Is Ronnie O’Sullivan playing at the World Snooker Championship and has he retired?

O’Sullivan has a joint-record tally of seven world titles

Ronnie O’Sullivan appears likely to play in the World Snooker Championship (Getty Images)

Ronnie O’Sullivan will play in the 2025 World Snooker Championship after the 49-year-old was drawn to face Ali Carter in the first round in Sheffiled.

O’Sullivan had been set to make a late decision on playing in the tournament having withdrawn from a number of events, including the Masters, this year as he prioritises his health and well being.

But the seven-time world champion has confirmed that he will make a 33rd consecutive appearance at the tournament at at the Crucible Theatre.

"I’m proud to continue my record of having never missed a World Championship,” O’Sullivan told TNT Sports. “I have many fond memories at The Crucible and look forward to making more in 2025.

"I’ve enjoyed some good prep with my new cue over the last week so feel good ahead of Tuesday."

It is a familiar, and often fierce, foe in Carter first up for O’Sullivan. The pair met in the final of the World Championship in 2008 and 2012, with O’Sullivan winning each time, and traded barbs after contesting last year’s Masters final.

O’Sullivan needs one more world title win to take the record outright from Stephen Hendry, who shares his current tally, and match his number of wins at the other two Triple Crown events: the Masters and the UK Championship.

“The Rocket” won the first of his world titles in 2001 before drawing level with Hendry’s collection with a seventh crown in 2022. He already holds the most Triple Crown titles of any player with 23 across his career, though has not necessarily enjoyed his recent time on the baize.

"It's been a real struggle," O'Sullivan said of his recent experiences within the sport. "I've tried to play my way through. I've had moments and glimpses where I thought, 'OK, this is OK'. But on the whole, probably three and a half years out of the last four have been pretty terrible for me, and that's kind of took its toll.”