It was announced yesterday that the iconic Crucible in Sheffield will host the World Snooker Championship until 2045 with a £45m revamp set to take place at the 980-capacity theatre. Snooker’s premier event has been held at the venue since 1977 with the current deal running out in 2027.
The new deal will see the venue refurbed with upto 500 additional seats added tot he venue. During the redevelopment period after the 2028 edition the tournament wil be hosted in an alternative venue in 2029.
The £45m revamp will have £35m supplied by national and local government and £10m coming from the private sector. The news comes as the Matchroom Sport president Barry Hearn said last April that the tournament would have to move from its long-time home after 2027 if the Crucible wasn’t revamp or replaced saying it was “no longer fit for purpose”, the BBC reports.
Broadcaster and chair of Sheffield Theatres, Dan Walker took to X and wrote: “As chair of Sheffield Theatres we are delighted that the World Snooker Championships are staying in Sheffield – at The Crucible – until at least 2045! This is a big deal which is worth millions of pounds to the city but also enables us to revamp The Crucible, make it even more special, bring it right up to date and secure it for generations to come.”
The World Snooker Championship is played with a two table set up meaning it can be quite tight, and is unique in terms of sporting venues as fans are so close to the players offering a level of intimacy. Otheer new changes suggestted are significant improvements such as enhanced spectator facilities will be included in the refurbishment.
The Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer visited the Crucible last month to discuss the redevelopment, and said: “I’m delighted this £45 million of funding will support the venue to continue to develop world-class theatre and stay host to the famous World Snooker Championships for many years to come. 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.”
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Feature Image Credit: Sheffield Theatres
