The 1996 World Snooker Championship (also referred to as the 1996 Embassy World Snooker Championship for the purposes of sponsorship) was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place between 20 April and 6 May 1996 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England.

Stephen Hendry won his sixth World Championship by defeating Peter Ebdon 18–12, equalling the modern-day record of Steve Davis and Ray Reardon.

The tournament was sponsored by cigarette manufacturer Embassy.

[8] The highest break of the tournament was 144 made by both Peter Ebdon and Tony Drago.

[13] Stephen Hendry made 11 century breaks in the tournament,[8] one short of his record of 12 set the previous year.