John Higgins beats Ali Carter to set up potential Halo World Snooker Championship showdown with Ronnie O'Sullivan

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World Snooker Championship 2026 live comments and streaming details. TNT Sports brings you frame-by-frame updates as Ali Carter and Higgins return to complete their first round match, and Wu Yize begins against Lei Peifan.

'Look at this for a shot' - Higgins shocks commentators with unexpected cut

Video credit: TNT Sports

Higgins downs Carter to set up potential O'Sullivan clash

John Higgins played a terrific session of snooker to see off Ali Carter 10-7, as he bids for a fifth world title. Higgins started the match by winning four frames in a row, only to then lose five, but he began the final session confidently, quickly retaking the lead, and though Carter then levelled at 6-6, he was powerless to stop the Wizard of Wishaw, who won four of the next five - with a bit of help from balls running in his favour – to set up a second-round clash with either Ronnie O'Sullivan or He Guoqiang. Meantime, on table two, Wu Yize leads Lei Peifan 8-1.

'Look at this for a shot' - Higgins shocks commentators with unexpected cut

Video credit: TNT Sports

Shanghai Masters

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30/07/2026 at 19:19

World Championship LIVE - John Higgins beats Ali Carter 10-7

Next for him: Ronnie O'Sullivan or He Guoqiang.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 9-7 Carter (62-1)

John makes it safe, a cut-back red whistling into right corner and confirming things. What a player this man is; this man still is.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 9-7 Carter (54-1)

A red across the table to corner ... fine pot. John's played really well today, and he's almost there.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 9-7 Carter (44-1)

A li tries a skinny one to middle, down it goes, then it's a snooker using the yellow as a screen. John, though, escapes well, and when Cali goes at a red to the green bag, he knows it's probably curtains.

How to watch and stream the World Championship

You can watch every day of the 2026 World Championship live on TNT Sports.

It is available both live and on-demand on HBO Max.

For the latest information on which snooker events are on TNT Sports, click here.

Here is the TNT Sports schedule and TV guide.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 9-7 Carter (43-0)

A red with the rest, around the angles ... and he's nicely on the blue. Next a red to left corner ... undercut, but played with safety in mind, so the white goes back to baulk and Cali, without decent alternative, unloads the suitcase at a longun, missing by a way.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 9-7 Carter (25-0)

More good work from John, then when he doesn't land on his chosen ball, he simply knocks in a pot to middle, and increasingly, this looks like curtains.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 9-7 Carter (7-0)

A cunning safety from Ali leaves John without a route back to baulk, so he takes on a pot to left corner ... and that's a beauty. It almost brings him on to the black, too, but it turns out the pink goes to middle, and might this be the beginning of the end?

World Championship LIVE - on table two

Wu Yize 6-1 Lei Peifan

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 9-7 Carter

Ali clears to the black, a run of 65 drawing him a frame nearer.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 9-6 Carter (6-75)

And he does. He's still in this match.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 9-6 Carter (6-55)

John looks to take one from center and gets really close, a cannon leaving Ali with as good a chance as he's ever getting to pull back a frame.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 9-6 Carter (6-54)

Oh, but taking a red across the table, John botches the pot and by miles ... only to land the white stuck to the brown which is just below the yellow. ERven when things go against him, they don't.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 9-6 Carter (1-54)

So far, so good. Ali removes balls, in decent control. But as I type, he needs to tickle into a red from above, that's just above the top rail, and send it to right corner ... except it stays out! There's a lot of work to do, but make no mistake, this is a chance for John to secure f&m.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 9-6 Carter (0-4)

It's that time, isn't it? Ali needs to make something happen so, from the top rail, he takes on a starter to the green bag ... and sinks a jazzer! The yellow follows, then a red, he's on the black, and what can he make of a decent table?

World Championship LIVE - on table two

Wu Yize 5-1 Lei Peifan

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 9-6 Carter

John does enough, and though Ali's a fighter, he knows he's probably not getting out of this.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 8-6 Carter (57-9)

Ali rattles in a tremendous starter, but a pair of kisses leave him on nowt but a snooker. No matter: a lovely cut-back and he's away again ... but a missed blue means John has a chance, another chance, to go three up with four to play.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 8-6 Carter (50-7)

Black off its spot ... and oh, Allister. He sends it leaping above the jaw, it doesn't drop in ... but John misses what looks a routine opener. On we go!

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 8-6 Carter (50-1)

Ooooh, is John on one to middle? He is not, so knocks a red towards a cushion – but not close enough – and a poor safety allows Ali to take control of the exchange, but he cannot. Instead, he leaves a long starter ... that you don't expect to see missed, but when he does, John leaves a chance that the Skip must surely take.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 8-6 Carter (21-0)

John's played really nicely this afternoon and another nice starter sees him away again. If he can take this frame too Ali will need four straight and the way he's cueing, that does not look likely.

World Championship LIVE - on table two

Wu Yize 5-1 Lei Peifan

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 8-6 Carter

Ali nods his admiration as John completes the steal. He's two away.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 7-6 Carter (58-62)

John patiently closes; pink and black off their spots for the frame.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 7-6 Carter (41-62)

Good work from Ali, but he needs to miss the yellow after potting the brown, two reds left ... and he does, just. The last, though, won't be easy to get on to, as it's not far off the side; he bins the pink, but will he take on a disgusting cut-back down the left side of the table? It looks like he won't, but actually he tries to take it across, to right corner, misses, cannons the pink, and that might cost him the frame. One with the rest to get going, and John sinks it well.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 7-6 Carter (40-15)

Lovely from Ali, a red sent to corner from dead centre, below the blue spot. Winning the frame from here is a big ask, but there are more than enough balls loose for him to get back into it.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 7-6 Carter (40-8)

John misses to middle so Ali tries sending long to the green bag ... to no avail. Then, after a safety exchange, Cali sitting comfortably having played a decent shot, The Wiz picks out a tight cut which escapes Uncle Joe's keen eye ... only for an infelicitous kiss to take him out of position.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 7-6 Carter (32-8)

Ali leaves a starter so off goes John but, just as he looks nicely ensconced, he bizarrely misses a simple ball to corner. When he did similarly yesterday, Ali applied immediate punishment, securing the frame at his next visit, but this time, he goes into the pack off the black, slides off, and plays safe.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 7-6 Carter

We go again...

World Championship LIVE - on table two

Wu Yize 4-0 Lei Peifan

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 7-6 Carter

Yup, a decent safety after running out of position, and Ali concedes, going to the interval having lost the mini-sesh 3-1.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 6-6 Carter (57-0)

John is concentrating so hard it hurts, jabbing home a red with the rest, and the frame is nearly his.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 6-6 Carter (32-0)

A lovely plant from John, clipped from centre to corner, followed by a felicitous kiss, has Ali shaking his little head at the unfairness of it all, and he's in good shape to retake the lead.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 6-6 Carter (28-0)

John sinks a fine starter, adds the broom, and if he can play a decent split, he'll feel he's a chance of moving back in front. So he goes red to middle, but refuses a pink which would release balls, instead taking the black, but the intended cannon slides off the bunch, so it's end of break and a safety.

World Championship LIVE - on table two

Wu Yize 3-0 Lei Peifan

I doubt it's this year, but Wu is a future champion; no one will fancy meeting him.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 6-6 Carter

A 44th Crucible ton and the Captain draws level once more.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 6-5 Carter (25-93)

This is boiling up into an absolute banger.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 6-5 Carter (25-54)

Ali is hungry, quickly moving in front in the frame, but the shots are getting harder, a poor one on the black leaving him with a brute of a cut-back when he returns to it. With all the reds pottable, this is pressure ... and it's there. From here, we should go back level.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 6-5 Carter (25-1)

Ali goes at one to left corner and with safety in mind, but can John get by the pink to knock into left corner? He thinks he can ... and he can, great shot – there was barely any space to sneak past. So it's a cut-back black and into the pack but is he on one? Not really, but he goes at one to corner, overcuts fractionally, and now Ali has a chance to score – though he'll need to work at this run.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 6-5 Carter (17-0)

The first escape hits the pink but the second is a good shot, so we're back playing safety, Ali still to pot a ball in the sesh. But a poor effort allows John a long diag to corner, he again dispatches it confidently, and he's flowing this afternoon, even a loose shot offering a three-ball plant redemption. But he can't make it work, so sits down having spurned two opportunities to make a dent in the frame.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 6-5 Carter (7-0)

A terrific safety from John, landing white behind yellow, leaves Ali with a problem, and though his escape isn't bad, he hits the wrong red, leaving a tester to left-middle. But the way the Wiz has started, it's no surprise when he drains it, likewise a thin cut to the opposite bag – after which it's back in behind that yellow.

World Championship LIVE - on table two

Wu Yize 2-0 Lei Peifan

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 6-5 Carter

A run of 91 and John, after winning four then losing five, has take another two to hit the front again.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 5-5 Carter (64-0)

Landing the white on the side, John ponders a diagonal mid-ranger to corner ... and down it goes. This has been a really well thought-out break, and the frame should soon be over.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 5-5 Carter (46-0)

A red to right-middle means a blue to the opposite bag, the pack is quickly opened, and when a cut-back red rolls right into the heart of the pocket, the frame looks a formality. You've still got to pot them, though.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 5-5 Carter (24-0)

Ali takes on a snick to middle and, when he misses, offers John a starter with the black passing to both corners, and there are a few loose reds to be going on with, too – though given the tightness of the cluster, a maxi looks unlikely.

World Championship LIVE - on table two

Wu Yize 2-0 Lei Peifan

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 5-5 Carter

John levels us up and this has the feeling of an epic.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 4-5 Carter (72-0)

A red from the left side, just above the middle, across the table to the yellow bag ... is there, great pot, and Ali needs three snookers. Not that he'll get a chance to chase them, because John removes more balls.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 4-5 Carter (31-0)

Patiently, John builds. He knows what a good chance this is, and the importance of not spurning it. The balls get a little harder now, but if he addresses them in the correct order, he should be fine.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 4-5 Carter (10-0)

Ali goes hard at an opener to corner but can't force it down, then finds a double-kiss that offers John a chance to take command of the frame. The balls are there for him...

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 4-5 Carter (9-0)

John espies a plant sat on the left of the table and clacks it into right corner, then sends green to middle. But missed red across the nap doesn't get that close, the white running helpfully safe; Ali responds by finding the middle of the bottom rail.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 4-5 Carter

Our boy baize and off we go – to a finish.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins 4-5 Carter

Our players assemble in the tunnel, their excitement palpable.

'This is just terrific stuff' - Moody knocks in second ton to continue dominance over Wilson

Video credit: TNT Sports

World Championship LIVE - Higgins v Carter

The first of many! - Moody rolls in first Sheffield century as dazzling Crucible debut continues

Video credit: TNT Sports

How to watch and stream the World Championship

You can watch every day of the 2026 World Championship live on TNT Sports.

It is available both live and on-demand on HBO Max.

For the latest information on which snooker events are on TNT Sports, click here.

Here is the TNT Sports schedule and TV guide.

World Championship LIVE - Higgins v Carter

‘Something quite special’ – Moody announces himself at Crucible with blistering debut break

Video credit: TNT Sports

World Championship LIVE - Higgins v Carter

I'm looking forward to this one. Ali is in top form, having won four matches to qualify, the last of them an final-frame arse-nipper against Crucible staple, Anthony McGill.

John, though, has enjoyed two seasons much better than the ones which preceded it, and will still believe he can add to his four world titles.

Meantime, on table two, the wonderful Wu Yize – a potential future champion – faces Lei Peifan.

Ali Carter produced a stunning fightback to storm back from 4-0 down against John Higgins to claim a 5-4 overnight lead at the World Snooker Championship.

Higgins looked in total control in the first half of Sunday's opening session before Carter seized the momentum to lead going into Monday.

HBO Max is the streaming home of TNT Sports - watch the match below.