China’s Wu Yize has been crowned the 2026 World Snooker Championship winner, defeating England’s Shaun Murphy 18-17 in a nail-biting final at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre.
The 22-year-old from Lanzhou becomes the first world champion born in the 2000s, and the second Chinese player to claim snooker’s biggest prize – following in the footsteps of compatriot Zhao Xintong, who won the title just last year.
[See more: Zhao Xintong is the first mainland Chinese winner of the Snooker World Grand Prix]
The final lived up to its billing. Murphy, the 2005 world champion, led at various points across the best-of-35 frame contest before Wu produced a brilliant closing break of 85 to seal the title in the deciding frame. At 22, Wu is also the second-youngest world champion in history, behind only Stephen Hendry who won the title aged 21 in 1990.
Wu’s journey to the top has been anything but straightforward. Born in Lanzhou in northwest China, he was taken by his father to train at the Yushan International Billiards Academy at the age of 11, after showing early talent at the table. At 16, he moved to Sheffield with his father, who gave up his job to support his son’s career. Money was tight and neither of them could speak English at the time.
The hard work paid off. Wu turned professional in 2021, was named Rookie of the Year the following season, and won his first ranking title at the 2025 International Championship. Seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan, who had practised with Wu in Hong Kong, had previously called him “really special.”
In an emotional post-match speech at the Crucible, Wu dedicated the title to his parents. “My parents are the true champions,” he said.
