Snooker icons set for champions dinner after half turned up last time | Other | Sport
The 11 living world champions who attended last year’s Champions Dinner (Image: WPBSA)
Snooker officials will be hoping for an improved turnout when the second-ever Champions Dinner takes place ahead of the World Championship. The 2026 tournament begins on Saturday after qualifying concluded on Wednesday evening.
Before the action at the Crucible kicks off, many of the sport’s living world champions will get together for a special dinner. Inspired by the Champions Dinner, which precedes the Masters golf tournament at Augusta, snooker introduced its own version last year. Last year, 11 of the 20 living world champions attended the event at Sheffield, including the oldest, Cliff Thorburn, who had flown in from Canada, and Kyren Wilson, who, as defending champion, had the honour of picking the menu.
They were joined by Dennis Taylor, Steve Davis, John Parrot, Stephen Hendry, Ken Doherty, Peter Ebdon, Shaun Murphy, Neil Robertson and Stuart Bingham, who all received commemorative world champion jackets.
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There were some notable omissions from the gathering, including seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan and three-time Crucible king Mark Williams. Three-time champion John Higgins had a family commitment, while Judd Trump was sidelined because of illness.
Appropriately, there were ‘frames’ instead of course. For the first frame, players could choose between prawn cocktail and mushroom soup with truffle oil. The second frame was slow-cooked beef in red wine jus, served with potatoes and vegetables, and a Yorkshire pudding, or a vegetarian option of spiced chickpea and vegetable stew with rice. In frame three, the legends had a choice between sticky toffee pudding and cheesecake, while the final frame featured a cheeseboard.
The menu for the 2025 Champions Dinner (Image: Supplied)
As the chat and wine flowed, the legends also took the opportunity to raise a toast to the world champions who are no longer with us, including Ray Reardon and Terry Griffiths, both of whom passed away in 2024.
It remains to be seen whether the 2026 dinner will be better attended. As defending champion, Zhao Xintong was due to have the honour of picking the menu, assuming he attends.
There will be at least one notable absence in the shape of Wilson, who will miss out as his wife is due to undergo major surgery on the same day. He will also miss the memorial service for the late John Virgo, which will be held earlier on Thursday.
Kyren Wilson (second from left) will miss this year’s dinner (Image: WPBSA)
Wilson told The Sun: “That was always my plan to go and see that and pay my respects. But I need to be there for my wife. And unfortunately, I can’t make the World Champions dinner because of that. So, again, frustrating, but it’s something we need to do as a family.
“It’s [Sophie’s health issues] not resolved, but it’s just part and parcel of life. You’ve got to get on with it. I think Sophie’s is more frustrated that she can’t get up into the Champions Lounge at the Crucible and make the most of the Prosecco!”
Wilson is still set to play in the tournament, though. He, along with his fellow seeds, will learn their first-round opponents when the draw is made on Thursday morning.
