The World Snooker Championship will remain in Sheffield until 2014, organisers confirmed today. Snooker's showpiece event will be staged at the Crucible theatre, the venue that has hosted competition for the last 32 years.

World Snooker's deal with Sheffield was due to expire after next year's tournament but a three-year extension has been agreed, despite foreign interest in holding the event.

Sir Rodney Walker, chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, also held talks with interested parties in China. The country has seen an explosion of interest in the sport, and in Ding Junhui and Liang Wenbo it has two of the rising talents in the sport.

Abu Dhabi had also hoped the tournament could go to the Middle East for the first time despite the event being held in Sheffield since 1977.