World Snooker Championship confirmed to stay at the Crucible until 2045 – with option to extend
The World Snooker Championship will remain in Sheffield for decades to come.
The World Snooker Championship will continue to be played at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield until 2045 at the earliest after the World Snooker Tour announced a new deal.
There is an option to extend the arrangement until 2050 while a plan to increase the capacity of the arena has also been confirmed.
Speculation over the future of the tournament is not a new thing. Matchroom Sport chief Barry Hearn has repeatedly suggested the tournament could movee after the current deal expires in 2027, with China and Saudi Arabia each growing their footprint in the sport.
However, the new deal will put an end to the debate. The World Snooker Championship will stay in Sheffield.
In a statement, Hearn said: “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.
"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.”
Leader of Sheffield City Council, Tom Hunt, confirmed plans for the development of the Crucible itself: "Snooker is part of Sheffield’s identity, and I’m incredibly proud that it will continue to be played on the world stage right here.
"And the ambition doesn’t stop there. Separately, plans are in place for a £45 million transformation of the Crucible, which would deliver around 50 per cent more seats and enable the venue to operate as a theatre in the round."
Reports in the Sheffield Star over the weekend suggested Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had visited the theatre last month to thrash out a funding deal to keep the tournament there.
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On the announcement, the Prime Minister said: "We have a deep cultural and sporting heritage here in the UK – sport, art and culture are the very best of us. It's what makes us proud not only of the country, but the places that we're from.
"I had the pleasure of recently visiting Sheffield, the home of the oldest football club in the world, to encourage partners to support a major redevelopment of the iconic Crucible Theatre to keep sport and culture thriving in this city.
"I’m delighted with today’s confirmation that the theatre and the city will stay host to the famous World Snooker Championships for many years to come."
The next edition of the World Snooker Championship begins on 18 April 2026 and runs until 4 May 2026 with live coverage to be broadcast on BBC and TNT Sports.
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Authors
Michael Potts is the Sport Editor for Radio Times, covering all of the biggest sporting events across the globe with previews, features, interviews and more. He has worked for Radio Times since 2019 and previously worked on the sport desk at Express.co.uk after starting his career writing features for What Culture. He achieved a first-class degree in Sports Journalism in 2014.
