Badpenguin
Well-known member
Anyone heard if it is going to happen this year, considering what is going on in the Middle East?
2026 World 9-Ball Championship
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i hope they move it. but there's a contract, and the prize money hinges on it, so unlikely..
Badpenguin
Well-known member
Who in their right mind would travel there?
Probably going to be issues anywhere in the Middle East and Asia.
Probably going to be issues anywhere in the Middle East and Asia.
the MR spirit is a bit "the show must go on". during covid they had the snooker events in milton keynes, it was the only sport going etc. but with the W9C there's likely a contract preventing it from being moved to another country
yea sure but the 1 mil prize fund is stuck there
On the other hand, they could probably get more Saudis to attend if it was in London. It could hardly be less.
If the event was next week, players would still be flying out.
The prize money is too good to turn down, and Saudi Arabia is pretty safe.
Professional pool players.
The biggest event taken off the calendar would be very sad.
Was it on the calendar yet?
You couldn't pay me a million dollars to go to the Middle East right now.
You couldn't pay me a million dollars to go to the Middle East right now.
jax_joe
Well-known member
The batteries going off in Riyadh yesterday would say otherwise.
there are some serious lifers in pool, but if it was next week i don't think even ralf would go
My hopes....
With the MR US Open 9 Ball now in TX....
Other promoters might start to work Around this event, to make traveling for the top players workable.
With the MR US Open 9 Ball now in TX....
Other promoters might start to work Around this event, to make traveling for the top players workable.
what do you mean?
Like the PGA, certain events happen at certain times of the year like the Masters/Players Championship etc.
there might be war still, at any given time of year?
The 2025 WPC took place in the last week of July. The 2024 WPC took place in early June.
Looking at the WPA calendar, July 21 to July 26, seems the most likely. The first two weeks of June would also work.
Hard to see this conflict remaining on the front-burner for three more months, but who knows.
Looking at the WPA calendar, July 21 to July 26, seems the most likely. The first two weeks of June would also work.
Hard to see this conflict remaining on the front-burner for three more months, but who knows.
Last year's event, with so many matches played before empty stands in a city having a population of about 4,000,000 people, was embarrassing enough. This year, Matchroom faces an even bigger issue, with an event being played in the most dangerous part of the world in a city that has almost no interest in pro pool. Honestly, it is hard to take this event seriously. Maybe we'll get lucky and it will be moved to a city that cares about pool.
I'm sure Matchroom will do what makes sense here, as they have done in the past when world events backed them into a corner. The fact they had the Mosconi during COVID was impressive. They moved it to Milton Keynes and had it played with no fans allowed, yet they did not reduce prize money. Matchroom is a "can do" organization, and if the World 9ball Championship isn't played this year, it would hurt their brand. That's why the show, it seems, will surely go on, but when and where is to be determined.
I'm sure WPA will sanction the event it even if it is played on Devil's Island.
I'm sure Matchroom will do what makes sense here, as they have done in the past when world events backed them into a corner. The fact they had the Mosconi during COVID was impressive. They moved it to Milton Keynes and had it played with no fans allowed, yet they did not reduce prize money. Matchroom is a "can do" organization, and if the World 9ball Championship isn't played this year, it would hurt their brand. That's why the show, it seems, will surely go on, but when and where is to be determined.
I'm sure WPA will sanction the event it even if it is played on Devil's Island.
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