Jimmy White handed World Snooker Tour card for next two seasons, Marco Fu also given playing rights
By Alex Livie
Published 24/04/2025 at 19:31 GMT+1
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The World Snooker Tour will be graced by the presence of Jimmy White for the next two seasons after 'The Whirlwind' confirmed to TNT Sports on its World Championship coverage that he had been given his playing rights for the 2025/26 and 2026/27 campaigns. Watch and stream top snooker action, including the World Championship, live and on demand on TNT Sports and discovery+.
White 'delighted' to be handed Tour card for next two years
Video credit: TNT Sports
Jimmy White’s snooker career will continue for at least another two years, after ‘The Whirlwind’ confirmed he had been handed playing rights until 2027.
White was in danger of dropping off the World Snooker Tour after his failure to qualify for the World Championship left him outside the world’s top 64.
The 62-year-old is down at world No. 93, but he will be back on the circuit for the 2025/26 season after being handed a Tour card for the next two years.
"I am delighted with that," White said on TNT Sports' coverage of the World Championship - which covers every match of the Crucible tournament. "I spoke to Barry [Hearn] and Jason Ferguson at World Snooker.
"They had a meeting yesterday, and I’ve got my Tour card, so we go again for another couple of years."
White turned professional in 1980 and has been a fabulous servant to the game.
He has 10 ranking titles to his name, along with a Masters success in 1984, but is arguably best known for being beaten in six World Championship finals.
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Video credit: TNT Sports
He has spoken about still being competitive in the sport, and will get the chance to prove that is the case in the 2025/26 season.
As well as White, Hong Kong star Marco Fu will be on the professional circuit next season after also being handed an invitational Tour card.
Issuing a joint statement confirming the news, WST chair Steve Dawson and WPBSA chair Jason Ferguson said: "Jimmy and Marco have both been incredible ambassadors for snooker and they both continue to bring so much to our sport.
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"We are delighted to award them invitational Tour cards for the next two seasons.
"They both remain very competitive as players, in fact Marco only just missed out on a top 64 ranking this season, and Jimmy enjoyed some fine wins, notably beating Jackson Page and Hossein Vafaei at the Northern Ireland Open.
"They both have a huge passion for snooker and many millions of fans worldwide."
Watch and stream top snooker action, including the 2025 World Championship, live and on demand on TNT Sports and discovery+
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