JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s sporting calendar continues to expand with the announcement that Jeddah will host two major cue sports events in July and August 2025, the World Pool Championship and the Snooker Masters.

The tournaments are part of a landmark ten-year strategic partnership between the Saudi Billiards and Snooker Federation and Matchroom, in collaboration with the World Nineball Tour (WNT) and the World Snooker Tour (WST).

The events are being organized under the supervision of the Saudi Ministry of Sports and are set to feature top international players from around the world.

Returning to the Kingdom for the second consecutive year, the World Pool Championship will take place from July 21 to 26, 2025, at the Green Halls in Jeddah.

The tournament will gather the world’s top 100 players competing for a total prize pool of $1 million.

Among the headline names are current world champion Fedor Gorst of Russia, 2023 champion Francisco Sanchez Ruiz of Spain, and five-time US Open winner Shane Van Boening of the United States.

Following shortly after, the Snooker Masters will run from August 8 to 16, bringing together 128 of the world’s top professionals alongside 16 emerging Saudi talents, who will participate via special wild card invitations.

With a total prize pot of £2 million ($2.66 million), the tournament ranks as the second most lucrative event on the 2025 World Snooker Tour calendar and is widely regarded as the fourth most prestigious event in the sport.

Commenting on the announcement, Nasser Al-Jaweeni, President of the Saudi Billiards and Snooker Federation, said: “We are pleased to launch this partnership that places the Kingdom at the heart of global billiards and snooker, reflecting international confidence in Saudi Arabia’s organizational capabilities and offering an opportunity to develop local talent and nurture a new generation of Saudi players.”

Emily Frazer, CEO of Matchroom Sport, praised the Kingdom’s efforts.

“We are proud to return to the Kingdom as part of this inspiring partnership. Last year, we witnessed outstanding organization and an exceptional experience for the players, which raised professional standards and opened doors for the next generation of talent,” she said.

Steve Dawson, Chairman of the World Snooker Tour, described the hosting of the Snooker Masters as a landmark moment.

“Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the Snooker Masters marks a significant milestone in the sport’s history. The impact was evident from the very first edition, and we’re all excited to see Saudi players rise through the ranks in the years ahead,” he said.

Belfast: A blistering performance by hometown hero Paul “Big News” Hughes, who needed just 42 seconds to dispatch Bruno “Robusto” Miranda in the main event, brought the curtain down on the PFL Europe card at the SSE Arena in Belfast.

The crowd erupted as Hughes entered the SmartCage, escorted by a live performance from Irish singer Foy Vance. He made good on his pre-fight promise, catching Miranda’s kick and countering with a perfectly-timed left hook that ended the contest instantly and sent the Belfast crowd into raptures.

In the co-main event, reigning PFL Europe bantamweight champion Lewis “The McGrizzla” McGrillen solidified his status as the division’s hottest prospect. The Manchester fighter overwhelmed veteran Alan “Super Ali” Philpott with aggressive striking before securing a slick rear naked choke in the second round — the first submission victory of his career.

The card also featured the opening round of the 2025 PFL Europe Lightweight Tournament, with four fighters advancing to the semifinals. Connor Hughes delivered a statement win over Sebastian Di Franco, knocking out the 2024 finalist in the second round with a clean right hand. Spain’s Gino Van Steenis advanced via unanimous decision over Decky McAleenan and will now meet Hughes in the semifinals.

Latvia’s Alex Chizov stunned Mark Ewen with a dominant first-round stoppage, overwhelming his opponent with a barrage of left hands. He moves on to face Italy’s Claudio Pacella, who earned a gritty decision victory over Gavin Hughes in a bruising three-round encounter.

Elsewhere on the card, Haider “Darth” Khan extended his winning streak to six with a unanimous decision over Sean McCormac in a catchweight bout. Eoin Sheridan electrified the local crowd with a first-round KO against Malichi Edwards, while Corey McLaughlin picked up his first professional win with a unanimous decision over Nahom Wedi.

In the women’s flyweight division, Gemma Auld — balancing a full-time teaching career — submitted Sammy-Jo Luxton in the second round with a textbook rear naked choke, showing grit and composure in a back-and-forth battle.