Ding Junhui speaks out on future of the World Snooker Championship [Video]

Ding Junhui believes the World Snooker Championship should go on a global tour if it is to leave Sheffield, wanting to see a string of nations hosting the sport’s biggest event.

The tournament is under contract to be held at the Crucible until 2027 but it now seems extremely unlikely to stay at the Sheffield theatre past that point.

Matchroom Sport chairman Barry Hearn says he has asked Sheffield City Council to build a much bigger venue than the 980-seat Crucible and if they don’t then the tournament will go elsewhere.

Hearn has suggested that Saudi Arabia are interested in hosting the tournament, while he also suggested something of a trip around the planet for the World Championship.

‘There may be a plan of saying, well we are the World Championships, we’ll take this tournament round the world,’ said Hearn. ‘So we’ll go to Saudi Arabia for one year, then we’ll go to Beijing the next …