Ronnie O’Sullivan will face old rival Ali Carter in a blockbuster first-round draw at the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible – if he decides to play.

Seven-time champion O’Sullivan is seeded fifth at the tournament but has not played in since January .

Should the 49-year-old decide to play at the Crucible, he will take on a two-time World Championship finalist in Carter, who .

The first-round clash has the potential to be a grudge match, with O’Sullivan calling Carter “not a nice person” and a “nightmare” to play against following a heated Masters match last year.

The World Snooker Championship gets underway on Saturday 19 April with the final played over two days starting on Sunday 4 May.

World Snooker Championship draw and schedule in full

(All times BST)

Saturday 19 April

First round

10:00

Kyre Wilson (1) v Pephasan Lei

Xiao Guodong (14) v Matthew Selt

14:30

Neil Robertson (9) v Chris Wakelin

Mark Williams (6) v Wu Yize

19:00

Kyre Wilson (1) v Pephasan Lei

Barry Hawkins (11) v Hossein Vafaei

Sunday 20 April

First round

10:00

How Jones (16) in Zhao Xintong

Xiao Guodong (14) v Matthew Selt

14:30

Mark Allen (8) V Fan Zhengyi

Mark Williams (6) v Wu Yize

19:00

Neil Robertson (9) v Chris Wakelin

Barry Hawkins (11) v Hossein Vafaei

Monday 21 April

First round

10:00

John Higgins (3) v Joe O’Connor

How Jones (16) in Zhao Xintong

14:30

Ding Junhui (10) V Zak Surety

Mark Allen (8) V Fan Zhengyi

19:00

If Jiahui (13) V David Gilbert

John Higgins (3) v Joe O’Connor

Tuesday 22 April

First round

10:00

Zhang ua (12) v pang junxu

Shaun Murphy (15) v Daniel Wells

14:30

Ronnie o'Sullivan (5) V Ali Carter

Ding Junhui (10) V Zak Surety

19:00

Judd Trump (2) v Zhou Yuelong

If Jiahui (13) V David Gilbert

Wednesday 23 April

First round

10:00

Zhang ua (12) v pang junxu

Shaun Murphy (15) v Daniel Wells

14:30

Ronnie o'Sullivan (5) V Ali Carter

Luca Brecel (7) in Ryan Day

19:00

Mark Selby (4) v Ben Woollaston

Judd Trump (2) v Zhou Yuelong

Thursday 24 April

First round

Mark Selby (4) v Ben Woollaston

Second round

Schedule TBC

Friday 25 April

Second round

Saturday 26 April

Second round/quarter-finals

Sunday 27 April

Second round

Wednesday 30 April

Quarter-finals

Thursday 1 May

Semi-finals

Friday 2 May

Semi-finals

Saturday 3 May

Semi-finals

Sunday 4 May

Final

Monday 5 May

Final