Youngest snooker player: Michal Szubarczyk, 15, sets World Championship record

Polish teenager Michal Szubarczyk has become the youngest player to win a World Championship match, defeating former women’s world champion Onyee Ng in qualifying on Monday.

Aged 15 years, two months and 25 days, he beat Ng 10-7 in the first qualifying round in Sheffield to surpass the previous record set by Wales’ Liam Davies (15 years and 277 days) in 2022.

Szubarczyk became the youngest ever professional snooker player when he made his debut aged 14 in June 2025 and is now eyeing Luca Brecel’s record as the youngest player to feature at the Crucible.

The Belgian was aged 17 years and 45 days when he reached the main draw in 2012.

Szubarczyk will face Sanderson Lam in the second of four qualifying rounds.

“I feel very proud and excited about the next matches. Maybe this year or next year I can become the youngest Crucible player,” Szubarczyk told the World Snooker Tour’s website.

“For me, getting to the Crucible is the first goal of many others in professional snooker.

“I’m enjoying the pressure and expectation. I have been dreaming about playing in the World Championship for about the last six years.”

Szubarczyk rose to prominence in April 2025 when he reached the final of the open-age event at the European Championship and won the World Amateur Championship later that year.