Site News
Topic: *Industry News* 2015 - 2025

THE WORLD NINEBALL TOUR LANDS IN BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA!

European Open Pool Championship and Premier League Pool Set for a Thrilling Debut in Sarajevo, March 2025

The World Nineball Tour is proud to announce the debut of two premier events in Bosnia & Herzegovina, in partnership with the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Sarajevo Canton and Hills Hotel Sarajevo.

The European Open Pool Championship will take place from 11-16 March, live on Sky Sports, Viaplay, and WNT TV, followed by Premier League Pool from 20-27 March. Both events will be held in the breathtaking city of Sarajevo for the first time, marking an exciting new chapter for the World Nineball Tour.

SPECTATOR TICKETS FOR BOTH EVENTS ON SALE SOON

The full broadcast list for both events will be announced soon, ensuring fans worldwide won’t miss a moment of the action.

The first Matchroom Major of 2025, the European Open Pool Championship, will feature a 256-player field, including the top 128 professionals from the World Nineball Tour, such as Jayson Shaw, Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, Ko Ping Chung, and Ko Pin Yi. Players from around the world will compete for a $200,000 prize fund, with the champion set to claim an increased top prize of $40,000.

Following the European Open, Premier League Pool will bring its exhilarating round-robin format to Sarajevo for the first time. 16 of the world’s best players will compete in an intense, fast-paced showdown of 183 matches across 144 live hours, designed to deliver non-stop world-class Nineball.

A city rich in history and culture, Sarajevo is fast becoming a key destination for professional pool. With a growing fanbase and increasing local support for the sport, Bosnia & Herzegovina is the perfect new home for these prestigious tournaments.

Minister of Culture & Sports of Sarajevo Canton, Kenan Magoda stated: “I am proud that Sarajevo will host this tournament for the first time, welcoming the world’s best players and showcasing the quality of this competition. This is a major step forward for our city and for Sanjin’s career, allowing him to compete at the highest level in front of his home crowd. The Ministry of Culture and Sports of Sarajevo Canton is pleased to support both Sanjin and Matchroom in bringing this elite event to Sarajevo. I commend Matchroom and Emily Frazer for their dedication in making it happen.”

One of the highlights of the European Open Pool Championship will be the presence of hometown favourite Sanjin Pehlivanovic, currently ranked 39th on the World Nineball Tour, who will have the opportunity to compete on home soil in a Matchroom Major for the first time.

Pehlivanovic shared his excitement: "The first thing that comes to mind is that I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself, but I can’t deny that winning this event in my home city would be incredible. Playing in front of my home crowd is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I’m fully focused on delivering my best performance to hopefully bring the European crown home."

The Hills Hotel Sarajevo provides the ideal setting for both the European Open Pool Championship and Premier League Pool, offering a prime location near the airport, top-class facilities, and excellent on-site amenities for both players and fans.

General Manager of Hills Hotel Sarajevo, Senad Halilovic, stated: "We are thrilled to host these two prestigious events at Hills Hotel Sarajevo. Our aim is to provide the ultimate setting for world-class sports, bringing top-tier competition to both our hotel and the vibrant city of Sarajevo. We look forward to showcasing the excitement of these events to the passionate local and international pool community."

CEO of Matchroom Multi Sport, Emily Frazer commented: "The European Open has rapidly become one of the premier events on the World Nineball Tour, and we’re thrilled to bring it to the stunning city of Sarajevo. Expanding into Bosnia & Herzegovina marks a significant step in our commitment to growing the sport globally and introducing Nineball to new audiences. With both the European Open and Premier League Pool taking centre stage this March, Sarajevo will become a true hotspot for world-class pool, and we can’t wait to experience the passion and energy of the fans. Thank you to our partners the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Sarajevo Canton and Hills Hotel Sarajevo for helping us put up these two spectacular events."

Don’t miss the opportunity to witness two world-class Nineball tournaments in Sarajevo! Tickets will be available soon—secure your spot early and experience the action live.

For all the latest updates, follow Matchroom Pool on Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, and YouTube

Predator Euro Tour Series

2025 Longoni Italian Open

Bold New Era Gets Underway on Thursday

5th February 2025

FOLLOWING A GROUND-BREAKING partnership between the EPBF and the
PREDATOR GROUP, the 2025 Euro Tour season gets underway on Thursday 6th
February with the LONGONI Italian Open (Open Division). The event is
full with 176 players and can boast an outstanding field as players look
to get the year underway with a strong start.

Competing this week is No.1 ranked player, Oliver Szolnoki (Hungary),
whose victory in Antalya in the last event of 2024, gave him his maiden
Euro Tour win and propelled him to the top of the rankings.

The 27-year-old Hungarian first came to attention in 2018 when he
claimed his first podium finish and has been knocking on the door ever
since. His win in Turkey – and 8-6 victory over Daniel Maciol –
represented a crowning achievement in a year that also saw him take
10-ball gold at the European Championships.

Commented Szolnoki, “It’s nice to come here as No.1 player but it’s been
a long off-season and the momentum is gone already so we have to start
all over again. We will see how it goes. It’s just one tournament, the
same as before. I’m curious about the Predator table and how it plays
and of course, there are more top players coming back to the Euro Tour
so the field will be stronger. My game is OK so let’s see how I do!”

Play gets underway on Thursday at 9.00 and concludes with the final
which takes place on Saturday 8th February at 18.00. It’s races-to-8 in
the double elimination phase and then to 10 from the last 32.

The Longoni Italian Open (Women) breaks off on Saturday and is played
out over two days with the title game scheduled for 17.00 on Sunday.
With Ina Kaplan (Germany) currently dominant in the division, having won
the last three events in some style, there is plenty of ground to be
made up by her fellow competitors.

Hot on Kaplan’s heels in the No.2 position is her fellow German, Pia
Filler, who arrives in Treviso full of determination.

She said, “I’m feeling pretty good coming into the event. I’ve been
playing pretty solid these past couple of weeks. I’ve got a little bit
of jetlag now but I’m very excited for the new season of the Euro Tour
because it’s completely new with Predator on board and I feel good about
my game.

“I like to improve every single day and always strive to get better and
I feel like need to learn something new every single day which I think I
do. We have a pretty good field with some high-quality players which I
love because I love competition! I’m always here to win and I’ll try my
best.”

Both events are 10-ball.

This year sees a new streaming platform for all Euro Tour and European
Championships events.
Table 1 will be streamed throughout on YouTube, via the Pro Billiard TV
channel - https://www.youtube.com/@ProBilliardTV

Commented JP Parmentier, Sports Marketing Director of Predator Group,
“Predator is delighted to welcome the longest-standing tour in the world
to our Pro Billiard media platforms. Our YouTube channel, Facebook and
Instagram pages reach in excess of 80 million people every year, so
we’re in a great position to significantly boost the viewership of
European events over the coming years.”

For all results, live scoring and draw, visit
https://www.epbf.com/tournaments/eurotour/information/

EPBF Sponsors

▸ Predator Group
▸ Iwan Simonis Billiard Cloth
▸ Aramith Billiard Balls
▸ Longoni Cues
▸ Kamui Brand

THE BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA JUNIOR OPEN DEBUTS – ENTRIES NOW OPEN!

ENTRIES OPEN HERE FOR THE BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA JUNIOR OPEN – ENTER HERE
https://matchroompool.com/tickets/2025-bosnia-and-herzegovina-junior-open-player-entry/

In partnership with the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Sarajevo Canton, the Bosnia & Herzegovina Junior Open is set to debut alongside the European Open Pool Championship, taking place from 14-15 March 2025 at the Hills Hotel Sarajevo in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina.

$10,000 prize fund on offer

Tournament dates: March 14-15, 2025

Open to juniors aged 17 and under

This exciting new addition to the World Nineball Tour’s growing roster of junior tournaments will feature a 32-player single-elimination format, offering budding young talents the chance to compete on one of the sport’s biggest stages. Entry will cost $100, which will be refunded after the event is completed, provided participants take part.

Matchroom Pool remains dedicated to nurturing the next generation of players and making the sport accessible to everyone. The Bosnia & Herzegovina Junior Open builds on this vision, giving young cueists the platform to showcase their skills and experience world-class competition.

Hometown hero, Sanjin Pehlivanovic stated: "It’s fantastic to see Bosnia & Herzegovina hosting its own junior event on the World Nineball Tour. This is an incredible opportunity for young players in the region to play at the highest level and be inspired by the atmosphere of a Matchroom Major. I’m proud to see our country stepping into the spotlight and giving these kids a chance to shine."

Onboard Sportswear will provide each participant with a free custom Bosnia & Herzegovina Junior Open jersey, ensuring they look and feel the part as they compete in the same arena that hosts the prestigious European Open Pool Championship from 11-16 March 2025.

Following in the Footsteps of Rising Stars, young players can look forward to an exhilarating competition reminiscent of last year’s junior event, where Maks Benko triumphed in a thrilling hill-hill final against Luka Bugarski.

Juniors competing in the Bosnia & Herzegovina Junior Open will not be eligible to play in the main European Open Pool Championship due to scheduling conflicts. However, as part of their entry, they will receive a guest pass and three additional tickets for the days they compete, giving them a chance to watch the world’s top professionals in action and gain invaluable insight into elite-level play.

Don’t miss the chance to be part of this landmark junior event!

GBE 2025 Expands Floor Area Again, Reaching 80,000 Sq.m

The 2025 Guangzhou Billiards Exhibition (GBE) is set to expand its exhibition area once more, featuring eight halls and a total space of 80,000 sq.m—double the size of last year’s event.

With this unprecedented growth, we advise companies to bring more team members to maximize communication with exhibitors. The show will run for two and a half days, concluding at 12:00 noon on May 12th. Please plan your visits accordingly.

The venue is still the China Import and Export Fair Complex, but there have been changes to the layout. Make sure to check the new hall locations.

The 19th Guangzhou International Billiards Exhibition (GBE 2025)

Date: May 10th-12th, 2025

Venue: Halls 6.1, 7.1 & 8.1 (First Floor) and Halls 1.2, 2.2, 3.2, 4.2, 5.2 (Second Floor), Area A, China Import and Export Fair Complex, Guangzhou

Two-Night Free Hotel for Overseas Visitors

Visitors from abroad, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan can enjoy two nights of free hotel accommodation. To avail yourself of this benefit, please register via our link before April 15th.

After registration, you will be assigned a QR code. Please save it in your phone to exchange for your visitor pass at the show.

GBE 2025 Visitor Registration Link...

http://www.hwvips.com/?x=NhjwA636&y=30484543b24e1c4da66dd124fc81ef6e&isexen=1

Registration for Thailand Billiards Expo Is Now Open

Mark your calendars for our new Thailand (Bangkok) Billiards Expo (TBE 2025) happening from October 15th-17th. This event is already attracting attention from industry leaders and brands like Simonis, Strachan, Aramith, DYNASPHERES, Taom Billiards, JFlowers and more. For more details, feel free contact us.