The Crucible Theatre in Sheffield is once again set to host the prestigious Halo World Championship, running from April 19th to May 5th. Snooker fans worldwide can follow the action live on BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, and the BBC Sport website and app, with live text coverage of selected matches and updates on Radio 5 Live. This year's tournament promises a blend of seasoned champions and emerging talent, with several intriguing first-round matchups.

Defending champion Kyren Wilson begins his title defense against Lei Peifan. Wilson, who secured his first world title last year, faces a tough challenge from the Scottish Open winner. Meanwhile, all eyes will be on Ronnie O'Sullivan, potentially facing Ali Carter in a highly anticipated clash. O'Sullivan, chasing a record eighth title in the modern era, hasn't competed since January, adding an element of uncertainty to his campaign. His possible encounter with Carter, the highest-ranked qualifier, is a repeat of the 2008 and 2012 finals, both won by O'Sullivan.

The draw has produced several other notable matchups. World number one Judd Trump will play Zhou Yuelong, while Masters champion Shaun Murphy will take on debutant Daniel Wells. Four-time world champion Mark Selby is set to meet qualifier Ben Woollaston, who is making his first appearance in the televised stages since 2013. Another four-time champion, John Higgins, will face Joe O'Connor.

Jak Jones, the 2024 finalist, faces a difficult first-round assignment against Zhao Xintong, who returns to competition as an amateur after serving a ban for breaching betting regulations. Zhao is one of a record 10 Chinese players to reach this stage of the tournament, highlighting the growing influence of Chinese players in snooker. Ding Junhui will face debutant Zak Surety, while Si Jiahui, a semi-finalist two years ago, will play David Gilbert, a semi-finalist in 2024.

Other intriguing encounters include 2010 champion Neil Robertson against Chris Wakelin, Mark Allen taking on Fan Zhengyi, and Barry Hawkins playing Hossein Vafaei. Mark Williams will face Wu Yize, Luca Brecel will play Ryan Day, Shaun Murphy is up against Daniel Wells, and Judd Trump will battle Zhou Yuelong.

The rivalry between O'Sullivan and Carter adds extra spice to this year's tournament. Their relationship, once amicable, has reportedly soured over the years. They have twice met with the world title at stake. O'Sullivan has dominated their head-to-head record, winning 24 of their 27 matches. However, Carter did secure a significant victory in the second round of the 2018 World Championship.

Reflecting on the draw, Mark Selby commented, “I don't think either of them [Ronnie O'Sullivan or Ali Carter] will be happy with that draw. It is great Ronnie is in the competition - we've not seen him since January. I want him to play and as it stands, it seems like he is playing which is fantastic for the game. Carter is one of the toughest qualifiers to get drawn against. It is a horrible draw.”

Kyren Wilson will start his world champion title defending campaign with an opening round clash with China's Lei Pengfei as the draw of the 2025 World Snooker Championships was unveiled on Thursday. Wilson, 33, clinched the world champion title for the first time after beating qualifier Jak Jones 18-14 in the final one year ago. The current world No. 2 will on Saturday play against Scottish Open winner Lei, who edged Chinese compatriot Gao Yang 10-0 in the last round of qualifiers. A record of 10 Chinese players have secured their places at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield this year. Ding Junhui, seeded No. 10, will face debutant Zak Surety while Zhao Xintong is going to challenge last year's finalist Jones in the first round. Seven-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan is set to meet Ali Carter and veteran John Higgins will face Joe O'Connor. The 2025 World Championships will be held from April 19 to May 5.