Barry Hearn has revealed that the World Snooker Championship could be played outside of the UK for the first time while the Crucible undergoes a major refurbishment in the coming years, during an exclusive interview with GIVEMESPORT.
The snooker world rejoiced this week as it was announced that the World Snooker Championships will stay at the iconic Crucible Theatre in Sheffield until at least 2045, following a new deal being agreed with Sheffield City Council.
The deal includes a complete refurbishment of the Crucible Theatre to include extra seats and better spectator facilities, in an agreement that reflects a citywide commitment, ensuring Sheffield and its partners continue to benefit from snooker’s long-term future in the city.
Hearn: Government Intervention Saved Snooker at The Crucible
SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND – MAY 02: Ronnie O’Sullivan of England poses with the Betfred World Snooker Championship trophy after winning the Betfred World Snooker Championship Final match between Judd Trump of England and Ronnie O’Sullivan of England during Day Seventeen of the Betfred World Snooker Championship at Crucible Theatre on May 02, 2022 in Sheffield, England. (Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images)
The agreement also brings an end to years of speculation that the sport’s flagship tournament could be moved away, but ahead of the 50th anniversary in 2027, Hearn has spoken exclusively to GIVEMESPORT to share how happy he is that a deal could be found to keep it at a venue that he considers to be the most important in his career.
“Well, you have to go back to the fact that snooker, that was my breakthrough moment in 1981,” he said.
“I was 33 or something like that, I mean, and all of a sudden I got the best player in the world. And obviously, he had the best manager in the world, without doubt. But together, two geezers from council houses, and we had no money, but we had dreams, and the Crucible gave us that opportunity.
“For whatever happened in my life, there’s a huge amount I owe to Steve Davis, but there’s also a good-sized bit I owe to the Crucible, and it’s nice now to get that done, because, yeah, I’m not a tough guy, but I’m hard-nosed in business. If we hadn’t got the type of deal that we ended up with, we wouldn’t have stayed, because the venue wasn’t where we needed it to be in terms of our dreams and aspirations for the future.
“But fortunately, thank goodness. With the snooker team, the Sheffield Council team, even the government came in, they did something good! You know, they made it because without their input, I don’t think we’d have been able to keep it at the crucible.”
Hearn: World Snooker Championship Could Move Out of UK
SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND – MAY 01: Ronnie O’Sullivan of England and Judd Trump of England pose in front of the Betfred World Snooker Championship Trophy prior to the Betfred World Snooker Championship Final match between Judd Trump of England and Ronnie O’Sullivan of England during Day Sixteen of the Betfred World Snooker Championship at Crucible Theatre on May 01, 2022 in Sheffield, England. (Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images)
The Crucible Theatre will continue to host the World Snooker Championships in it’s current format until 2028, when there will be a major refurbishment taking place.
During the years that is being undertaken, the tournament is likely to need to find a new venue, and when asked if there was anywhere currently in mind for that scenario, Hearn admitted that it could move out of the UK entirely, although his preference would be to keep it there.
“There are a number of venues out there we can use,” he said.
I mean, I think the board will make that decision. It may not be in the UK. I mean, it could be anywhere. I’m getting older, I quite like things to stay in the UK, being a bit lazy. But having said that, the most important thing is to keep the tournament growing, and to make sure the broadcast footprint is expanding.”
It was yet another glorious achievement to add to his career, on top of seven World Championships, and Hearn labelled the feat as ‘unbelievable’.
“What he wouldn’t do for a headline that boy,” he said. “Unbelievable. I thought that’s bloody typical Ronnie.
“He’s the only one we’ll probably see that had the vision to say, ‘Oh, I’ve got a chance here.’ He’d have been thinking about that from the first shot. The boy, I call him a boy. He’s 50. The man, the man’s a genius.”
Kylian Mbappe is lighting up the 2026 World Cup as he looks to fire France to their second success in world football’s biggest competition since 2018.
The Real Madrid forward is firmly in the Golden Boot race against the likes of Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland and Vinicius Junior, having found the net four times in the group stages. Mbappe was crucial to his nation lifting the trophy in 2018, bursting onto the scene as a teenager.
He then had an incredible tournament four years later in Qatar. Despite his side having to settle for second place, the 27-year-old fired in a hat-trick in the final, something only Sir Geoff Hurst has previously managed.
Kylian Mbappe Wearing Different Shirt to France Teammates
Kyle Ross (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters)
That treble in the final against Argentina helped Mbappe to the Golden Boot in the 2022 World Cup. The versatile forward netted eight times in total, and was undeserving of being on the losing side.
He tends to step up on the big stage when his country needs him. Some eagle-eyed fans may have spotted a difference in the shirt Mbappe is wearing this summer compared to the rest of Didier Deschamps’ men.
Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane are all expected to finish among the top goalscorers in this summer’s tournament.
The reason for that is his Golden Boot victory in 2022. Any active player who has won the individual award at the World Cup is allowed to wear a special patch on the sleeve of their shirt.
England’s Harry Kane and Colombia’s James Rodriguez are the only other players at the tournament this summer allowed to wear the patch, after winning the 2018 and 2014 Golden Boots, respectively.
The award has never been won back-to-back in the competition’s history. But with France being among the strong favourites and expected to go far, there’s every chance their talisman can scoop the honour once again. After all, he’s only four goals away from being the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer.
Mbappe: Lionel Messi Still the Best
Reuters/Maria Lysaker
While Mbappe is hunting his old Paris Saint-Germain teammate Lionel Messi down in the current Golden Boot race and the all-time scoring charts, he still concedes he has a lot to do to overtake the Argentine.
It was no surprise to Les Bleus’ number nine that Messi has continued to deliver on the big stage. He said (per ESPN): “I already knew Messi was going to keep scoring goals. He always does. He’s ahead of me and I’m behind him. I’ll keep scoring to help my national team go as far as possible.”
Following the greatest footballer of all time smashed a hat-trick against Algeria, Mbappe declared him still the best in the world. He claimed:
“It’s clear that Messi is the best in the world, and so is Cristiano [Ronaldo]. For 16 years, he [Messi] has shown his extraordinary talent. I’m just trying to do what I know how to do: show my talent on the biggest stage possible and help my national team.”
Newcastle United have lined up a deal to sign a midfielder this summer, as the Magpies face the possibility of losing some key players in the coming weeks.
A deal for the former seems the most likely, meaning Newcastle are on the market for replacements, and one target is now seemingly in the club’s sights.
Newcastle Add Felix Nmecha To Shortlist
According to a report from journalist Craig Hope, Borussia Dortmund midfielder Felix Nmecha is on Newcastle’s shortlist as a transfer target for this summer.
The Magpies are described as “long-term admirers” of the 25-year-old, who has impressed in the Bundesliga as well as in the World Cup with Germany in recent weeks.
Nmecha has a release clause in his deal worth £73.5 million, though that doesn’t come into effect until next summer. That said, the report claims that there is hope a move can be negotiated for lower than that price.
There is likely to be some competition for Nmecha’s signature, as Manchester United have been linked with a transfer, along with fellow Premier League rivals Liverpool.
It remains to be seen whether Newcastle can get an agreement with both Dortmund and the Germany international over a potential transfer in the coming weeks as a result.
Newcastle are facing a tough summer transfer window, with Anthony Gordon’s exit set to be just the first of a few key moves away from the club.
Given the struggles in the Premier League last season, the Magpies will be keen to not be in a weaker position next campaign when it comes to the options available.
However, it may be the sales that help ensure that is the case. Selling some important players in favour of huge transfer fees could allow it to be reinvested in a way that will add a better balance of quality across the whole squad.
Newcastle United are in the market for a striker, as one star looks set to leave the club this summer.
That, in theory, should allow the team to become stronger. But that will only happen if the right transfer replacements are found for the right price.
That was the theory in practice last summer, with Alexander Isak’s sale generating a club-record fee, but resulting in the wrong options being signed to take his place.
Newcastle cannot allow a repeat of that, especially in the midfield engine room, which has been among the key areas of strength under Howe.
Yan Diomande’s early coach Faissal Chehade explains why Liverpool could be the perfect fit, and why his ceiling may be Ballon d’Or level.
Chehade, who worked with Diomande at Leganés, reveals on Market Madness what stood out from the very beginning: the confidence, the one-v-one ability, the training-ground moments that made coaches take notice, and the mentality behind his rise from rejection across Europe to becoming one of the most talked-about young players in world football.
He also breaks down why Leipzig was the right step, why Liverpool could give Diomande the platform to become “the main man,” and why he believes the winger has the potential to reach the very top of the game.
Chapters:
0:09 — Yan Diomande’s First Coach Reveals the Talent
2:07 — The Training Goal That Made Everyone Stop
3:36 — Why Yan Diomande Was Rejected Across Europe
4:21 — Why Leipzig Was the Perfect Move for Diomande
4:55 — Why Liverpool Could Be Yan Diomande’s Perfect Fit
8:02 — Yan Diomande’s Ballon d’Or Ceiling Explained
