The qualifying rounds for this year's re-scheduled World Snooker Championship will take place next month in Sheffield ©Getty Images

The qualifying rounds for this year's re-scheduled World Snooker Championship will be held next month in Sheffield.

Action will take place at the city's English Institute of Sport, between July 21 and 28.

Sixteen players will book their place at the World Championship and join the top 16 in the world rankings, who automatically qualify.

The flagship event is scheduled to run at its traditional home of Sheffield's Crucible Theatre between July 31 and August 16.

It was due to take place between April 18 and May 4 before being postponed because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

There will be a field of 128 players for the qualifiers with organisers pledging to run the event in line with Government guidelines.

Players coming from outside the United Kingdom will be assisted with the country currently enforcing a compulsory 14-day quarantine for new arrivals.

The Crucible will again host the World Championship this year, but later than scheduled ©Getty Images
The Crucible will again host the World Championship this year, but later than scheduled ©Getty Images

"We are delighted to stage the qualifying rounds at the English Institute of Sport as we know from many years of experience that it is a fantastic venue," said World Snooker Tour chairman Barry Hearn.

"We look forward to working with the venue to ensure that the health and safety of our players and officials is the highest priority throughout the event."

Snooker has already resumed in the UK as restrictions on sport eased amid the pandemic.

Belgium's Luca Brecel won the Championship League, a competition held behind closed doors in Milton Keynes this month.

"We have already proved that we are at the forefront of sport by staging events in the current conditions," Hearn added.