Raz Mirza
Sports activities Journalist @RazMirza
4-time winner Mark Selby wish to see the World Snooker Championship keep within the UK when the Crucible is being refurbished, regardless of assurances from World Snooker Tour; ‘The Jester from Leicester’ is aware of all too effectively Matchroom Sport chief Barry Hearn would “like to move it around”
Final Up to date: 24/03/26 5:41pm
Mark Selby wish to see the World Snooker Championship keep within the UK when the Crucible is being refurbished
Mark Selby says he wish to see the World Snooker Championship keep within the UK when the Crucible is being refurbished in 2029 – and presumably additionally 2030 – however is conscious President of Matchroom Sport, Barry Hearn, has a “variety of ideas”.
Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has helped to safe the way forward for the match in Sheffield amid fears it might have moved to China or Saudi Arabia with an settlement made for it to remain within the metropolis till 2045, with an choice to proceed to 2050.
The historic venue held the well-known 1985 black ball last between Dennis Taylor and Steve Davis, and in 1997, followers witnessed Ronnie O’Sullivan rating a most 147 in simply 5 minutes eight seconds.
However seven-time champion O’Sullivan has advocated for a transfer away from the Crucible, which has held the match since 1977, with critics saying the venue is cramped and outdated.
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President of Matchroom Sport, Barry Hearn, mentioned the Crucible Theatre is ‘not match for objective’, however wished the World Championship to stay on the venue whether it is revamped – he now has his want!
The £45m refurbishment will add as much as 500 seats to the 980 present capability and enhance spectator amenities.
The sport has exploded in recognition in China, with a reported 60 million lively gamers, and the present world champion Zhao Xintong is Chinese language.
In the meantime, the Saudis have sought to make use of sport as a driver for financial progress, increasing into golf, boxing and soccer.
The Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, held in Jeddah, final yr boasted a prize pot of £2.3m and is without doubt one of the sport’s 4 main tournaments.
The World Snooker Tour are hoping they are going to solely must be away from Sheffield for a type of years with an alternate venue but been determined.
Inventive Impression of the ‘New’ Crucible – an ‘in-the-round’ design with as much as 500 new seats!
Selby, a four-time world champion, is hopeful the occasion will not go overseas, regardless of assurances from the WST.
“For me, I’d like to keep it in the UK,” mentioned Selby, who has taken time away from the sport in current weeks on well being grounds. “I know Barry Hearn, sometimes he’s got a variety of ideas. He’d like to move it around but we play a lot of tournaments in China now. We have a lot of big tournaments in China.
“We now have a giant rating occasion out in Saudi, which is similar prize cash because the world championships because it stands. So, I imply, it is not like they’ve not acquired a giant match. They’ve nonetheless acquired a giant match.
“When it does move, then I’d rather it still be in the UK, wherever that wherever that will be.”
Potential locations embrace Alexandra Palace in London – the place the World Darts Championship is staged – or Manchester Central, the place the Tour Championship is being held.
Selby expects ‘aggressive’ Worlds
Zhao Xintong received the occasion in 2025, beating Mark Williams 18-12 within the last
Selby, a winner on the Crucible in 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2021, suffered a shock first-round defeat to Ben Woollaston final yr however bounced again to seize his third UK Championship title and his tenth Triple Crown occasion on the York Barbican in December.
With the likes of O’Sullivan, Judd Trump, Neil Robertson, Shaun Murphy, Mark Williams, Wu Yize, Thepchaiya Un-Nooh and defending champion Zhao Xintong all within the combine to win the coveted title this yr, Selby believes will probably be “very competitive”.
The 42-year-old mentioned: “I think there’s probably 16 to 20 players that you could probably pick who’s probably capable of winning it.
“You have acquired Robertson, who’s high of the cash checklist. There’s additionally Kieran Wilson, not had the perfect of seasons, however he is been there and received it earlier than. Murphy has been taking part in effectively this season and Mark Allen’s taking part in effectively.
“It’ll be hard to predict this year. What I will guarantee, I’m sure it’ll be a great standard of snooker at Sheffield over the two weeks when it starts.
“I feel that simply goes to point out how robust the sport is in depth now.”
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David Beckham talks of going to the snooker halls with his team-mates after Manchester United training and feels Ronnie O’Sullivan could be the greatest snooker player of all time
‘Ronnie is the greatest player of all time’
Can O’Sullivan win a record-breaking eighth world title in Sheffield?
O’Sullivan made history when he made the highest-ever break in the history of the professional game with a score of 153 in the first frame of his 5-0 win over Ryan Day at the World Open in China.
The seven-time world champion went on to reach a ranking final for the first time since winning the World Grand Prix over two years ago where he lost to Thai star Un-Nooh, who hit a 147 maximum break on his way to a 10-7 victory.
“Ronnie’s 153 was a tremendous feat to do,” said Selby. “It needed to be him, did not it? If someone was going to do it, it needed to be him. It was most likely the one report he is not acquired.
“Ronnie is the greatest player of all time, and anything he does, it doesn’t really surprise you. He’s just an absolute genius and a credit to our game.”
This yr’s match begins on April 18 and runs till Might 4.
