Oman officially opens the World Cup of Snooker

MUSCAT, NOV 16

The World Cup of Snooker officially kicked off on Saturday evening in Muscat, hosted by the Sultanate of Oman from November 15 to 23 at the Active Oman Centre in the Oman Automobile Association (OAA). The opening ceremony was held under the auspices of HH Sayyid Dr Kamil bin Fahd bin Mahmood al Said, Secretary-General of the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers, and attended by Basil bin Ahmed al Rawas, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth for Sports and Youth, and Mubarak al Khayarin, President of the International Billiards and Snooker Federation.

In his speech during the opening ceremony, Khalid al Subhi, Chairman of the Oman Billiards and Snooker Committee, expressed his delight at the patronage of His Highness Sayyid Dr Kamil for the championship’s inauguration, welcoming the delegations from 23 participating countries competing in the World Snooker Championship for teams and singles, with total prize money of $60,000, in a global atmosphere filled with excitement and high-level competition.

Al Subhi affirmed that hosting this event marks an important milestone in the development of Omani sports, reflecting the strong support of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik in enhancing the nation’s presence on the international sporting stage. He added that Oman’s modern infrastructure, skilled national cadres, and passionate fans have enabled the Sultanate of Oman to successfully host major global events, noting that the championship strengthens ties between nations and contributes to building a positive sporting legacy for Oman.

He concluded by thanking the IBSF for its confidence in granting Oman the hosting rights, as well as the event’s partners and supporters, most notably Sohar International Bank, Active Oman, and the Oman Automobile Association affirming that the Sultanate of Oman welcomes all participants and wishes them success.

The opening ceremony featured special segments highlighting the significance of the event, beginning with an exhibition match between Omani rising star Musallam al Masahli and Qatar national team player Ali al Obaidli. This was followed by a visual presentation tracing the history and development of snooker in Oman, with a focus on the efforts that led to hosting a world-class championship. The ceremony concluded with the official opening break performed by the patron, formally declaring the competitions underway.

In the same context, Mubarak al Khayarin, President of the International Billiards and Snooker Federation, stated that hosting this global event in Oman is a source of pride for the federation and the Gulf region. He affirmed that organising a world championship for teams and men in a Gulf country is a remarkable achievement. He praised the efforts of the Oman Billiards and Snooker Committee, noting their professionalism despite challenges, including the late arrival of the championship tables, which the committee managed to prepare efficiently. He also announced the signing of a three-year cooperation agreement with the Omani side to strengthen future partnership.

Meanwhile, Hisham al Sinani, Director General of Sports Development at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth (MoCSY), expressed his pride in attending the opening ceremony, pointing out that this championship is one of 30 international sporting events approved within the national initiative for hosting major sports events, aligned with Oman Sports Strategy 2040. He explained that this initiative aims to promote Oman internationally, support the national economy through global sports events, and contribute to sustainable development and the activation of related sectors.

The first day of the group-stage matches witnessed intense competition across all tables, as the Omani national team players opened their campaign against some of the world’s top-ranked names. In Group F, Oman’s Sadiq al Farsi fell in his opening match to Hong Kong China’s Chau Hon Man with a 0–3 scoreline. Group H saw Haitham al Mahri lose by the same score to Poland’s Michal Szubarczyk. In Group G, Oman’s Hassan al Harthy suffered a 0–3 defeat against Ukraine’s Mykhailo Larkov, while Taha Bashir was unable to stop the strong performance of England’s Harvey Chandler, losing 0–3 in Group N.

In Group M, Oman’s Husain al Lawati faced a difficult challenge against Indian star Pankaj Advani, losing 0–3, and in Group R, Qasim al Balushi was defeated 0–3 by India’s Aditya Mehta. In Group S, Musallam al Masahli produced a competitive display against Afghanistan’s Mohammad Zarif Afzali, taking one frame but eventually losing 1–3, while the same group saw China’s Deng Haohui defeat Egypt’s Hesham Shawky 3–0. Despite a challenging opening day for the Omani players against elite global competitors, the team remains optimistic, with opportunities still available in the coming rounds to recover and capitalise on the experience gained.