World Snooker Championship 2026 recap – Updates, results and streaming details as Zhao Xintong takes slender lead over Liam Highfield

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World Snooker Championship 2026 live comments and streaming details. TNT Sports brings you frame-by-frame updates as the reigning champion Zhao Xintong looks to make a winning start to his title defence when he meets Liam Highfield, while Mark Allen meets Zhang Anda. Play begins at 10:00 am, with further sessions at 13:00 and 19:00 at the Crucible.

Watch: Remarkable four-shot exchange with fluke, comical foul, escape and 'impossible' pot

Video credit: TNT Sports

Reigning champion Zhao Xintong meets Liam Highfield on day one at the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.

Zhao takes on Highfield from 10:00 on Saturday, April 18, 2026, as he looks to break the 'Crucible Curse'. Mark Allen and Zhang Anda are also in action. This live blog covers frame-by-frame action from the Zhao match, with full scores across all matches available on the TNT Sports scores page.

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

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World Snooker Championship 2026 live comments

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Latest: Zhao 5-4 Highfield, Allen 3-5 Zhang

Defending champion Zhao Xintong will carry a 5-4 lead into the closing session of his World Championship opener against qualifier Liam Highfield at the Crucible.

The top seed is the 21st maiden winner of the sport's biggest event to try to successfully defend the trophy since 1980, but will have to play better to have a chance of emulating his 18-12 win over Mark Williams in last year's final.

Despite leading 2-0 and 4-2, Zhao, who hit breaks of 65, 123 and 77, was largely unconvincing as he scrambled over the line in the final frame of the session to carry a narrow lead into Saturday evening when they play to a finish at 19:00.

Meanwhile, Zhang Anda hit two centuries to move 5-3 clear of Mark Allen overnight before they conclude their match on Sunday morning at 10:00.

Zhao resumes control with 'excellent' 123 clearance

Video credit: TNT Sports

Zhao 4-4 Highfield (66-48)

A lead of 27 points for Zhao with a possible 22 remaining. Liam in a snooker as brown is drained. In goes blue, and Liam needs a snooker on the pink and black. Which is unlikely. Zhao almost knocking the white in off pink, but saved by a double kiss. Thet handshake comes from Liam, and that will be a 5-4 lead for the world champion.

Zhao 4-4 Highfield (61-39)

What a massive steal this would be for Liam. What does he do here. Play the snooker? Or go for the final red along top cushion? And he goes all out for glory with the red sticking in the jaws. Looks like Zhao's frame now.

Zhao 4-4 Highfield (53-18)

That is quite a pot from Liam to sink the black with tough bridging and hold for the next red. Two reds out in the open with one on the top cushion.

Zhao 4-4 Highfield (53-9)

Liam can't drop in a red from distance at pace. Zhao back at the table with chance to close out the first session. But top left-hand pocket does not accept red along the top rail.

Zhao 4-4 Highfield (46-9)

Excellent long red is put away by Liam. Conrols the black with a supreme cutback pot into a blind pocket. Safety to follow. Six reds left up. Meanwhile, Mark Allen back to 5-3 behind on the other main table. That will be their final frame of the session.

Zhao 4-4 Highfield (46-1)

Zhao reaches 46. But not sure he is on the next red. Thinking about a swerve shot, but then thinks better of it. Just the safety in the end.

Zhao 4-4 Highfield (34-1)

Has been tough going for Zhao out there this morning/afternoon. Fighting the good fight. As you would expect. Trying to get out of this session with a lead. Which would probably be a result.

Zhao 4-4 Highfield (16-1)

Opportunity of a long red for Highfield. In it goes, but he then misses the yellow off the spot. Bad miss at this level. Or any level. Zhao with hand on table in this ninth frame.

Zhao 4-4 Highfield (0-1)

Watch: Remarkable four-shot exchange with fluke, comical foul, escape and 'impossible' pot

Video credit: TNT Sports

Zhao 4-3 Highfield (23-71)

In goes the insurance policy red along the top cush. 50 from Liam Highfield. This match is back at 4-4 with one frame to come in the opening session. Meanwhile. 72 from Zhang Anda to move 5-2 clear of Mark Allen.

Zhao 4-3 Highfield (23-49)

Three reds are in the open. Would be enough to level up this contest at 4-4. Majestic shot to hold the white with drag for the black. Not too far away from seeing this match all sqaure.

Zhao 4-3 Highfield (23-30)

Highfield bangs home a plant on red. And then follows it up with an excellent yellow. Decent chance here to forge ahead in this frame.

Zhao 4-3 Highfield (23-21)

Another unforced error by Liam as he can't drop in the red in attempting to head back for the blue. Bad miss, and Zhao comes up with a fine recovery pot on a red to green bag. But he misses a red seconds later. Still very nervy from Zhao.

Zhao 4-3 Highfield (0-8)

Zhao goes for a long red, but doesn't drop. Wasn't easy, but has set up Liam with an easy opener. Now then. What can he make here?

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Zhao 4-2 Highfield (7-107)

46 to finish the frame. Call that two-visit snooker, but still good enough to get the frame won. Back to 4-3 behind. Two more frames to come in this session.

Zhao 4-2 Highfield (7-73)

Highfield is growing in confidence in this contest. Zhao hasn't put him away early doors, and his opponent is right in the hunt out there. Closing to 4-3 behind here.

Zhao 4-2 Highfield (7-52)

58 from Zhang Anda as he moves 4-2 clear of Allen on the other main table. Highfield misses a red as break ends on 32 this time. But Zhao can't punish and Liam has just produced a fine shot to land on a red from the blue to right middle. In and out of baulk.

Zhao 4-2 Highfield (7-24)

Zhao missing a tough red with the rest. Far from vintage form this morning as Liam returns to the table. Being offered plenty of encouragement out there.

Liam Highfield and Zhao Xintong at Crucible.

Image credit: Getty Images

Zhao 3-2 Highfield (128-1)

A clinical and composed closing break of 77 from Zhao. He regains the lead at 4-2. Big chances for Liam, but not taken.

Zhao 3-2 Highfield (63-1)

A fabulous escape from Liam, but he leaves a half-chance of a cutback from Zhao which he drops in. And that is going to be the platform for 4-2 for Zhao.

Zhao 3-2 Highfield (51-1)

A fluke on a red from Liam, but he ends up short of the brown in trying to roll up to the object ball. Well, that is a bad error. Now having to escape from a horrid snooker.

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Zhao 3-2 Highfield (47-0)

47 from Zhao via a long red before he loses the white in trying to attack the pack. So just safety to follow.

Allen 2-3 Zhang

A 109, a second century of the match from Zhang Anda, and he moves 3-2 clear of Mark Allen on the other main showp[iZhao

Zhao 3-1 Highfield (17-113)

Liam with opportunity of century, but yellow doesn't drop. Still, 86 is a fine response from Highfield. Nice. Very nice. Back to within one frame. Four more frames in this session.

Zhao 3-1 Highfield (17-51)

Brilliant recovery pot by Liam bridging over a red to left middle. That was a big ask, but made it look fairly routine. Should be his frame now.

Zhao 3-1 Highfield (17-31)

Liam with a big chance to get this frame won and close to only 3-2 behind. Vital that he keeps in touch with the world champion before tonight's second session.

Zhao 3-1 Highfield (17-9)

Another long red from Liam doesn't drop, but Zhao can't punish with red along top rail. Another chance is presented to Liam. Not been short of them today.

Zhao 3-1 Highfield (17-0)

Zhao back on the scoring wagon here as a red to left middle is canned. Lovely stuff. Can he build a healthy lead in this fifth frame? Liam with a poor safety shot. But only 17 from Zhao as he loses the white on 17.

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Video credit: TNT Sports

Allen 2-2 Zhang

All square on the other main table in race to 10. World No. 22 Zhang the bigger scorer so far, but Allen staying in touch.

'That's a beauty' - Highfield stuns in brown after potting tricky green

Video credit: TNT Sports

Zhao 2-1 Highfield (77-6)

A 75th century of the campaign from Zhao. 123 of the very best from the top seed. He moves 3-1 clear.

Zhao 2-1 Highfield (77-6)

Just mopping up the Highfield misses at close range. Still looking very handy when he is in at the business end. Break reaches 76, and that is a 3-1 lead incoming for the defending champion. Can he produce a century here?

Zhao 2-1 Highfield (25-6)

Another pop at a long red by Liam doesn't drop. Hitting the ball too hard. Which is pretty obvious on these tables with minimal give. Zhao back at the table.

Zhao 2-1 Highfield (1-6)

Another chance comes and goes for Highfield as another red using rest doesn't drop. Zhao far from convincing, but so far his opponent is unable to punish the Highfield misses.

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Video credit: TNT Sports

Zhao 2-0 Highfield (39-63)

Superb stuff from Liam as he mops up green, brown, blue and pink. First frame on the board. Back to 2-1 behind. Top potting by Highfield.

Zhao 2-0 Highfield (39-48)

Coming down to a safety joust on the final five colours to see who will win this frame. Liam has a dart at the green, but doesn't go in. Zhao with a safety blunder as green hits left centre jaw. Liam manages to somehow squeeze in green. Tough cueing on brown. But he powers it home.

Watch: Highfield sinks stunning long red

'That's a beauty, an absolute belter!' - Highfield sinks stunning red against Zhao

Video credit: TNT Sports

Allen 1-1 Zhang

75 from Zhang in the third frame as he heads 2-1 clear of Allen with one more frame to come before the mid-session interval.

Zhao 2-0 Highfield (39-45)

Zhao escapes from the snooker, but leaves the red for his opponent to right middle. In it goes, but he fails to sink the green. That is a really bad error. Another chance eludes the underdog. Very nervous moments for Highfield.

Zhao 2-0 Highfield (37-44)

All a bit scrappy out there, but Zhao misses a red across table to green bag. Hitting the object ball too hard. Which is a sign of the tension in the air. Liam running safe with one final red still stuck to a side rail.

Zhao 2-0 Highfield (29-37)

But another red to right centre doesn't drop. Groans are palpable in the Crucible. Liam with plenty of chances so far this morning, but not able to take them.

Zhao 2-0 Highfield (23-29)

Probably vital that Liam does something here. And he picks out a corking red to right middle to continue this visit to the table.

Zhao 2-0 Highfield (22-8)

Liam with a stunning opening red, but then misses an easy one seconds later. Zhao with a huge chance, but he misses a black off the spot. Didn't see that one being dropped in. Reprieve for Highf

Zhao 2-0 Highfield (1-0)

Deep screw from Liam to get himself out of a spot of bother from deep in baulk. Only shot that looked on, but he played it very well.

Allen 1-1 Zhang

A quite brilliant break of 129 from Zhang Anda in the second frame, and he restores parity at 1-1 with the Northern Irishman on the other side of the Crucible divider.

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Video credit: TNT Sports

Zhao 2-0 Highfield (79-53)

Another few balls are potted by Highfield, but no late heroics via snookers to salvage the second frame. Zhao moving two up then. Warning signs are as bright as the red balls for Highfield here.

Zhao 1-0 Highfield (66-9)

Zhao looking well and truly settled out there. Two snookers required by Liam otherwise this is a 2-0 lead for the champ. Making quick work of this opening match so far. Meanwhile, Mark Allen leads Zhang Anda 1-0 on the other main showpiece table.

Zhao 1-0 Highfield (13-9)

Zhao bangs in another decent red to regain access to the table. Chance for the tournament favourite to get that cue action working again in the second frame.

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Zhao 1-0 Highfield (1-9)

Nice long red by Zhao early on, but nothing much to follow. Probably important Highfield doesn't let the top seed enjoy the run of the place this morning.

Zhao 0-0 Highfield (79-53)

Zhao then almost misses the brown off the spot, but in it goes and the defending champion clears to the pink for a 1-0 lead.

Zhao 0-0 Highfield (56-53)

Well, what a huge chance gone. Highfield with chance to clear, but he misses a red with the rest. That could be a massive miss.

Zhao 0-0 Highfield (47-39)

Highfield on the move than in eating into this Zhao lead in the opening frame. This would be a nice early marker to put down here.

Zhao 0-0 Highfield (47-9)

Zhao with another couple of attempts, but a long red doesn't drop and Highfield is handed a better scoring chance this time. Could be a big steal if he can steel himself.

Zhao 0-0 Highfield (47-8)

A rapid 47 from Zhao, but he then fails to can a makable red of his own. A few nerves floating around the old theatre this morning. Or at least that is the theory.

Zhao 0-0 Highfield (15-0)

Early chance for Highfield, but can't sink a tricky red from mid-range. And he ends up sticking it up. Zhao then with hand on table and opportunity to make some progress.

Zhao 0-0 Highfield (0-0)

Off we go then for the first frame of a possible 19. A very nice tribute to John Virgo ahead of this year's tournament with some of the greats of the game joining a minute's applause from the audience for the former UK Champion and celebrated commentator.

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World Championship LIVE - Good morning from Day One

A warm welcome to 17 days and nights ahead from the greatest snooker show on earth.

As is tradition, defending champion Zhao Xintong begins the 50th staging of the sport's biggest tournament when he takes on Liam Highfield with nine frames this morning and a possible 10 tonight.

First man to 10 reaches the last 16. We also have Mark Allen in action against Zhang Anda in this morning's session.

Boys on baize imminently.

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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.

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