Matthew Stevens returns to the Crucible with nervy win over Stuart Bingham in World Championship qualifying

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World Snooker Championship 2026 qualifying live comments and streaming details. Matthew Stevens made it to the Crucible, beating former world champion Stuart Bingham 10-7.

‘His hand will be hurting’ – Stevens smacks table after ‘dreadful’ positional shot

Video credit: TNT Sports

After four years away from the Crucible, former UK and Masters champion Stevens rolled back the years as he overcame 2015 world champion Stuart Bingham.

Stevens led 5-4 after the first session, but an excellent break of 89 from Bingham might have caused Stevens' nerves to wobble after years off his best form.

However, veteran Bingham also made plenty of his own mistakes, and most frames offered chances to both players to win if they could maintain their focus on break-bulding.

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Ultimately it was the Welshman who had the better of it on Tuesday evening, as he racked up a succession of half-century breaks to pull away.

The match was summed up by the decisive 17th for Stevens.

A 50-minute affair, with snookers, safety, misses and some beautiful long pots that went in the Welshman's favour to return him to the Crucible at long last.

Around the tables: Latest Judgement Day scores

Tuesday's matches

Stuart Bingham 7-10 Matthew Stevens
Hossein Vafaei 10-4 Gao Yang
Aaron Hill 6-10 David Gilbert
Michael Holt 4-10 Zhou Yuelong
Jiang Jun 9-10 Stan Moody
Antoni Kowalski 10-8 Jamie Jones
Jackson Page 8-10 Pang Junxu
Noppon Saengkham 8-10 Liam Pullen

Bingham 7-10 Stevens

Stevens nails the brown. The blue is on to the top right, and it is duly sunk. He turns to Bingham and shakes hand, and celebrates his return to the Crucible for the first time in four years.

The former Masters and UK champion is back on the main stage.

Bingham 7-9 Stevens (33-57)

Bingham is left needing snookers now. He leaves the brown on for Stevens attempting to hide behind the pink.

Bingham 7-9 Stevens (33-54)

Stevens pots the cue after he sends the green safe. That could change everything in this frame.

Bingham 7-9 Stevens (29-54)

The yellow for Bingham allows him to take part in his own safety exhange now.

Bingham 7-9 Stevens (27-54)

Bingham leaves Stevens in the bottom left of the table with no clear pot available. He leaves Bingham in similar trouble up the other end of the table, who leaves Stevens, in turn, stuck behind the black. The Welshman needs a good while to size up his next move, and he pushes a red safe against the cushion. He starts to stretch his legs as he grinds towards potential victory, nudging the yellow in the top-right pocket with two more reds left, high up the table. Another red follows as he goes 54-27 up, but Stevens is now left perplexed with how to sink the colours, the brown nudged over towards the red. He plays the green, and leaves the yellow hidden behind the brown.

Bingham 7-9 Stevens (26-47)

Bingham is left stuck behind the black.

Bingham 7-9 Stevens (26-41)

Stevens is presented with another chance for a long red.

Bingham 7-9 Stevens (26-25)

...and Stevens continues his break, with more care this time around. At 26-25, despite that care, there is no red on for him, and he reaches for the rest and falls just short of hiding the white behind the yellow.

Bingham 7-9 Stevens (26-13)

Stevens inches closer to Bingham but the Englishman is back in, but he can only leave the cue ball set up for a long pot for Stevens once more, and he nails it...

Bingham 7-9 Stevens (26-1)

Bingham break ends with a 25-point advantage, but Stevens fails to get in behind the green and brown with his safety, and Bingham is in once more.

Bingham 7-9 Stevens

The red is on to the middle-left. Bingham moves 33-28 up but allows Stevens back in. This has been a game where two occasionally excellent players betray the inconsistency of their later years. A dreadful miss from Stevens put Bingham back in, trailing 36-33. 57-36 and he puts the game beyond Stevens with the green. There's a chance of snookers, of course, but Bingham turns the screw and leaves Stevens regretting that earlier miss. A break of 49 gives Bingham the frame.

Bingham 6-9 Stevens (9-28)

Stevens flukes a brown in off the cushion and he almost snookers himself, blocking off the path of the white just behind it. He sends a slow white to the bunch of reds, and the red to the left middle appeared, briefly, to be on for Bingham.

Bingham 6-9 Stevens

Stevens' break glances the edge of the brown, and Bingham returns.

He sinks a long red, and he'll be on the black next.

Around the tables: Latest Judgement Day scores

Tuesday's matches

Stuart Bingham 6-9 Matthew Stevens
Hossein Vafaei 9-4 Gao Yang
Aaron Hill 6-6 David Gilbert
Michael Holt 4-9 Zhou Yuelong
Jiang Jun 6-7 Stan Moody
Antoni Kowalski 7-6 Jamie Jones
Jackson Page 6-6 Pang Junxu
Noppon Saengkham 5-7 Liam Pullen

Bingham 6-9 Stevens

This tie is not over yet. Former champion Bingham assiduously builds on an early stroke of fortune in the break and is now closing in on a century. He is on 86 with two reds remaining. He sinks one to come back up the table, pots a yellow... he misses! An excellent 87. Stevens leaves the arena to take stock.

Bingham 5-9 Stevens

A rest shot on the black moves Stevens 73-0 clear as he looks on course for a century break. He moves 87-0 clear (a break of 86) before sinking the cue ball and ending his break. He's just a frame away from the Crucible now.

Bingham 5-8 Stevens

We're back after the interval.

Bingham 5-8 Stevens

Stevens moves 36-0 clear with a touch-of right hand while playing left-handed. He is in tremendous form and he faces barely a murmur of resistance from Bingham.

The Welshman is still at the table when Bingham concedes, 79-0 down, with Stevens now three clear after an initial break of 73.

Around the tables: Latest Judgement Day scores

Tuesday's matches

Stuart Bingham 5-9 Matthew Stevens
Hossein Vafaei 7-4 Gao Yang
Aaron Hill 5-6 David Gilbert
Michael Holt 4-7 Zhou Yuelong
Jiang Jun 6-5 Stan Moody
Antoni Kowalski 5-6 Jamie Jones
Jackson Page 6-5 Pang Junxu
Noppon Saengkham 4-7 Liam Pullen

Bingham 5-7 Stevens

At 73-14 down, Bingham looks for snookers. It'll be a tough ask, needing four snookers. Bingham sinks a red, and then takes on a black while it's on offer. With a red remaining, he fails to hide the ball, and he's let back in with work to do. Stevens is then back in, and he then sinks the last red to wrap things up with the advantage simply too great for Bingham to trouble himself with further.

Bingham 5-6 Stevens (7-65)

Bingham gets seven on the board early on but Stevens is back in swiftly. A brisk start to his break takes him onto 60, but he pots the blue and gets a tough kiss on the yellow. He needs to pot a long red, but rattles the jaw.

Bingham 5-6 Stevens

Stevens produces a standout break of his own now. A late shot on the blue expertly moves him back down the table for a red, hidden behind the black, and he remains on for a century break, but falls short at 86. Good enough to regain the lead.

Bingham 5-5 Stevens (5-0)

An exchange of long reds ends with a delightful, deft glance from Bingham, with a lot of screw to get back up the table. He sinks the brown but a miss on the red lets Stevens back in.

Bingham 5-5 Stevens

Bimgham levels things early on with a great break in the first frame after the restart. At 64-0 clear he attempts to develop the black and while he is on a red, he has to guide it brilliantly to the middle-left to set himself up on the black again, and his single visit score of 89 may set the tone for a terrific evening to come.

Welcome back

We'll have all the action and live coverage of the final round of World Championship qualifying. The evening session is scheduled to start at 5pm.

Tuesday's matches

Stuart Bingham 4-5 Matthew Stevens
Hossein Vafaei 4-4 Gao Yang
Aaron Hill 4-5 David Gilbert
Michael Holt 3-6 Zhou Yuelong
Jiang Jun 4-5 Stan Moody
Antoni Kowalski 5-3 Jamie Jones
Jackson Page 5-4 Pang Junxu
Noppon Saengkham 4-5 Liam Pullen

Stevens edges clear of Bingham

Matthew Stevens produced a superb closing clearance of 64 to open up a 5-4 lead against 2015 world champion Stuart Bingham in the final round of World Championship qualifying in Sheffield.

Bingham trailed 3-0 and 4-2 at the English Institute of Sport but had the chance to eke out a lead until he missed frame-ball black on 61 as his opponent responded with an immaculate counter clearance.

Two-time world finalist Stevens looked the stronger player early on with runs of 62, 58 and 61 before Bingham won four of the next five frames, boosted by 54 and 73.

But it is Stevens who carries a narrow lead into the concluding session between the former Masters champions when they play to a finish from 17:00, live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.

Around the tables: Latest Judgement Day scores

Tuesday's matches

Stuart Bingham 4-5 Matthew Stevens
Hossein Vafaei 4-4 Gao Yang
Aaron Hill 4-5 David Gilbert
Michael Holt 3-6 Zhou Yuelong
Jiang Jun 4-5 Stan Moody
Antoni Kowalski 5-3 Jamie Jones
Jackson Page 5-4 Pang Junxu
Noppon Saengkham 4-5 Liam Pullen

‘Oh no!’ – Pullen misses 14th black to end hopes of pocketing huge 147 bonus

Video credit: TNT Sports

Bingham 4-4 Stevens (61-64)

A majestic clearance of 64 from Stevens, who leads 5-4 before they resume at 17:00. Vintage break from the former Masters champion.

Bingham 4-4 Stevens (61-46)

Down to the final colours now. All colours look inviting. Stevens on the cusp of a remarkable clearance. In his hands now.

Bingham 4-4 Stevens (61-15)

This would be a massive steal if Stevens can win the frame from here. Huge ask with black far from easy on a side rail, but the chance is there. Bangs in the black left-handed. What a piece of cueing that is. Sweet as you like.

Bingham 4-4 Stevens (61-1)

Looks to be in peak scoring condition at the end of this session. Completely transformed from being 3-0 down. But he then misses the black off the spot. Well now. Didn't expect that on frame-ball black.

Bingham 4-4 Stevens (45-0)

Bingham is a very dangerous customer among the balls at the business end. Like second nature to him when he is in the mood.

Bingham 4-4 Stevens (30-0)

Bingham on the move here then in this final frame of the session. "Typical Bingham this. Plays through crisis point earlier in the match, and now looks back to normal," says Neal Foulds on TNT Sports.

Bingham 4-4 Stevens (0-0)

This match will conclude from 17:00 this evening. But would be nice to get your nose in front heading for home.

Bingham 3-4 Stevens (134-0)

A fine closing clearance of 73 from the Ball-run, who is right back in the hunt at 4-4. One more frame to come in this session.

Around the tables: Latest Judgement Day scores

Tuesday's matches

Stuart Bingham 4-5 Matthew Stevens
Hossein Vafaei 2-4 Gao Yang
Aaron Hill 4-3 David Gilbert
Michael Holt 3-4 Zhou Yuelong
Jiang Jun 4-5 Stan Moody
Antoni Kowalski 4-2 Jamie Jones
Jackson Page 5-4 Pang Junxu
Noppon Saengkham 4-5 Liam Pullen

Bingham 3-4 Stevens (68-0)

Excellent red is drained by Stuart, and in goes black. Looks to be quite the finale in store tonight as this match levels up again at 4-4.

Bingham 3-4 Stevens (61-0)

This is more like the classic Bingham you expect. Brisk break-building, but can't get reds open nicely on 61, his highest break of the match so far. Which tells you where he is in this contest. Six reds left on deck. Bingham then with the safety shot.

Bingham 2-4 Stevens (68-39)

Stevens battling hard as you would expect, but Bingham sees out the frame by clipping home the brown from distance to seal the deal. Back to 4-3 behind. Far from spectacular fare. But Bingham will take this. Two big frames to come here.

Bingham 2-4 Stevens (64-10)

All very scrappy out there, but Bingham battling hard. Needs one more red after adding 40. Stevens chasing a snooker otherwise it will be 4-3.

Bingham 2-4 Stevens (24-10)

Stevens needs one more frame from the final three to secure a lead before they play to a finish at 17:00. Fine long red by Bingham will do his confidence levels no harm. But another red to left centre eludes him.

Pullen misses out on £147,000 chance

Bingham 2-4 Stevens (16-9)

Fine opening red by Matthew, but he then misses black off the spot seconds later. Wasn't easy, but expected him to make it.

Bingham 2-3 Stevens (44-65)

Superb shot from Matthew to land on the final yellow from pink. Looks good for a 4-2 lead. Down to the brown. And cans it to the top right-hand bag. Super pot. A 56 break from the Welshman. What an excellent clearance. He is two clear again.

Bingham 2-3 Stevens (44-44)

Get the feeling this match is all about the W. Neither man overly convincing, but a big chance for Matthew to come up with a big steal. Down to the final red.

Bingham 2-3 Stevens (44-10)

But then Bingham misses the blue using the rest to scupper his chances of taking out this frame here and now.

Bingham 2-3 Stevens (44-9)

The mood music of this match is suddenly altering with Bingham looking good to level up at 3-3 without really finding peak form. That loose break-off shot at the start of the fourth frame was such a key error as his opponent was all at sea. But Stuart among the balls here looking to build a healthy lead.

Around the tables: Latest Judgement Day scores

Tuesday's matches

Stuart Bingham 4-4 Matthew Stevens
Hossein Vafaei 2-4 Gao Yang
Aaron Hill 4-3 David Gilbert
Michael Holt 3-4 Zhou Yuelong
Jiang Jun 4-5 Stan Moody
Antoni Kowalski 3-2 Jamie Jones
Jackson Page 4-4 Pang Junxu
Noppon Saengkham 4-5 Liam Pullen

Bingham 1-3 Stevens (65-45)

Down to the final red then with the frame scores level. Bingham can't drop in red down table to a top pocket. Matthew can't see it, and tries to nudge red in off side rail. But nowhere near it. Could well cost him the frame. And does as Ball-run mops up to the pink. Suddenly a 3-2 lead for Stevens in race to 10.

Bingham 1-3 Stevens (31-45)

Bingham back to within 14 points of Stevens, but he can't land on a red off the pink with only three reds still on deck. Safety is the option.

Bingham 1-3 Stevens (22-45)

Stevens trying to clip a tough red into left middle, but didn't get anywhere near the potting angle. So near, yet so far. And on we go in quite a tough joust in this fifth frame.

Bingham 1-3 Stevens (23-45)

38 from Stevens to move 16 points clear in this fifth frame. Still six reds left up. Bingham having to regroup after that missed pink.

Bingham 1-3 Stevens (22-22)

Stevens levelling up the scores in this fifth frame with more to come surely.

Bingham 1-3 Stevens (22-1)

Bingham then misses an easy pink out of nowhere. Can't believe he has missed that. And neither can he.

Bingham 1-3 Stevens (14-0)

Bingham with first prod at these balls in the fifth frame of the day. Trying to get some swagger into his step in this match. Nudges a neat red into right middle despite tricky cueing. Looking a lot brighter at close range.

Bingham 1-3 Stevens (0-0)

Bingham with a 6-5 lead in this duo's career head-to-head meetings. Another five frames to come in this session.

‘His hand will be hurting’ – Stevens smacks table after ‘dreadful’ positional shot

Video credit: TNT Sports

Around the tables: Latest Judgement Day scores

Tuesday's matches

Stuart Bingham 2-3 Matthew Stevens
Hossein Vafaei 1-2 Gao Yang
Aaron Hill 2-2 David Gilbert
Michael Holt 0-4 Zhou Yuelong
Jiang Jun 3-1 Stan Moody
Antoni Kowalski 2-2 Jamie Jones
Jackson Page 2-3 Pang Junxu
Noppon Saengkham 2-4 Liam Pullen

Bingham 0-3 Stevens (104-0)

In goes frame-ball red and pink is the insurance policy. A 3-1 lead for Stevens at the first mid-session break. Bingham has started to hit the ball a lot better in this frame.

Bingham 0-3 Stevens (63-0)

Chance of a mid-range red for Stevens, but it doesn't drop and this should be a first frame of the day for Bingham.

Bingham 0-3 Stevens (54-0)

Out of position on 54 so just the safety to follow. Makes a bit of a mess of it, but doesn't leave a red. Which is fortunate.

Bingham 0-3 Stevens (54-0)

Doing some heavy lifting here in and around the black spot in this fourth frame. Shocking break-off from Stevens. But Bingham loses the white on 47. Looks to be struggling with the pace of the table. Nice recovery on a red to left centre to continue the break. Big visit to the table in progress.

Bingham 0-3 Stevens (8-0)

Off we go then for the fourth frame. A poor break-off shot from Stevens as he leaves red to right centre. Easy opener then for the 2015 world champion.

Bingham 0-2 Stevens (1-69)

Very smooth from Matthew, who is settling into this match with some relish as Bingham continues to miss. One more frame before the mid-sesh. Bingham chasing one snooker with 59 left on table. A break of 61 from Stevens should hold sway. And it does with Stuart again missing from close range.

Bingham 0-2 Stevens (1-19)

Well, not really happening for Ball-run so far as red with the rest isn't drained, and Matthew is invited to get his scoring boots back on. Has looked the likelier player earlier on. A long way to go. But encouraging signs for the Welshman.

Around the tables: Latest Judgement Day scores

Tuesday's matches

Stuart Bingham 0-3 Matthew Stevens
Hossein Vafaei 0-2 Gao Yang
Aaron Hill 1-0 David Gilbert
Michael Holt 0-3 Zhou Yuelong
Jiang Jun 3-1 Stan Moody
Antoni Kowalski 2-0 Jamie Jones
Jackson Page 1-2 Pang Junxu
Noppon Saengkham 1-3 Liam Pullen

‘Still no?’ – Stevens makes Bingham sweat over early re-rack request

Video credit: TNT Sports

Bingham 0-1 Stevens (30-64)

A 58 in the second frame from Stevens looks like job done. A 2-0 lead for the Welshman. A very fine start to this match in a battle between the Crucible veterans.

Bingham 0-1 Stevens (30-47)

Terrific recovery pot on a pink, and he has set himself up here to clasp this second frame. Superb stuff from Stevens after that loose positional shot llooked like end of break. All there for him now.

Bingham 0-1 Stevens (30-16)

Very nice shot by Stevens to open up the pack of reds via the yellow. Back on pink to left middle. But he somehow doesn't land on a red in open play. Plenty of groans. Can't land on black. So end of break.

Bingham 0-1 Stevens (30-5)

Another pink to the top jaw of the right middle bag. Doesn't drop for Stuart. He looks confused by that. Both players not yet settled out there.

Bingham 0-1 Stevens (22-1)

But he misses a pink to right middle among the balls. Didn't expect to see that stay out. A reprieve for Matthew that he probably didn't see coming.

Bingham 0-1 Stevens (15-0)

Re-rack for a second straight frame prompts more smiles before Ball-run tries to get to work here in the second frame of a possible 19. Some nice mid-range reds being put away.

Bingham 0-0 Stevens (15-69)

Matthew was never going to keep missing. This is a very decent start for the former UK and Masters champion. Down goes the final red with the rest. Looks like a 1-0 lead for Stevens. 62 break to the colours gets the job done.

Bingham 0-0 Stevens (15-25)

Both men just struggling to keep a tight rein on that white ball in this morning session. Remember, they will come back for the concluding session at 5pm this evening. Nine frames to be played in the first sesh.

Bingham 0-0 Stevens (15-7)

Scoring chance here for Bingham, but he misses a cutback pink on 15. Which is disappointing. But Stevens then misses a red trying to go in off pink. Bad miss really. And Bingham can't slot a mid-range red. Like a final-frame decider this opener.

Bingham 0-0 Stevens (0-7)

Couple of nice long reds by Matthew early doors. Won't do his confidence any harm. Trying to return to the Crucible for the first time since 2022.

Bingham 0-0 Stevens (0-1)

All very good-natured bantz between these two Crucible warriors. Bingham wanted a re-rack, but Stevens refused before eventually relenting. All in high spirits, and we go again with this opening frame.

What is coming up on Judgement Day?

Tuesday's matches

Stuart Bingham 0-2 Matthew Stevens
Hossein Vafaei 0-1 Gao Yang
Aaron Hill 1-0 David Gilbert
Michael Holt 0-3 Zhou Yuelong
Jiang Jun 2-0 Stan Moody
Antoni Kowalski 1-0 Jamie Jones
Jackson Page 1-1 Pang Junxu
Noppon Saengkham 1-2 Liam Pullen

Wednesday's matches

Jak Jones v Luca Brecel
Lei Peifan v Ryan Day
Xu Si v Gary Wilson
Zak Surety v Zhang Anda
Ali Carter v Anthony McGill
Liam Highfield v Oliver Lines
Fan Zhengyi v Ben Mertens
He Guoqiang v Jack Lisowski

Qualifying for the 2026 World Championship takes place between April 6-15, and is live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.

Carter and McGill produce epic comebacks to reach Judgement Day

The final round of 2026 World Championship qualifiers will take place in Sheffield over Tuesday and Wednesday with plenty of Crucible pedigree set to battle it out for a spot in the final stage of this year's tournament. Former world champion Luca Brecel held off Chang Bingyu 10-8 in a high-scoring battle before Ali Carter and Anthony McGill both produced epic comebacks on Monday night.