Ronnie O’Sullivan, who relocated to Dubai with his actress wife Laila Rouass last year, bases himself in Dublin during the World Snooker Championship. He commutes daily to the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, starting his campaign Tuesday afternoon against He Guoqiang while pursuing a record eighth world title—25 years after his first victory in 2001.

Strategic Commuting for Tax Purposes

For UK tournaments, O’Sullivan travels from Dublin, having left his Essex home for Dubai to prioritize his wellbeing. He leverages the ‘Midnight Rule,’ which counts a day toward UK tax residency only if spent in the country at midnight. This approach lets him compete in UK events while returning to Ireland before midnight, protecting his substantial sponsorship and exhibition earnings—often from Asia or the Middle East—from higher UK tax rates.

With lifelong UK ties like family or property, O’Sullivan must limit days in the country to under 46 or 91 annually to retain non-resident status. Daily flights back to Ireland during the 17-day World Championship ensure zero days count against his threshold.

Life Between Ireland and Dubai

The 50-year-old spends significant time in Ireland. “I live here quite a lot now, I spend three months a year here,” O’Sullivan stated. “I’ve always loved coming to Ireland. It has always had a special place in my heart but having lived here the last year or so, it’s been great. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

His Dubai move enhances wellbeing and tour logistics, though jet lag persists. “It wears you down after a while—it’s the jet lag more than anything,” he noted. “You never really recover. I kept a diary and for about 90 days a year I was in, like, a zombie state. I put a lot of importance on feeling good, your wellbeing and being at your optimum level. It went against all of my principles and values. I knew I could never play my best if I wasn’t mentally and physically in tune.”

Dubai offers ideal proximity to Middle East and China events, plus top practice facilities. “It’s really good,” O’Sullivan said. “I’ve got a great practice facility there, which was one of the main reasons for going. I was struggling to find somewhere to play. It was either get a train up to Sheffield or try to move to Sheffield. But my wife wasn’t too keen on Sheffield so she said we either go Spain or Dubai. And I thought, well, Dubai is nearer China, obviously it’s in the Middle East. All the tournaments that I play and all the work that I do is there. It just made sense to go to Dubai.”

Personal Background

O’Sullivan and Rouass met by chance 14 years ago, rekindled their relationship, and married last summer. Rouass recently portrayed Ayesha Siddhu in EastEnders in August 2024.