Mark Williams chases historic world snooker title, could break O'Sullivan record

Mark Williams has turned a late-career surge into a shot at snooker history, and he has already joked about the kind of celebration that would follow. “I’d run down the M4 from London to Cardiff naked,” Williams said, framing the scale of the prize as he prepares for another run at the world title.

The 51-year-old from Cwm, near Ebbw Vale, came within reach of the record last year, when he reached the 2025 World Snooker Championship final at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. Williams lost 18-12 to Zhao Xintong, who became the first Chinese and first Asian world champion, but the Welshman still emerged as the oldest finalist in tournament history, overtaking Ray Reardon’s age mark from the 1982 final.

Now Williams is back in pursuit of a fourth world crown at the 2026 World Snooker Championship, scheduled for 18 April to 4 May at the Crucible. This year’s event is the 50th consecutive staging of the championship at the Sheffield venue, and Williams’ challenge carries an extra layer of significance: if he wins, he would overtake Ronnie O'Sullivan as the oldest world champion in the modern era.

O'Sullivan set the current record when he won the 2022 title at 46 years and 148 days, edging past Reardon’s long-standing benchmark from 1978, when the Welshman lifted the trophy aged 45 years and 203 days. Williams is already part of that elite lineage. He won the world title in 2000, 2003 and 2018, and his 2018 victory over John Higgins by 18-16 made him only the eighth player in the modern era to win the championship three or more times.

That 2018 triumph also produced one of the sport’s more memorable scenes, when Williams appeared naked at his post-match press conference after keeping a pre-final promise. He had already said, “If I won this again next year, I’d do this again - I’d cartwheel round here naked.” For a player now battling time, that mix of mischief and resolve has become part of the appeal.

Williams has been open about the physical toll of staying at the top. He is awaiting lens replacement surgery for deteriorating eyesight, has warned that a failed operation could end his career, and said he has been struggling with the yips after the Tour Championship in Manchester earlier in 2026. He has also cited Anthony Hamilton as a cautionary example because of glare from TV lights after similar surgery.

Even on the margins of the sport, Williams is still thinking about what history means. He has said any prize money from the World Seniors event would go to charity. At the Crucible, he is chasing more than another title. He is chasing a place above O'Sullivan and Reardon in a record book that has already outlived several eras of snooker.