The ‘fourth major’ event, the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, will have a £2 million prize pool.
The World Snooker Tour has revealed that the newly established Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters would have a £2 million prize pool and serve as the “fourth major” in the sport.
For the first competition, which takes place at the end of August in Riyadh, the top players in the world will travel.
The World Championship is the wealthiest tournament on the program, with the prize pool coming in second.
Along with six local wildcards, it will be a ranking event accessible to all tour participants.
A 10-year agreement has been reached, and the World Snooker Tour will stage the first event in the Saudi capital from August 31 to September 7, placing it in the same league as the triple crown of the World Championship, UK Championship, and Masters.
This comes after the non-ranking Riyadh Season World Masters.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has forged a reputation for growth and creating new opportunities for sports to grow in a new market to new fans,” said Eddie Hearn, chairman of Matchroom Sport, in a statement.
“In recent years, the nation has played home to some of the biggest athletic events in the globe, drawing tourists from all over the world who come to experience its love of sports and distinctive culture.
“That will be further enhanced over the following ten years with the advent of the World Pool Championship and the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, which mark the beginning of an exciting new age for both snooker and nine-ball pool.
“We’ve witnessed the amazing influence boxing has had on this area. I think billiards will now solidify its history here as well, generating amazing chances and rivalry for the
