The World Snooker Championship starts on April 19 at the legendary Crucible in Sheffield. 32 players will duke it out for the title and the top prize of £500,000.
The professional snooker circuit is in a boom at the moment, with the biggest prize funds and audience that the sport has ever seen.
The depth of the roster of players is at the highest calibre that it has been, with many players being capable of going deep in tournaments.
Below, we have tried to amass who we think are the 10 best snooker players in the world right now, taking into consideration several criteria to rank them all.
Ranking criteria
To help guide how we rank the players, a criteria was followed. We looked at:
- Performance and achievements
- Influence on the game
- Consistency and longevity
- Awards and recognitions
From these criteria, the following list was compiled of who might just be the 10 best snooker players at the moment.
World's best players 2025
10. Ding Junhui
World Titles: 0
Ranking Titles: 15
A player who has always been capable of amazing feats, Ding Junhui is regarded as China’s greatest-ever player. This season, he won the International Championship in China and is ranked tenth in the world. Ding is still one of the best in the world and shows that every time he plays.
9. Neil Robertson
World Titles: 1
Ranking Titles: 25
The winner of the English Open in Brentwood and the World Grand Prix in Hong Kong, Neil Robertson, is back near his best. Not qualifying for the Crucible last year has not killed the Australian’s career, but motivated him to come back stronger. Now ranked ninth in the world, Robertson is looking to go deep in every tournament he plays.
8. Shaun Murphy
World Titles: 1
Ranking Titles: 12
Despite being ranked 15th in the world rankings, Murphy is on this list over some other worthy contenders after claiming his second Masters title at the Alexandra Palace in London in January. His performance in the Triple Crown event was remarkable, making a 147 break during the event to stamp his authority over the field. It has been 20 years since his World Snooker Championship victory, but he is as dangerous.
7. Mark Allen
World Titles: 0
Ranking Titles: 11
In 2024, Mark Allen reached the summit of the world rankings, sitting at number one for three months. In this season, he won first prize at the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship and has placed high in most events this season. The Northern Irishman is now ranked eighth in the world rankings but could reach the top again soon.
6. Mark Williams
World Titles: 3
Ranking Titles: 26
Mark Williams has won both the Tour Championship and Champion of Champions titles this season, all before he turned 50 in March of this year. He has had some high-profile losses but those have been titanic matches against the world’s best. Being ranked as number fifth in the world in the official rankings shows how the old dog still has so many tricks.
5. Mark Selby
World Titles: 4
Ranking Titles: 24
The four-time world champion is still up there as one of the best players in the game right now. He has won the British Open and Welsh Open back-to-back, now boasting 24 ranking event titles. He is fourth on the World Rankings and will be dangerous when he reenters the Crucible.
4. John Higgins
World Titles: 4
Ranking Titles: 33
John Higgins has had a comeback of sorts. The phrase ‘form is temporary but class is permanent’ springs to mind when thinking of the Scotsman. He dropped out of the world’s top 16 for the first time since 1995 briefly, but has sprung back with a vengeance. This year, he is now third on the ranking list, became the second-ever player to make 1000 career century breaks, and became the oldest player to win a ranking title since Ray Reardon in 1982.
3. Ronnie O’Sullivan
World Titles: 7
Ranking Titles: 41
The greatest of all time is still one of the greatest right now. He may not be having the best season of his career because of health issues, however, you can never right off ‘The Rocket’. There are times when you believe he’s not in it, and then in a flash, he’s playing the best he’s ever played. He’s still fifth in the Professional Rankings, which shows that O’Sullivan is still a force to be reckoned with.
2. Kyren Wilson
World Titles: 1
Ranking Titles: 10
Kyren Wilson finally won his maiden World Title in the 2024 World Snooker Championships. Since that moment, Wilson has honed his game, becoming a more consistent victor and has doubled the number of ranking titles to 10, now moving level with Jimmy White on the all-time list.
1. Judd Trump
World Titles: 1
Ranking Titles: 30
Currently ranked World Number One, Judd Trump is at the pinnacle of the sport for a reason. His consistency in performance means he was the runaway pick for the top spot in this list. He has won five titles this year and made his 1000th-century break in professional competition - one of only three players to do such. He is the best at the moment and has many more titles to add to his collection in the near future for sure.
Debates, summary of rankings, and reflection on the evolution of the sport
Based on ranking points, Luca Brecel could feel aggrieved at missing out on this list. He may be ranked at number seven in the world.
However, the one-time world champion has not had the most prolific of seasons since his victory at the Crucible.
He has not gone that far in any ranking tournament he has entered, which has resulted in him potentially dropping from the top 16 in the world if he does not perform at the World Championships.
Whilst the sport is at a great juncture, questions remain about whether snooker will change in the future. Shaun Murphy has recently spoken out about some changes he would see to elevate the sport for both players and fans alike, but for now, they fall on deaf ears.
What we do know is that the Crucible this year will bring its trademark drama still, as the world’s best compete for the most prestigious title in the sport.