LONDON: Judd Trump has backed the idea of taking the World Snooker Championship outside the UK during the redevelopment of the Crucible Theatre, naming Germany’s Tempodrom as his preferred destination.
Trump, the 2019 world champion, was speaking to SportsBoom after opening his 2026 Tour Championship campaign with a hard-fought 10-8 win over Mark Allen in Manchester.
The victory marked a rare success for the world No. 1 at the event — in which he had not won a match since 2020 — and his first at the venue since the tournament moved to Manchester in 2024.
Trump admitted he had often struggled to produce his best form at the Manchester Central arena.
He said: “I struggle in this venue. I’ve always struggled and I don’t know why. It was the first time I’ve played half decent here, so maybe I’ve turned a corner now.
“There’s no real reason. I just already have one eye on the World Championship at this point, so maybe I’m not concentrating as hard on this tournament. Any kind of result here is just a bonus for me.”
Attention is already turning to Sheffield after it was confirmed that the World Championship will remain at the Crucible following a new long-term agreement between the World Snooker Tour and Sheffield City Council.
The deal secures the tournament at the iconic venue until at least 2045 — with an option to extend to 2050 — alongside plans for a £45 million ($59.6 million) redevelopment that could increase capacity and improve facilities.
Trump said: “It’s great news. It’s great that it’s such a long-term deal. Nobody needs to worry; it’s probably safe now until the end of my career.”
He added: “It’s good for snooker to have something set. Recently, every few years we’ve been worrying whether they’re going to extend it, or if it’s going to go. But it puts all of that to bed now, and I think everyone is happy with the decision.”
During the redevelopment, the championship will temporarily relocate, with potential host venues under discussion.
Trump believes the Tempodrom would provide the ideal setting, pointing to the strong support for the sport in Germany.
He said: “I think the Tempodrom in Germany deserves it more than anywhere else. I think the German fans have been excellent for snooker. The German Masters is an amazing tournament, but I think the World Championship in that venue would be perfect.”
He added that if the tournament were to remain in the UK during the hiatus, it should be staged as a one-off event at a major arena.
“I think the UK has had it long enough and it’s going to go back, so I don’t see a reason why it should stay. If it was to stay somewhere in the UK, maybe the O2 Arena, somewhere like that,” he said.
