Ronnie O'Sullivan faces the prospect of having to qualify for the World Championship for the first time since 1994, with the seven-time champion currently projected to sit 17th in the rankings for next year's Crucible.
Only the top 16 seeds avoid the qualifying rounds, heading straight to Sheffield for the tournament's last 32. The Rocket last faced World Championship qualifying 31 years ago as an 18-year-old, when he defeated Dennis Taylor in the first round before falling to John Parrott in the last 16.
Despite currently holding fifth place in the world rankings, O'Sullivan's position is under threat as ranking points from his successful 2023-24 campaign - which included two ranking titles - will drop off under snooker's two-year rolling ranking system.
The 49-year-old reached the semi-finals at this year's Crucible but had previously opted out of multiple events.
Ronnie O'Sullivan may have to qualify for the first time since he was 18 years old
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The 2025-26 season begins on 22 June with Wuhan Open qualification at Leicester's Mattioli Arena, marking the start of a crucial campaign for O'Sullivan's ranking position.
His absence from numerous tournaments in the latter part of last season has left him vulnerable to sliding down the rankings as older results expire. The situation mirrors that faced by Shaun Murphy last year, who narrowly avoided the qualifiers despite failing to win a ranking title throughout the season.
Murphy maintained his top-16 status through consistent performances, reaching two semi-finals and five quarter-finals. For O'Sullivan, the stakes are particularly high given his long-standing presence among snooker's elite since his teenage years.
The last occasion he competed outside the top 16 came after his 2012 world title victory, when he took a year-long break but returned as defending champion and number one seed. O'Sullivan has responded to the ranking threat by entering several upcoming tournaments after a quiet end to last season.
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Ronnie O'Sullivan has slid down in the rankings after being absent from multiple tournaments
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The Rocket has committed to competing in the Wuhan Open, British Open and Shanghai Masters, signalling a busy start to the new campaign. This marks a shift in approach for the 49-year-old, who had previously opted out of a string of events despite reaching the Crucible semi-finals just weeks ago.
The upcoming tournaments offer crucial opportunities to accumulate ranking points and secure his position within the top 16. Should O'Sullivan find himself in the qualifying rounds, he would be heavily favoured to progress through the two matches required to reach the Crucible.
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However, as Neil Robertson discovered two years ago when he lost 10-9 to Jamie Jones in the final qualifying round, nothing can be taken for granted in the high-pressure environment of World Championship qualifying.
O'Sullivan is not alone in facing this predicament, with Mark Allen currently projected one place below him at 18th in the rankings for the 2026 World Championship.
Former world champion Luca Brecel finds himself in an even more precarious position, sitting 37th in the projected rankings after his 2023 Crucible triumph. Both players, like O'Sullivan, remain comfortably within the current top 16 but face the challenge of maintaining their positions as older results expire.
Ronnie O'Sullivan has entered a number of tournaments in hopes of improving his ranking
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The pressure of avoiding qualification has caught out top players before, most notably when Neil Robertson missed out on the 2023 Crucible for the first time since 2004. Robertson fell victim to the qualifiers despite his pedigree, losing 10-9 to Jamie Jones in the final round at the English Institute of Sport.
With multiple ranking events ahead, O'Sullivan and his fellow stars have ample opportunity to secure their automatic Crucible places.
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