Perry and Dominic Dale, who both retired from the main tour last spring.

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Video credit: TNT Sports

Shoot Out winner Alfie Burden will be defending the title, following his 8-4 win over Aaron Canavan in the 2025 final.

Meanwhile, Perry showed his scoring class with a 7-5 win over White in the British Seniors Open final in Derby on Sunday. Breaks of 61, 64, 100, 79, 95 and 73 gave Perry victory in the festive event.

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Watch and stream the 2025/26 snooker season, including the 2026 Masters, live on TNT Sports and discovery+

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