Snooker’s world championship will remain at the Crucible for at least the next two decades after the World Snooker Tour agreed a long-term arrangement with the venue to keep the sport’s most prestigious tournament in Sheffield.
The future of the event at the 980-seat venue has been in doubt for years, with Matchroom’s president, Barry Hearn, repeatedly hinting the tournament may have to leave its spiritual home in favour of a bigger venue when their previous deal expired next year. As recently as 2024, Hearn said there would need to be a new Crucible built to resist the lure of Saudi Arabia and others.
Instead WST have agreed a deal that ensures the tournament will not only stay in Sheffield, but stay at the Crucible – where it has been played since 1977 – without the need for a new venue to be built. The deal between WST and Sheffield city council keeps the event there until 2045 at least, with an option to extend that until 2050.
The championship will be held at the Crucible in its current guise until 2028 before it temporarily leaves for a year while the venue is redeveloped but not rebuilt. Instead, 500 seats will be added to the theatre and during that time, the tournament will be played at an alternative venue in the UK.
“For over 50 years I have been promoting sport all over the world but no venue on this planet means more to me than the Crucible,” Hearn said.
“I am so happy that after a long period of meetings and discussions we have finally agreed a deal to stage the world championship at its historic home – the Crucible. My thanks must go to Sheffield city council for all of their hard work in ensuring this great tournament remains at its spiritual home.”
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