Does the Tour Championship Cast a ‘Crucible Curse’ on Title Hopes?
The Tour Championship returns to Manchester Central on Monday, March 30. The event is the penultimate ranking tournament of the 2025/26 campaign.
Twelve players qualify via the one-year ranking list. The field will chase a valuable title and ranking points ahead of the World Championship.
Winners’ form at the Crucible
The historical record shows winners often struggle at the World Championship. No recent Tour champion has progressed to the semi-finals under the one-table Crucible setup.
- Ronnie O’Sullivan won the inaugural event in Llandudno in 2019, beating Neil Robertson 13-11. He then lost 10-8 to amateur James Cahill in the first round at Sheffield.
- Stephen Maguire claimed the 2020 title 10-6 over Mark Allen. That tournament was held behind closed doors because of Covid. Maguire exited the Crucible in the first round, losing 10-3 to Martin Gould.
- John Higgins is the defending champion after a 10-8 win over Mark Selby in Manchester last year. He was edged 13-12 on the final black by Mark Williams in the Crucible quarter-final.
- Mark Williams lifted the Tour title, beating Ronnie O’Sullivan 10-5, then fell 10-9 to Si Jiahui in the first round at the World Championship in 2024.
- Neil Robertson won consecutive Tour Championships in 2021 and 2022. He defeated O’Sullivan 10-4 and then beat Higgins 10-9. His Crucible runs included a 13-8 loss to Kyren Wilson and a 13-12 defeat to Jack Lisowski in 2022.
- Shaun Murphy won the 2023 Tour Championship 10-7 versus Kyren Wilson. He then lost 10-9 to Si Jiahui in the opening round at Sheffield.
The ‘Crucible Curse’ and title hopes
The pattern has led to talk of a modern “Crucible Curse.” Winners of the penultimate ranking event often arrive in Sheffield low on momentum.
Some champions warn about extra match load. John Higgins suggested qualifying could add 70 to 80 frames into a season, potentially draining energy before the World Championship.
Key names and early ties for 2026
The opening round on March 30 features several high-profile match-ups. New World Open champion Thepchaiya Un-Nooh faces Barry Hawkins.
World No.1 Judd Trump plays Mark Allen. Reigning world champion Zhao Xintong is the second seed.
| Match | Notes |
|---|---|
| Thepchaiya Un-Nooh vs Barry Hawkins | Un-Nooh arrives with World Open title momentum. |
| Judd Trump vs Mark Allen | World No.1 faces a former top contender. |
| Zhao Xintong vs Winner of Wu Yize / Chris Wakelin | Best-of-19 tie scheduled over Monday and Tuesday. |
| John Higgins vs Mark Williams | Higgins begins title defence on Tuesday. |
Several recent world champions did not play at the Tour Championship during the seasons they lifted the World title. Zhao Xintong, Kyren Wilson and Luca Brecel all skipped the event in their winning campaigns.
Filmogaz.com will cover the tournament build-up and results. Broadcast partners for the season include TNT Sports and HBO Max for live viewing.
