{"id":2999,"date":"2026-03-29T11:38:35","date_gmt":"2026-03-29T11:38:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?p=2999"},"modified":"2026-03-29T11:38:35","modified_gmt":"2026-03-29T11:38:35","slug":"barry-hearn-not-ruling-out-historic-world-snooker-championship-decision","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?p=2999","title":{"rendered":"Barry Hearn &#8216;not ruling out&#8217; historic World Snooker Championship decision"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <div style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: 300px 160px; gap: 2px; width: 460px; background: #eee; padding: 2px;\">\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u6574\u884c\u5bbd\u5e7f\u544a -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column: 1\/-1; width: 460px; height: 250px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876674\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column: 1\/-1; width: 460px; height: 90px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876676\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u5de6\u4fa7\u7ad6\u6392 -->\r\n  <div style=\"height: 250px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876672\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  <div style=\"height: 500px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876680\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u53f3\u4fa7\u6469\u5929\u697c\uff08\u548c\u5de6\u4fa7\u5b8c\u5168\u5bf9\u9f50\uff09 -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-row: 3\/5; height: 750px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876678\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  \r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e6\" data-zoneid=\"5876682\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n<\/div><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2210893902.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-27662948\" alt=\"Halo World Snooker Championship 2025 Media Day\" decoding=\"sync\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>The Crucible will be redeveloped, starting in the summer of 2028 (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>With the World Snooker Championship briefly leaving the Crucible while the venue is revamped, Barry Hearn is \u2018not ruling out\u2019 an historic move across the globe.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>There will be \u00a345m spent on the Crucible, renovating the venue and expanding the capacity by 500 seats from its current number of just under 1,000.<\/p>\n<p>While this work is carried out, starting in the summer of 2028, the tournament will be played elsewhere for one or two years.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>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: \u2018We haven\u2019t ruled that out yet.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"422\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-2190099191_add1a9.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-26054316\" alt=\"The Darts Championship At Alexandra Palace\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Matchroom president Barry Hearn says all options are on the table (Picture: Getty Images for Sky Creative Brand )<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u2018The numbers out there are absolutely rocking. I don\u2019t see that calming down. I see it growing.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018We are looking at venues. I\u2019d like to be assured that it\u2019s only one year away from Sheffield. Because I don\u2019t know if you\u2019ve ever had a builder around that\u2019s always a few days late. Well, I don\u2019t want it to be too many years late. So Sheffield are up for it. They\u2019re on the case.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Hopefully it\u2019s just one year, and it could go anywhere. But I prefer it (to stay in the UK). I\u2019m getting too old to travel.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Before the World Championship found its home in Sheffield in 1977 it had been played overseas, but never in China.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2267787617_36fd53.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-27604557\" alt=\"World Open Snooker 2026 - Day 7\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Thepchaiya Un-Nooh beat Ronnie O\u2019Sullivan in the World Open final in Yushan this month (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>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\u2019s snooker events.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-spotify wp-block-embed-spotify\">\n<p>\n<iframe title=\"Spotify Embed: Talking Snooker Episode 247 - World Championship staying at Crucible until 2045: Our Verdict\" style=\"border-radius: 12px\" width=\"100%\" height=\"152\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/episode\/58hwN3ywbFDdc3Kf5Lm6zT?utm_source=oembed\"><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018It\u2019s been on the card for two years. These people don\u2019t rush, do they?\u2019 Hearn said. \u2018We\u2019ve had a deal in place. <\/p>\n<p>\u2018The Qataris own 13 per cent of Matchroom through Pitch [International]. They seem nice but they don\u2019t seem to be doing much.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Just two tournaments remain this season, with the Tour Championship starting on Monday at Manchester Central, followed by the World Championship at the Crucible.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-metro wp-block-embed-metro\"\/>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: Barry Hawkins\u2019 Welsh Open win a \u2018distant memory\u2019 as injury scuppers progress<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: Jason Ferguson talks up snooker national academy project following Crucible deal<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: Barry Hearn reveals his X-rated response to Luke Littler catering request<\/span><\/p>\n<section id=\"share-buttons-bottom\" class=\"share-buttons share-buttons-bottom\">\n\t\t\t<span><svg><title>Comment now<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#social-comment\" href=\"#social-comment\"\/><\/svg><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"share-bar-comments__label\">Comments<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<span><svg><title>Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#social-preferred-source\" href=\"#social-preferred-source\"\/><\/svg><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"share-bar-preferred-source__label\">Add as preferred source<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/section>\n<div class=\"newsletter-end-card accent--sport\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-end-card__inner\">\n<h4>Football Newsletter \u2013 In The Mixer<\/h4>\n<p>Punchy analysis, transfer talk and more from Metro&#8217;s football experts, sent straight to your inbox every week.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- \u603b\u5bb9\u5668\uff1a\u6700\u5927\u5bbd908px Grid\u7d27\u51d1\u5e03\u5c40 -->\r\n<div style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: 728px 160px; gap:2px; width:908px; background:#eee; padding:2px;\">\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u901a\u680f\u9876\u90e8\uff1a\u6700\u5927\u6a2a\u5e45 908x258 \u8de8\u6574\u884c -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column:1\/-1; height:258px; background:#ff6b6b; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n    <!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114307\" data-width=\"908\" data-height=\"258\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114307});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u7b2c\u4e8c\u901a\u680f\uff1a728\u00d790 \u901a\u680f -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column:1\/-1; height:90px; background:#4ecdc4; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n    <!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114300\" data-width=\"728\" data-height=\"90\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114300});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u5de6\u4fa7\u4e3b\u680f\uff1a\u591a\u5e7f\u544a\u5806\u53e0 -->\r\n  <div style=\"display:grid; 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display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n\t\r\n<!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114303\" data-width=\"125\" data-height=\"125\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114303});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u53f3\u4fa7\u7ad6\u680f\uff1a160\u00d7600 \u6574\u5217\u9ad8\u5e7f\u544a -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-row:3\/8; height:600px;  display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n    <!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114301\" data-width=\"160\" data-height=\"600\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114301});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n<\/div><br \/>\n<br \/> Barry Hearn &#8216;not ruling out&#8217; historic World Snooker Championship decision<br \/>\n<br \/>#Barry #Hearn #ruling #historic #World #Snooker #Championship #decision<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Crucible will be redeveloped, starting in the summer of 2028 (Picture: Getty Images) With&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3000,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[2122,1636,314,2123,150,3320,418,328],"class_list":["post-2999","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","tag-barry","tag-championship","tag-decision","tag-hearn","tag-historic","tag-ruling","tag-snooker","tag-world"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2210893902_1774782627.jpg",1200,630,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2210893902_1774782627-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2210893902_1774782627-300x158.jpg",300,158,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2210893902_1774782627-768x403.jpg",640,336,true],"large":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2210893902_1774782627-1024x538.jpg",640,336,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2210893902_1774782627.jpg",1200,630,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2210893902_1774782627.jpg",1200,630,false],"covernews-slider-full":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2210893902_1774782627-1115x630.jpg",1115,630,true],"covernews-slider-center":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2210893902_1774782627-800x500.jpg",800,500,true],"covernews-featured":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2210893902_1774782627-1024x538.jpg",1024,538,true],"covernews-medium":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2210893902_1774782627-540x340.jpg",540,340,true],"covernews-medium-square":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2210893902_1774782627-400x250.jpg",400,250,true]},"author_info":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?author=1"},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?cat=6\" rel=\"category\">Sports<\/a>","tag_info":"Sports","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2999","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2999"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2999\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3000"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2999"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2999"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2999"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}