Channoi and Bai Earn WST Cards

New world champion Panchaya Channoi and world number two Bai Yulu will be nominated to join the professional World Snooker Tour from the start of the 2026/27 season following the conclusion of this year’s World Women’s Snooker Championship.

Thailand’s Channoi will turn professional for the first time in her career after the 18-year-old stormed to a maiden world title success which included victories against defending champion Bai, 2022 winner Mink Nutcharut and ultimately record 12-time champion Reanne Evans in the final.

Having first competed on the women’s tour at the 2019 World Championship, Channoi has competed more regularly since 2025 and will now follow in the footsteps of fellow Thais Nutcharut and 2023 world champion Siripaporn Nuanthakhamjan in competing on the WST.

She will be joined by China’s Bai Yulu, who earns a professional place for the second time, having completed an initial stint on the Tour from 2024-26.

The 22-year-old won a number of matches during her first spell, most notably reaching the final qualifying round of the 2024 UK Championship, as well as having compiled a stunning break of 145 at the 2025 International Championship, the highest-ever by a female player at a WST event to date.

The pair will join OnYee Ng and Reanne Evans, who each have one year remaining on their current tour cards.