The Riyadh Season Snooker Championship, famous for its extraordinary $1 million Gold Ball prize, is at risk of postponement or cancellation following security concerns in Saudi Arabia.
The annual exhibition tournament has yet to be officially confirmed on the 2026 World Snooker Tour (WST) calendar. The uncertainty comes after the UK Government advised British nationals against all but essential travel to certain parts of Saudi Arabia amid escalating regional tensions.
The competition was last held in November 2025, when China’s Zhao Xintong emerged victorious. He collected £250,000 after winning just three matches and playing 13 frames during the event.
A gap in the snooker schedule has been left next month between the Champion of Champions tournament in Leicester and the UK Championship in York. However, recent security incidents have raised questions about whether the Riyadh event can proceed as originally planned.
Security Concerns Cast Doubt Over Tournament
The latest developments follow two attacks targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh over the weekend. Saturday’s incident reportedly killed 13 people and injured more than 300, while a second strike on Sunday claimed another life and left 11 people wounded.
Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation temporarily suspended operations at the airport while conducting safety checks and assessing whether its facilities were ready to resume normal operations.
The airport incidents form part of a wider pattern of missile and drone attacks targeting locations across Saudi Arabia since July. The attacks have been attributed to the Iran-aligned Houthi movement operating in Yemen.
The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has urged British nationals to avoid King Khalid International Airport until authorities confirm that it is secure. Travellers have also been advised to follow updates from Saudi officials.
The FCDO warned that airports, military installations, ports and energy infrastructure in several Saudi cities including Riyadh, Jeddah, Abha, Jizan, Najran and Yanbu face an increased threat. Shipping in the Red Sea has also been identified as a potential target.
In response to the regional tensions, the UK Government has advised against all but essential travel to certain areas of the country.
The World Snooker Tour has declined to comment on the championship’s uncertain status.
$1 Million Gold Ball Prize Remains a Major Attraction
Saudi sports official Turki Al-Sheikh has offered a $1 million reward to any player who achieves a maximum 147 break before potting the tournament’s special 20-point Gold Ball, creating a possible total break of 167.
The unusual challenge has helped make the Riyadh competition one of snooker’s most distinctive exhibition events.
The tournament produced two different champions in 2024. Ronnie O’Sullivan won the inaugural edition in March at Boulevard City in Riyadh, before Mark Allen claimed the title when the competition returned nine months later, shortly before Christmas.
Although the security situation could force a cancellation, organisers may still have the option of moving the tournament to the spring, when conditions could be more favourable.
Ronnie O’Sullivan Could Miss Out on a Place
Even if the championship goes ahead, seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan is currently outside the qualification positions.
The tournament is expected to feature 12 players: defending champion Zhao Xintong, reigning world champion Wu Yize, eight other leading players in the world rankings and two local wildcard entrants.
O’Sullivan, 51, is currently ranked 13th in the world and would therefore miss out under the reported selection criteria.
The event’s future remains uncertain, while its potential line-up could also disappoint fans hoping to see the snooker legend compete for the lucrative prize.
Saudi Arabia’s Snooker Investment Faces Further Questions
The uncertainty surrounding the Riyadh championship comes months after another major Saudi-backed snooker competition was discontinued.
In April, the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, a ranking tournament with a reported £2.3 million prize fund, was cancelled after only two editions despite an existing ten-year agreement.
The World Snooker Tour had promoted that competition as snooker’s “fourth major”, with a field of 144 players.
The possible postponement or cancellation of the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship would represent another setback for the sport’s expansion in Saudi Arabia, although a decision on the event has yet to be announced.
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