walking towards notorious big guys hypnotized As for his matches, Hossein Wafai looks right at home on snooker’s biggest stage.
it’s been a long time coming.
For years, diplomatic red tape stymied his career, but now at 31 he is making up for lost time.
At the 2026 World Snooker Championships in Sheffield, England, he became the first Iranian to reach the quarterfinals of the game’s top tournament, stunning world No. 1 Judd Trump before being eliminated on Wednesday.
“I wasn’t nervous, I enjoyed every moment. I was born for situations like this,” he said.
“I’m eager to play anyone, I’m not afraid of anyone and everyone knows that. There’s no pressure, so why should I be worried?”
Although that confidence is a new addition, his ability was never in question.
From being a prodigy to having a visa hanging in the balance
As a child growing up in south-western Iran, it is unlikely that Vafai ever envisioned a future in the home of snooker, Sheffield.
He certainly would not have anticipated that the snooker world would start referring to him as the “Prince of Persia”.
At the age of six he learned signs for the first time. At the age of 17, he was crowned the youngest World Amateur Champion.
That was in 2011, but the “Miracle Kid” had to wait for his big break on the professional stage.
Due to strained relations between Iran and the United Kingdom at the time, Vafai spent four years in visa limbo. He was only able to make his first appearance in the UK in 2015.
Despite missing those crucial formative years of his development as a professional, Weifei always had high ambitions and a sense of duty.
“Snooker is very popular in Iran,” Vafai told British newspaper The Independent in 2017.
“My success will make the sport even bigger. I want to improve the sport in my country. It can be like China, if I can do well then we can see many Iranians coming here.” China has many top snooker players including three players in the top ten of the men’s world rankings.
Playing for a country in turmoil
Wafai’s pursuit of major titles has been further complicated by events beyond the snooker table. He admitted he was feeling all over the place ahead of the 2026 World Championships amid the war in Iran.
Nationwide protests against the government in January, followed by war with Israel and the United States, have taken a heavy toll on his mind.
“It’s very hard to be Iranian right now. I don’t know.” [whether] delight. I don’t know [whether] To be sad,” he said after his victory over Trump.
“That’s the only thing I can do. With my signal, I can do something for them [the Iranian people] Happy. “To show that there is an Iranian flag there.”
Wafai has previously used his platform to express solidarity with his compatriots, wearing a black armband at the 2022 UK Championships in solidarity with protests over the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody. Amini’s death was one of the triggers of the Women, Life, Freedom movement.
Yet he is generally cautious when talking about Iran publicly, as his family still lives there.
“You get negative messages during the day and you can’t concentrate on your work,” he said.
“I was feeling sad sometimes about what was happening. And I don’t want to talk openly, but yes, I decided to fight, fight for my people and for all Iranians around the world. And hopefully I can make them happy.”
success finally comes
Wafai made his debut in the World Championship only in 2022. That same year he won his first pro tournament in a snooker shoot-out.
It has taken time, but they have started to find their footing in 2026, proof of which is their stellar performance in the quarterfinals.
“If he was from somewhere else and if he wasn’t [visa issues] He would have been in the top 16 by now,” world No. 1 Judd Trump said after his defeat to Wefti.
“I think he’s good enough to win all kinds of events.”
His quest for success at the Crucible Theatre, which has hosted the World Championships since 1977, was ultimately thwarted by China’s rising star Wu Yize.
But this tournament felt like a change of pace for Prince of Persia. He has moved permanently to the north of England and has one goal.
He said, “I came to live in Sheffield to be next to the Crucible. And to imagine lifting the trophy one day.”
“The Crucible Trophy is living rent-free in my mind.”
For years, circumstance determined Wafai’s trajectory. Now he is taking back control of his destiny.
Edited by: Matt Pearson