Barry Hearn ‘not ruling out’ historic World Snooker Championship decision

With the World Snooker Championship briefly leaving the Crucible while the venue is revamped, Barry Hearn is ‘not ruling out’ an historic move across the globe.

An announcement this week confirmed Sheffield as the home of the World Championship until at least 2045, but it will take a short holiday elsewhere in 2029 and possibly 2030.

There will be £45m spent on the Crucible, renovating the venue and expanding the capacity by 500 seats from its current number of just under 1,000.

While this work is carried out, starting in the summer of 2028, the tournament will be played elsewhere for one or two years.

No destination has been confirmed as yet, but the likeliest options are in the UK, given that the BBC has the contract to show the event until 2032.

The broadcaster would not be keen on a move abroad, to a different time zone but, while that is unlikely, Hearn says it is not impossible.

Specifically on a move to China, where the sport is extremely popular and five professional events have been held this season, plus one in Hong Kong, the Matchroom president said: ‘We haven’t ruled that out yet.

‘The numbers out there are absolutely rocking. I don’t see that calming down. I see it growing.

‘We are looking at venues. I’d like to be assured that it’s only one year away from Sheffield. Because I don’t know if you’ve ever had a builder around that’s always a few days late. Well, I don’t want it to be too many years late. So Sheffield are up for it. They’re on the case.

‘Hopefully it’s just one year, and it could go anywhere. But I prefer it (to stay in the UK). I’m getting too old to travel.’

Before the World Championship found its home in Sheffield in 1977 it had been played overseas, but never in China.

With three more editions of the tournament at the Crucible before it moves away for a year or two, an announcement on the temporary venue is not expected imminently.

Alexandra Palace, the current home of the Masters, and Manchester Central, where the Tour Championship will be played next week, have been touted as possible options, but no decision has been made.

Outside of the World Championship, the China Open is set to return to the calendar next season for the first time since 2019, expected to be the showpiece of the country’s snooker events.

Hearn is also continuing to talk up a possible tournament in Qatar, but has not seen much progress from the local investors behind the plan.

‘It’s been on the card for two years. These people don’t rush, do they?’ Hearn said. ‘We’ve had a deal in place.

‘The Qataris own 13 per cent of Matchroom through Pitch [International]. They seem nice but they don’t seem to be doing much.’

Just two tournaments remain this season, with the Tour Championship starting on Monday at Manchester Central, followed by the World Championship at the Crucible.

Qualifying begins in Sheffield on April 6 at the English Institute of Sport, with the main stages at the Crucible running from April 18 to May 4.