According to British newspaper The Sun, the tournament at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre will begin on July 25 and conclude in early August.

Snooker's blue riband event, which had been scheduled for April 18 to May 4, was postponed in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Barry Hearn, the chairman of the World Snooker Tour, told The Sun organisers had secured a similar date to the Olympic Games, pushed back until 2021 amid growing international concern over the COVID-19 virus.

Tokyo 2020 had been set to take place from July 24 to August 9.

"We have secured the Crucible for the same dates as the Olympics were going to be," Hearn said.

"And we have applied to the BBC to make that move so it will be played out at the end of July and start of August.

"We are waiting to hear back from the BBC if that is acceptable to them.

"Fortunately the Crucible have made those dates available. 

"So we are in the position to stage a truly huge World Snooker Championship, provided we fit alongside Government rules."

Hearn added organisers were willing to stage the event behind closed doors if necessary.

"This is a business, people’s livelihoods are at stake, and obviously we want to entertain people globally," he said.