The 2025/26 Snooker season is upon us. It starts on Sunday, that’s tomorrow. WST asked snooker journalists to make their predictions about what the seaon could bring and who will thrive.
25/26 World Snooker Tour Season – Journalist Predictions
There’s just two days to go until the new snooker season kicks off and to whet your appetite we’ve asked some of the sport’s top journalists to dust off their crystal balls and take a peak into the future. Here’s how they see the upcoming campaign panning out…
Most Likely Maiden Ranking Event Winner
David Hendon – Elliot Slessor
I think there’s a strong argument that of the nine opponents Zhao Xintong faced in the World Championship, Elliot played the best against him. He is much improved in general, having worked hard on his temperament. Now up to 29th, if he keeps that top 32 position he won’t have to qualify for the Home Nations events and in theory will get slightly better draws in the other tournaments. He’s been in four semi-finals and there’s no reason he can’t go further.
Phil Haigh – Wu Yize
Two finals last season and debuts in the Players and Tour Championship at just 21 years old. He gained a lot of useful experience over the last year, is in a great spot in the rankings and could well lift his first chunk of silverware this campaign.
Shane MacDermott – Wu Yize
I think Wu will be lifting silverware this season. The Talented 20-year-old flew up the rankings as he enjoyed his best ever campaign last term, reaching two Home Nations finals. There is no reason why he can’t go one better this season.
Neil Goulding – Jack Lisowski
For someone with so much ability, it’s about time Jack now does the business on the biggest stage. Six times a ranking event runner-up tells its own story, so hopefully this season he goes one step better. If he does he would be a popular title-winner on the tour.
Michael McMullan – Wu Yize
He went close twice last season, in two very different finals. There’s so much to like about his game, even including the confident way he strides around the table, and I think he’ll be very comfortable with the situation when it comes to getting over that finish line for the first time.
Nick Metcalfe – Si Jiahui
It’s tempting to go for Jack Lisowski, of course it is. The man has been knocking on the door for so long, it must be off its hinges by now. But I’ll say Si here. The brilliant 22-year-old is still something of an enigma, but any player who looks that at home at the Crucible is more than capable of landing a trophy soon enough. You hear so much stuff during the madness that is the World Championship, and a lot of information isn’t easily retained. But I clearly remember Shaun Murphy saying on television that Si has shown us to a large extent what he’s made of, now it’s about making the next step and translating that into winning silverware. I fancy the world No.15 will do just that in the 25-26 season.
Surprise Package Of The Season
David Hendon – Zak Surety
I’m going to predict Zak will end the season in the top 32. There was a spell at the Crucible against Ding Junhui when he made four centuries in five frames and looked completely unstoppable. He had the near miss at the World Open against John Higgins but in general is massively improved and hopefully can carry that confidence forward.
Phil Haigh – Xu Si
Xu could well be the next Chinese star to emerge from the pack after his best season to date. He’s always looked great and made three maximums but hasn’t quite made the step up to join the elite. This could be his season to do just that.
Shane MacDermott – Anthony McGill
I firmly believe McGill will rediscover the form which saw him reach the top 16 a few years ago. A proven ranking-event winner, I expect McGill to have a big campaign after a couple of poor seasons and propel himself back up the rankings.
Neil Goulding – Si Jiahui
At 22 one of the brightest young talents on the circuit, the Chinese potter is all set for a big season. Already shown in glimpses just what he’s capable of, notably reaching the German Masters and Wuhan Open finals in the past couple of seasons. I expect Si to kick on this season and land himself a ranking crown.
Michael McMullan – Stan Moody
It seems almost inevitable that one or two Chinese players will suddenly emerge and do something special at some stage of the season, but in terms of moving up to the next level it could be the season for Moody. I’d actually say he’s progressed even faster than we might have reasonably expected when he first came to our attention a few years back, and he’s probably at that stage now where one really deep run could see him kick on in a major way.
Nick Metcalfe – Aaron Hill
It’s a sixth season on tour for the likeable Irishman and he’s making all the right noises about going up to the next level. The 23-year-old joined Phil Haigh and I on the Talking Snooker podcast recently and I was struck by his sheer ambition. He’s aiming for the top, no question. Fergal O’Brien is Hill’s coach these days, and what a man that is to have in your corner. Hill is in the world’s top 50 now, reached the German Masters quarter-finals this year and looks just the type to surprise us all with a really strong campaign.
Star Player Of The Season
David Hendon – Judd Trump
This depends to a degree on your definition of star player. Kyren Wilson won four ranking titles last season and didn’t win Player of the Year. I think we take Judd Trump for granted too much, as if it’s just inevitable he will win three or four titles a year. What he’s done for the last few seasons has been remarkable. The other players certainly respect it. Based on the great run he’s been on you have to think that if anyone will win multiple titles, it will be him – but this doesn’t make it easy. There’s also an argument that whoever wins the World Championship is ultimately the star player of the year.
Phil Haigh – Zhao Xintong
After he cruised to a World Championship win it is hard to see Zhao not winning more trophies this year. He can forget about defending his title as the Crucible Curse will get him, but expect two, three or even more titles before that.
Shane MacDermott – Mark Allen
One of the game’s most consistent winners in recent years, the Pistol has all the attributes to have a big say during the 2025/26 season. His own harshest critic, one title and five semi-finals last term were not enough for Northern Ireland’s No.1 and he is desperate to keep adding to his title tally.
Neil Goulding – Judd Trump
There’s so many superlatives you can use to describe Judd – and all of them are richly-deserved. He dazzled last season with three titles and reached no fewer than three other finals and five semi-finals. His appetite for success – and to add to his 30 ranking titles – shows no signs of diminishing.
Michael McMullan – Zhao Xintong
We’ve seen quite a few first-time world champions retreat back into the pack when the following season begins, but the ones you expect to thrive on it generally do, and I’d certainly put Zhao in that category. If he wins another tournament early on, I could definitely see him winning a few more as the season goes on, much as Kyren Wilson did in the same situation last time round.
Nick Metcalfe – Kyren Wilson
It’s a bit Eeny, meeny, miny, moe this between Judd Trump and Kyren Wilson. I see no reason why the top two players of the 2024-25 season won’t be riding high at the top of the game again. I think I’ll lean towards Wilson. He beat Trump in three tournament finals last season after all, and in a funny way may feel he has a little something to prove again after his exit to Lei Peifan on the opening day of the World Championship. Trump is of course just a phenomenal star of the game, and I fancy he’ll win multiple titles yet again. But I reckon Wilson will win more.
World Number One At The End Of The Season
David Hendon – Judd Trump
It just feels like he’s too far in front to be caught, unless Kyren Wilson or Zhao Xintong won all of the really big tournaments. Even then, Trump would have to have a poor season.
Phil Haigh – Judd Trump
A boring answer, but Judd Trump is in a great position to hold onto his number one spot after big-money wins in Riyadh and York last season. He’ll win at least a couple of tournaments and go deep in many more because he always does, so will be tough to dislodge.
Shane MacDermott – Judd Trump
Judd’s been the standout performer for the best part of a decade on the World Snooker Tour. His lead at the rankings summit is well deserved and he still possesses an insatiable hunger for trophies. With closest challenger Kyren Wilson having to defend the £500,000 he pocketed at the 2024 World Championship, I cannot see anyone toppling the Ace in the Pack.
Neil Goulding – Judd Trump
The Juddernaut loves being snooker’s number one – and with Ronnie O’Sullivan now in the twilight of his illustrious career, 30-year-old Trump is the perfect potter to pick up the Rocket’s mantle. Expect a battle with arch-rival Kyren Wilson for the moniker, but I expect Judd to prevail. He’s already miles ahead in the current stands and one-year list and a firm favourite to finish top of the pile again next season.
Michael McMullan – Judd Trump
Judd not only had a really good 24/25 season, he did well in the right events from a ranking point of view. With a good lead in terms of points carried forward, and no reason to believe his thirst for titles has dried up at all, why wouldn’t you back him to still be number one this time next year?
Nick Metcalfe – Kyren Wilson
It’s a tough one this. Trump won in Saudi Arabia last year and that sealed his place at the top for a long while to come. I’m conscious he could quite easily do that again and this question becomes redundant. But while I’m banging the Wilson drum, why not go the whole hog and say that Kyren will top the rankings come next spring. You just know from listening to him in interviews lately how much it would mean to him to be the world number one. He has obviously got a lot of ground to make up. But if anyone can do it…
Half of the journalists in the “panel” chose Wu Yize as a candidate to win a maiden ranking title. I would love that but I’m not sure he’s ready just yet. He’s come close but in those tournament where he made the very latter stages I had the feeling that the occasion overwhelmed him a bit and that he wasn’t able to produce the level that got him there. He’s still very young, of course. Si Jiahui is a more likely candidate in my opinion. Neil Goulding’s choice is more “wishful thinking” than realistic IMO. I like Jack a lot but I have given up every hope that he will win an event, except, maybe, the Shoot-out.
Making predictions about the “surprise package” of the season is a bit of an “oxymoronic” activity IMO. If you can predict it, it’s not a real surprise… hum… I’ll pass.
“Star player of the season” should not be solely judged on results. By definition “stardom” is closely associated with being recognised and loved by the general public. Typically “stars” have some sort of charisma about them, some flair or charm that captures fans imagination. Judd and Zhao have that, Kyren and Mark (Allen) not really IMO.
As for ending the season as number one… well … Judd Trump, with 1193200 points is 471400 points ahead of the second player in the provisional rankings at the end of the season. Neil Robertson who is 6th in that same list is on 472 050 points in total. Ronnie, who is 17th has 194500, nearly a million points less than Judd. Let that sink … Judd may still be number one at the end of the season even if he doesn’t play at all. That illustrates the absurdity of the money list system.
Ronnie O'Sullivan 