Hearn Tips 2029 World Championship to Stay in UK Despite Crucible Redevelopment

Matchroom President Backs British Venue for Temporary Relocation

Barry Hearn has indicated he expects the World Snooker Championship to remain on British soil during the Crucible Theatre's forthcoming redevelopment, though he stopped short of ruling out a lucrative overseas move entirely. Speaking during the 2026 tournament in Sheffield, the 77-year-old Matchroom Sport president said he would go "odds-on" the event stays in the UK when the iconic venue undergoes its scheduled renovation — most likely in 2029, and potentially 2030 as well.

"Great Britain is the home of snooker, it is where we grew up as a sport, and I'm very loath to move it anywhere else," Hearn told reporters. The caveat, however, was characteristically pragmatic: "But being the money man I am, if the right offer comes in I will have to consider it."

The Crucible Deal: What Has Been Agreed

In March 2026, World Snooker and Sheffield City Council confirmed a new agreement that secures the Crucible Theatre as the home of the World Championship until 2045 — a significant extension beyond the previous contract, which had been due to expire in 2027. Under the terms of that earlier arrangement, the 2026 edition would have been only the second-to-last held at the venue. The new deal effectively adds nearly two decades to what is one of sport's most enduring venue partnerships; the Crucible has hosted the World Championship every year since 1977, a run of almost half a century.

Central to the agreement is a £45 million redevelopment of the Crucible itself. National and local government have committed £35 million to the project, with the remaining £10 million sourced from the private sector. The renovation will add approximately 500 seats to the current capacity of around 1,000, bringing the total to roughly 1,500. Hearn acknowledged the ambition exceeded what was ultimately achievable: "I'd have loved 3,000 seats but I can't have that." Nevertheless, the capacity increase represents a 50% uplift on current figures and should meaningfully improve the tournament's commercial footprint at the venue.

China Mooted as Temporary Host, But Broadcasters Complicate the Picture

With the Crucible unavailable during construction — work that Hearn is determined to compress into a single year wherever possible — speculation has centred on China as the most plausible alternative host nation. China already stages a substantial portion of the professional ranking calendar; the 2025–26 season alone features multiple ranking events on Chinese soil, reflecting the considerable growth of the sport's fanbase in the country over the past decade.

However, Hearn pointed to the BBC's live coverage as a material constraint on any overseas relocation. The World Championship has been broadcast live on the BBC since 1978, and the time-zone differential between the UK and China — typically seven to eight hours — would create considerable scheduling difficulties for a domestic audience accustomed to daytime and evening coverage. "I have a great relationship with the BBC and you don't want to take it anywhere that has a different time zone," Hearn said. "There are opportunities to take it elsewhere, but these opportunities come with downsides."

Sponsorship considerations are similarly likely to weigh heavily in any final decision. The World Championship attracts a different order of commercial attention to the rest of the ranking calendar, and moving the event to a market with distinct broadcasting rights arrangements could complicate existing contractual relationships.

A Deal That 'Works for Everybody'

Hearn was effusive about the collaborative process that produced the long-term Crucible agreement, crediting both Sheffield City Council and the government for their financial commitment. "The team at World Snooker and Sheffield City Council have done the sensible thing and pulled off a deal that works for everybody," he said. "Credit to the government, they came up with the money to make the deal."

Hearn, who served as chairman of World Snooker from 2010 to 2021 and whose Matchroom Sport company has held a controlling stake in the governing body since 2010, was candid that the outcome had not been guaranteed. "It was in doubt, but if people are sensible, the key word is 'respect' in negotiating a contract... you never get everything you want, but a great deal leaves everyone with a bit of bread in their mouths."

The practical concern now shifts to the mechanics of the one-year gap. Hearn was emphatic that pressure from all quarters — players, broadcasters, sponsors, and fans — would be applied to ensure the redevelopment does not spill into a second year. "We have to really try to make it just one year," he said. Whether that ambition survives contact with the realities of a major building project in a working theatre remains to be seen, but the broader picture is one of long-term stability for snooker's most prestigious event. After years of uncertainty about the Crucible's future, a deal running to 2045 represents a generational settlement for the sport.