It is recognised as the 1980 edition of the World Women's Snooker Championship first held in 1976.

Lesley McIlrath defeated Agnes Davies 4–2 in the final to win the title, receiving £700 prize money as champion.

Defending champion Vera Selby was beaten 2–3 in the quarter-finals by Ann Johnson.

[2] Davies, who had won the Women's Professional Snooker Championship in 1949,[4] reached the final by beating Natalie Stelmach 3–0 in the semi-final.

[2] McIlrath was the only world women's snooker championship winner from outside the United Kingdom until 2015.