Shaun Murphy and Wu Yize go head to head in a fascinating 2026 World Snooker Championship final after day of high semi-final drama set up a mouthwatering clash.
Murphy stopped 50-year-old John Higgins becoming the oldest finalist in Crucible history as he battled back from 15-13 down to snatch a 17-15 win in a classic semi-final, only for Wu and Mark Allen to overshadow that brilliance with their own late-night drama.
History had already been made in that match when they played out the longest frame in Crucible history on Friday afternoon – a 100-minute farce that was described as an embarrassment by six-time world champion Steve Davis – but Allen looked set to reach his first final as he lined up the simplest of blacks to seal a 17-15 win. Instead, the Northern Irishman somehow missed, Wu clinched the frame and then won the decider to leave his opponent heartbroken and set up a showdown with Murphy, 12 months after Zhao Xintong became the first-ever Chinese world champion.
It promises to be an enthralling encounter over the next two days, with both men playing a hugely attacking brand of snooker, and Murphy will try to claim a second world title – 21 years after his first – as Wu looks to become just the second Chinese player to lift the famous trophy.
Follow all the action from the World Championship final at the Crucible below.
Shaun Murphy 0-0 Wu Yize
Lovely start from Shaun Murphy, cuts a long red into the left corner pocket. Great pot. Doesn’t land nicely on a colour, so just rolls up behind the green.
Wu Yize trying to come off three cushions and roll up to the pack of reds. Comes up short the first time, so gives away four penalty points but all good second time around.
Shaun Murphy v Wu Yize
Various bits of admin before we can start – the handshake, posing for photos with the trophy, then the coin toss.
A bit of a faff as we decide who will call it, Wu eventually calling heads. And the Chinese star will break off in the first frame.
Let’s go!
Shaun Murphy v Wu Yize
Ok, here we go! The players are just being introduced to the crowd by human Energizer bunny, MC Rob Walker.
Wu Yize is first up. A great reception for the Chinese star, who Rob describes as a “lean, mean potting machine”. The chants of “Wuuuuuuuuu” go up from the crowd.
Shaun Murphy is then introduced – roars from the crowd as he strolls down the steps looking relaxed.
The 2026 World Snooker Championship final is about to get underway.
Shaun Murphy v Wu Yize format
So, how will this final work? We’re in for a treat, with a best-of-35 contest lined up over the next two days – 18 frames is the target for victory.
Here’s the session times:
Sunday 3 May
1pm: Session one – 8 frames
7pm: Session two – 9 frames
Monday 4 May
1pm: Session three – 8 frames
7pm: Session four – 9 frames
Mark Allen’s moment of heartbreak defines Crucible semi-final classic for the ages
In a semi-final that looked set to be remembered for the farcical scenes that led to the longest frame in Crucible history, Mark Allen produced a defining moment so heartbreaking that the 100-minute marathon became a mere footnote.
Allen had one foot and four-and-a-half toes in the World Snooker Championship final when he potted a spectacular long pink while leading Wu Yize 16-15 and landed perfectly on the final black. Black on its spot, cue ball perfectly positioned – it’s a simple pot that Allen makes 100 times out of 100. Except on this one, most important occasion.
Read Luke Baker’s full report from a semi-final of high drama:
Shaun Murphy v Wu Yize
What a final we have in store here. Shaun Murphy is already a world champion, having won the title in 2005 but, 21 years on, he’s desperate to join an elite club by becoming a multiple world champion.
He’s lost three finals since that 2005 triumph, so will it be fourth time lucky for the 43-year-old Englishman.
Standing in his way is 22-year-old Chinese wonderkid Wu Yize. A potting machine, Wu is trying to become just the second Chinese world champion, 12 months after Zhao Xintong made history as the first.
He’ll be fearless, especially after coming back from the brink to beat Mark Allen in the semi-finals, and given both men’s propensity for attacking snooker, this one should be a high-scoring thriller.
The lucky underpants that won Shaun Murphy his first world snooker title
Shaun Murphy has revealed that a pair of lucky underpants helped him win his first World Snooker Championship title, yet it wasn’t him who was wearing them.
Murphy begins the final of the 2026 tournament against 22-year-old Wu Yize this afternoon but his first world title came back in 2005, when he was a relatively unknown 22-year-old himself.
Having come through qualifying to reach the Crucible, Murphy blitzed the field with his attacking snooker, seeing off Chris Small, John Higgins, Steve Davis and Peter Ebdon before beating Matthew Stevens 18-16 in the final.
Twenty-one years later, the now 43-year-old has revealed the victory may have been down to his nephew Joshua, who was just a child at the time and ensured that his uncle kept winning by wearing the same underwear each day he was at the Crucible.
