Labour MP Louise Haigh has welcomed the formal agreement securing the future of the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield until at least 2045, describing it as a major vote of confidence in the city.
Sheffield City Council and World Snooker Limited formally signed the landmark contract this week, completing an agreement first announced earlier this year to keep snooker’s biggest tournament in its historic home. The deal also includes an option to extend the Championship’s stay in Sheffield until 2050.
Reacting to the announcement, Haigh said:
“I’m so pleased that, thanks to the hard work of our Labour Government and Labour Council leaders, we’ve secured the future of the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield until at least 2045.”
She added:
“The Crucible is a Sheffield institution and the Championship is part of the fabric of our city. I’ve always believed it belongs here.”
The World Snooker Championship has been staged at the Crucible Theatre since 1977 and will celebrate its 50th anniversary in Sheffield next year.
The tournament currently contributes around £6.5 million a year to Sheffield and the wider region through spending in hotels, restaurants, shops and visitor attractions. Sheffield City Council estimates the long-term agreement could generate around £208 million in economic activity if the extension to 2050 is exercised.
Haigh said the agreement would allow future generations to continue enjoying the tournament in the city.
“This agreement is another huge vote of confidence in its future and means generations to come can enjoy the magic of the World Championship right here in Sheffield.”
Alongside the snooker agreement, proposals are being developed for a £45 million transformation of the Crucible Theatre, including the potential addition of up to 500 seats and improvements to spectator facilities. The Championship is expected to remain in the existing Crucible through 2028 before temporarily moving during redevelopment works and then returning to the upgraded venue.
The formal signing brings to an end years of uncertainty over whether the World Championship could eventually leave Sheffield, amid debate over the size and facilities of the Crucible.
For Labour figures in the city, the agreement is being presented as both a cultural and economic win — preserving one of Sheffield’s best-known sporting traditions while supporting local jobs, hospitality businesses and the wider visitor economy.
With the contract now signed, Sheffield is set to remain the home of snooker’s most prestigious tournament for decades to come.
