World Snooker Championship 2026 recap – Updates, results and streaming details as Mark Selby holds dominant lead over Jak Jones, Chris Wakelin wins

Selby dominant in opening session in opposition to Jones

Mark Selby’s bid for a fifth World Championship crown is off to a stable begin as he leads Jak Jones 7-2 of their first-round conflict at The Crucible.

The world No. 7 opened with a break of 67 and then edged a patchy second body with a finest run of 48.

Both gamers had their probability to seal the third with Selby’s 46 countered by Jones’ 54. However, a face-off on the inexperienced and then the brown noticed the Jester from Leicester come up trumps as soon as extra earlier than a break of fifty laid the foundations for 4-0 lead on the interval.

Jones, a runner-up right here in 2024, continued to battle with each his pot-success charge and security, permitting one other half century and a 41 to pave the best way for Selby to maneuver six up.

The four-time champion lastly got here up shy in a pivotal second, permitting Jones to clear as much as the black and belatedly get on the board, however he restored his six-frame cushion with a splendid break of 78.

Jones had been means beneath par however gave himself a slither of hope forward of the night session, clocking a break of 90 to complete what was in any other case a chastening morning for the Welshman.

Elsewhere, Chris Wakelin accomplished victory over world quantity 86 Liam Pullen by a 10-6 scoreline.

Mark Selby

Image credit score: Getty Images

World Snooker Championship 2026 dwell feedback

End of session one – Selby 7-2 Jones

Jack is first to point out and ensures his run develops into double figures courtesy of a scrumptious reduce as much as a difficult black to the proper nook.

The Welshman is in want of some respite and produces a few of his finest snooker but, gliding a tricky previous pink as much as center left from a tough angle.

It paves the trail to the half century and he lastly will get some luck with a ridiculous fluke when he misses a easy pink to center however sees it fly up the desk and into the inexperienced pocket.

That fortune sails him to border ball and he might be questioning the place this snooker was on this one-sided session as he baggage a break of 90 to remain alive heading into the night session.

Selby 7-1 Jones

Another clever security from Mark leaves the cue ball tight behind the brown on its spot.

The pack is scattered and Jones is making an attempt to keep away from leaving a pot on. He fouls on the primary try by sliding into the pink however catches one south off the color on his second try.

Mark leans in with the remainder to chop a good pink to the proper nook. He will get a pleasant little bit of fortune along with his place too, touchdown plum on the brown to drill it right down to center left.

It’s all a few run of red-black combos from there and if Selby can stay targeted.

A bullet pink to the proper takes him to the blue and he comes off two cushions through the pot to center proper to land on a pink down the proper rail courtesy of the remainder.

It steers him neatly again on to the black and one other sequence of red-black-red sees him conjure up the half century.

A pink to center proper and a pink to the left nook retains him ticking alongside properly and when he lands the blue to center left, it leaves Jak needing a snooker.

Indeed, that is the very best response to dropping that final body and a plant off one other pink earns him some deserved applause.

A century seems to be on however he all of the sudden loses place and can’t pull off the double. It doesn’t matter as a break of 78 retains him on the trail in direction of victory.

Selby 6-1 Jones (1-0)

Jones has a weight of his shoulders however makes an early security error to permit Selby to zap down the primary pink of Frame 8.

The Jester can’t develop something past that and performs secure off the inexperienced in baulk.

Selby 6-1 Jones

Jones has been means off high gear however he produces a difficult pot right down to a pink on the underside rail and into the proper nook.

The Welshman jabs within the closing pink to the proper nook through the extension and cuts the black to the alternative nook to maneuver up for the yellow.

He takes care of enterprise on the yellow and inexperienced and finally ends up behind the brown, which is tight on the proper cushion, however he jabs it down through the remainder.

The blue is then despatched to center left and he’s on the pink to the proper nook.

There’s no lapse this time as he sends it down with a break of 34 sufficient to get him on the board while not having the black.

Selby 6-0 Jones (48-31)

‘Nothing will go the way of Jak Jones this morning,’ laments Dominic Dale on TNT Sports comms.

He’s not improper.

Jones digs his means out of a snooker however sees a pink cannon into the black and sit over the left nook whereas the cue ball additionally deflects into mid-table to permit Selby to slam it down with ease.

Mark doesn’t take full benefit, dropping place on a pot on the black to the left nook and then failing to resuscitate the state of affairs with an overcut on a pink to the proper nook.

Selby 6-0 Jones (34-31)

‘Goodness me,’ exclaims Dominic Dale on TNT Sports comms as he remarks on Mark’s nice fortune when a positional shot goes improper, however he’s left with a pot via a spot between pink and pink to the left nook.

It retains him heading in the right direction to maneuver past Jones on the board however he continues to battle with place.

A tricky reduce on a pink through an extension on the remainder means he’s not obtained a lot to play for when it comes to colors and he performs secure to the proper of baulk after a run of 26.

Selby 6-0 Jones (8-31)

Jak seems to be to take benefit and a gradual run develops additional when he splits the pack off the blue and rolls in a pink.

A reduce on a pink right down to the proper nook then goes astray and hopes of a Jones revival finish there, for now…

Selby 6-0 Jones (8-0)

Selby could also be in whole management at current, however he’s having lapses.

A stonking lengthy pink places him in immediately within the seventh body however he miscues on a pink as much as the yellow pocket to present Jones an opportunity.

Selby 6-0 Jones

Mark continues to put traps within the face-off on yellow and a scrumptious lure in-behind the black sees him sit the cue ball on the sting of the pocket.

The foul leaves Jak with little hope and Selby hammers within the lengthy yellow to make it six of the perfect!

Three frames to go and it’s all to do for the out-of-sorts Welshman.

Selby 5-0 Jones (64-39)

The face-off on the yellow sees Jak go shut with makes an attempt from distance however he’s not taking part in with the arrogance to deal with Mark’s security over a protracted time frame.

Another snooker behind the black deep within the left nook leads Jones to foul and miss twice in fast succession.

His third effort sees the Welshman clip the yellow however the cue ball makes a beeline for the center left pocket and disappears!

Result from Table 2

Wakelin 10-6 Pullen

Selby 5-0 Jones (52-39)

Jones slips the pink to the proper nook however then by some means contrives to blow the black to the alternative bag.

Worse nonetheless, he’s moved the cue ball as much as baulk with an angle on the yellow…

Interstingly, Selby refuses the possibility of the pot and performs the yellow down the desk.

Selby 5-0 Jones (52-38)

Selby will get a big slice of luck when the pink rolls behind the blue tight to the proper cushion.

The closing pink is near the black, however Jak can’t see it and his rescue try ends in a miss and a free ball for Mark.

The Jester clips a brown to the inexperienced pocket through the remainder and brings the cue ball down for the ultimate pink. He takes the pink first however by some means fails to fireside it down!

Selby 5-0 Jones (47-38)

Jones tackle a speculative pink from proper to left and is unfortunate to see it jiggle with the jaws and keep out.

It runs secure and the face-off continues.

Selby 5-0 Jones (47-38)

The actual Jak Jones has simply turned up!

The Silent Assassin eats into Selby’s lead, working his solution to the ultimate pink simply north of the middle-left pocket.

It’s not a straightforward pot and he opts to ship it up and down the desk and pop the cue ball beneath the black on its spot.

Selby 5-0 Jones (47-1)

Selby seems to be like rubbing salt within the wounds however makes an actual mess of a routine pink to the left nook to deliver a shuddering halt to his run of 41.

Latest from Table 2

Wakelin 9-6 Pullen

Selby 5-0 Jones (6-1)

On TNT Sports comms, Dominic Dale throws in a spellbinding piece of vocab, suggesting he is aware of all too properly what it’s prefer to be ”spiflicated” at The Crucible.

He goes on to elucidate it means ‘destroyed’ for these reaching for the dictionary… (I’ve put mine again on the shelf).

It’s in reference to the powerful day on the workplace Jones is at present having as the Welshman leaves a pink over the left-corner pocket simply moments after Selby had managed a measly six.

Selby 5-0 Jones

Mark gobbles up the penultimate pink and nudges in a blue to finish up on the left rail going through down for the ultimate pink.

He can’t ship it residence however his 12 is sufficient as Jak concedes.

Selby 4-0 Jones (52-11)

Jak reels away in dismay as he fails to ship a black to the left nook alongside the underside rail.

It halts his restoration try at 11 and it’s certainly Selby’s from right here.

Selby 4-0 Jones (52-0)

Jak by some means escapes the intelligent snooker behind the pink however leaves the door ajar.

Selby knocks in one other pink however then fails to ease a routine pink alongside baulk to the inexperienced pocket.

Lifeline for Jones!

Selby 4-0 Jones (51-0)

Jak seems to be forlorn as he takes his seat after fouling into the pink making an attempt to nudge into the pack.

Selby glides in a pink and then sends the black to the proper bag. The Jester fortunately gobbles up red-black combos south of the pack to stretch into a straightforward lead.

A sensible nudge off a close-by pink permits him to carry for the pink as much as center left and a pink right down to the proper nook retains him ticking alongside properly.

The half century nearly evades him, nonetheless, as a pot on blue to center left does break up the pack, however leaves him with out a lot on. The world quantity seven spies a pink as much as center left and arrows it to the pocket.

Another blue to center sees him cannon into a close-by pink and the half century is achieved, however he once more wants one thing particular to maintain it going.

A chic pink reduce to the left nook strikes him as much as baulk and he decides to nudge into the pink on the yellow spot and halt his run there.

Latest from Table 2

Wakelin 9-5 Pullen

Selby 4-0 Jones (1-0)

Jones returns from a much-needed 15-minute reset, however it’s standard story at first as lengthy pink to the yellow bag refuses the invitation.

Selby duly knocks it in from distance and then performs secure off the yellow in baulk.

Selby 4-0 Jones

Jones takes on a protracted pink to the yellow pocket and is unlucky to see it jostle with the jaws and come out.

Selby steps in and sends it down from distance earlier than rolling within the yellow to the inexperienced pocket.

A high-quality reduce through the remainder on the ultimate pink as much as the grteen pocket places the body firmly past doubt and Mark clears as much as the blue to go into the interval 4 up.

Latest from Table 2

Wakelin 8-5 Pullen

Selby 3-0 Jones (51-12)

Mark sends a pink to the left nook and a black to the alternative bag however is probably lucky to land on a pink to that very same pocket, having performed for one he ran too near.

The world quantity seven despatches a brown up in baulk and then wants an outstanding restoration pot by gliding the pink to the left nook on his subsequent color.

It’s the sample all through as he works exhausting simply to remain on the desk, sending a pink to the underside proper through the remainder and some devilish facet spin permits him to cannon down the pink to come back to one of many three remaining reds alongside the underside deck.

It’s déjà vu as pink results in the penultimate pink being rolled throughout the decrease rail. Another pink as much as center proper takes him to the half century, however he misses the ultimate pink alongside the underside cushion to the proper nook.

Selby 3-0 Jones (1-12)

Wow, that’s daring!

Jones assaults a plant with a shot up into the pack from the left nook that sends a pink flying into the alternative nook.

He splits the reds and opens up what appeared like being an attritional body.

The Welshman then fluffs his strains with a miss on the pink to the proper nook and opens the door for Mark.

Selby 3-0 Jones (1-11)

With eight minutes on the clock and only one ball potted, Jones ends the stalemate with an explosive mid-table pink to the nook.

A yellow to its residence pocket brings him right down to assault a pink to the underside left and a pink to the center takes him to double figures.

That didn’t look so doubtless a second in the past and the viewers are little question grateful to see some constructive motion.

However, the Welshman is unlucky to see the pink run secure. He ponders his subsequent shot and turns down a straightforward security to deliver the again into play, however he takes on a really powerful yellow and is lucky to not cannon again into the pack and depart it on for his opponent.

Selby 3-0 Jones (1-0)

Mark is given a half probability with a protracted pink proper from baulk to the proper nook and he controls it superbly.

There’s no probability of a color, nonetheless, and he decides to maneuver the black away from the pack to the proper flank.

It’s a choice that bemuses Dominic Dale on TNT Sports comms as it’s extremely defensive.

Latest from Table 2

Wakelin 7-5 Pullen

Selby 3-0 Jones

It turns into a face-off on the brown and Jak is responsible of a large howler when he tries to clip a slither of the brown in baulk and fully misses it.

He affords up the foul however then leaves the brown hovering over the proper nook pocket on his second try.

The Jester slams it down and brings the cue ball again up on to the blue.

The four-time champion rolls the blue down and it comes right down to the pink. He’s 10 forward however not over the road but… however he’s now!

An exquisite reduce on the pink to the left nook seals the deal and the applause ringing in his ears inform him he’s 3-0 up!

Selby 2-0 Jones (49-54)

Selby escapes the snooker and a face-off on the inexperienced ensues.

It’s Jak that blinks first with a nick off the blue that leaves a protracted, dangerous inexperienced on to its residence pocket.

Mark makes it look straightforward with a chic lengthy pot however he doesn’t land neatly on the brown and pots to play secure and ship the cue ball on the retreat to the underside deck.

Selby 2-0 Jones (46-54)

Jones seems to be to reap the benefits of that lapse from his opponent however loses place two photographs in.

The Welshman responds with a stonking pink down the left rail that earns him deserved applause.

It turns into the sample as the world quantity 19 battles for place however continues to retrieve it with some glorious cue work.

With three reds left, his exhausting graft seems to be like paying off, notably with the colors on their spots.

Jak performs off the black to care for two however wants one other nice restoration pot on the color to the proper nook to present him an opportunity on the ultimate pink down the proper flank.

It’s one other glorious pot that’s appreciated by the gang and he hits the entrance on the board as properly as the half century.

Jones comes off baulk through the remainder off a pot on the yellow however catches the inexperienced and this time there’s no escape.

The inexperienced is solely not on for the pot and he’s pressured to play a security in-behind the brown and ship the inexperienced down the desk.

Selby 2-0 Jones (46-0)

Ouch.

Jones is struggling along with his security and as soon as once more opens the door for Mark.

The Jester steps in with a pink to center proper and knocks down a inexperienced to counsel he’s within the groove.

A pointy mid-range pink to the proper nook will get him topside of blue and he’s quickly down beneath the pack, mopping up stray reds across the black off its spot.

On TNT Sports comms, Dominic Dale factors out how gamers typically like to depart a lone pink beneath the deck after they screw into the pack off the black. It’s a ‘fail-safe’ if the break up doesn’t supply up something routine.

That’s precisely what occurs right here however Selby’s march in direction of a half century all of the sudden turns bitter with a shock miss on a pink as much as center proper.

Selby 2-0 Jones

Mark arrows a protracted pink to the left nook and it’s disappearance is greeted by thunderous applause.

That’s all he wants as Jones lastly concedes.

Table 2 replace

Wakelin 6-5 Pullen

Selby 1-0 Jones (68-11)

Selby opens the door with a foul and a miss however nonetheless by some means manages to snare the following alternative.

The world quantity seven showcases nice cueing to land a protracted pink off the baulk cushion to the underside proper bag.

This is his third alternative and he seems to be intent on making it depend.

A feather contact on a pink to the left nook is adopted by a mid-range pink to the alternative flank.

The majority of the remaining reds are near the underside deck and Selby does an honest job drilling in a pink to the proper bag and ricocheting into the group to open issues up.

Black-red-pink-red follows to place Mark firmly within the driving seat earlier than a pink to center proper and a pink to the proper nook depart Jones with a well-known sinking feeling.

Selby glides a pink from mid-table to the left nook to bag body ball and take his break to 48.

It’s all going for Mark now as a touching ball subsequent to a pink on the underside rail permits him to pay secure up behind the inexperienced in baulk.

There are three reds remaining and Jak wants a snooker.

The Welshman’s rescue-act goes awry and a miss leaves him needing TWO snookers…

Selby 1-0 Jones (16-7)

This time it’s Selby who comes up shy within the security face-off, catching a pink too thick and leaving the cue ball near the pack.

Jones can’t take benefit with a routine pink to the left nook that he fails to land. The Welshman seems to be a bit stunned by the miss, however he was maybe too targeted on place on the following shot.

Mark steps in and rattles down a pink and the inexperienced to its residence pocket. However, the cue ball doesn’t play truthful as it jumps off the cushion and lands tight to the pink on the high of the pack.

On TNT Sports comms, Dominic Dale doesn’t really feel it’s an error on Selby’s half, however extra the best way the cue ball flew off the proper deck.

It forces the Jester to play secure and this patchy spell continues.

Selby 1-0 Jones (12-7)

There’s a puff from the viewers as Jak weapons a pink to the proper nook and most likely feels his coronary heart skip a beat as it rattles with the jaws earlier than finally dropping.

The world quantity 19 knocks in a blue however then opts to play secure to baulk.

The opening body was a little bit of a procession for Mark, however this one is already changing into a contact scrappy.

Selby 1-0 Jones (12-1)

Jones makes a multitude of his subsequent security with the remainder and leaves the cue baulk simply north of a break up pack.

Selby’s eyes gentle up as he shunts a pink to the proper nook with the remainder and pops away a blue to center to tee up a stray pink in baulk to the inexperienced pocket.

Another blue to center brings the Jester from Leicester again right down to the pack the place he makes ‘an unexpected mistake’ on a routine pink to the left bag, in line with Dominc Dale on TNT Sports comms.

Selby 1-0 Jones (0-1)

Jak belatedly will get off the mark with a nerve-settling bullet of a protracted pink to the left nook.

The Welshman instantly performs secure to baulk through the yellow, however it was a scorcher of a pot nonetheless.

Selby 1-0 Jones

Selby ends a lacklustre spell of security with a protracted pink to the nook down the left rail.

It’s routine sufficient after sloppy work from Jones in his try and cowl the reds to that flank.

A brown throughout baulk to the inexperienced pocket brings Mark down the desk through a screw again off the left cushion, which permits him to zap down a pink to the left nook once more.

A inexperienced as much as its residence pocket leaves him with work to do positionally however he leans throughout from proper to left to despatch one other pink to that acquainted left nook.

The Jester rolls a easy black to the left bag and is now down on the enterprise finish of the desk and in with an actual probability of placing this framer out of sight.

A succession of routine reds through blacks off the spot permit the four-tie champion to bounce off the underside deck and into the rest of the pack.

It’s ok to maintain him in cost and he splits it additional courtesy of ricochet when rolling the pink to center proper.

Red and blue to center left take him previous the half century and he begins to utilize the blue off its spot, superbly gliding the cue ball right down to the trio of reds nonetheless appearing as a mini pack.

It’s huge open now as he nails a difficult mid-range pink to the left nook, and whereas he ensures Jones doesn’t return, he can’t land on a pink and makes do with a break of 67 to take the opener.

Head-to-Head

Selby leads the match-up 6-1 (together with shoot-out and Champions League)

Mark Selby

Image credit score: Getty Images

Show time!

Four-time world champion Mark Selby will headline this morning’s session in opposition to Jak ‘The silent Assassin’ Jones, who was runner-up again in 2024. 

Elsewhere, Chris Wakelin resumes his R1 conflict with Liam Pullen and at present leads 5-4.

Mark Selby

Image credit score: Getty Images

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Video credit score: TNT Sports

How to observe and stream the World Championship

You can watch every single day of the 2026 Halo World Snooker Championship dwell on TNT Sports.