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Kyren Wilson once said he would be willing to accept a 50 per cent cut in prize money if it meant keeping the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre. The world No. 2 received £500,000 for winning the tournament in 2024 but was happy to forfeit £250,000 in the future to keep playing in Sheffield amid uncertainty over its location in recent years.

Wilson's wish for the World Championship to remain at its iconic home was granted last month as a landmark long term agreement between World Snooker Tour and Sheffield City Council was announced. The World Championship will be played at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield until at least 2045, with an option to extend to 2050. The Crucible's future as the venue for snooker's premier tournament was up in the air previously, given its hosting deal had been set to end in 2027.

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Speaking to TNT Sports during last year's Northern Ireland Open, Wilson said: "It's a really difficult one. I've played out in Saudi recently. I think it's a fantastic area to go and play snooker, but you just can't replicate the Crucible.

"I would honestly rather have half the prize money and stay at the Crucible, that's how much I enjoy it there. But I want the game to grow. I can see if it goes elsewhere, everybody else is going to have to up their game.

"I can see the benefits for the sport but also I love having the family there, the crowds from the UK coming and supporting. In an ideal world, just make the Crucible bigger."

The Crucible has hosted the tournament since 1977. There were growing concerns that the historic venue, which accommodates fewer than 1,000 spectators, no longer meets modern requirements. With the growth of the sport, several key figures in snooker had voiced their desire for the World Championship to be based in Saudi Arabia instead.

But 34-year-old Wilson insisted he would rather continue playing at snooker's spiritual home, saying his ideal situation would be to merely make the Crucible bigger. Plans are now being developed to transform the Crucible with a major £45million refurbishment after the summer of 2028.

The event is expected to be temporarily hosted at an alternative venue during the redevelopment period. This year's World Championship runs from April 18 to May 4, with the world's top 16 players and 16 qualifiers competing for a trophy and a top prize of £500,000.