The Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, widely marketed as the sport’s “fourth major,” has been cancelled indefinitely after just two editions. Despite an original 10-year agreement with the World Snooker Tour (WST), the event—which offered a staggering £2.3m prize fund—will no longer take place in the Kingdom.
A mutual statement from the WST and the Saudi Billiard and Snooker Federation confirmed the decision to halt both the Snooker Masters and the World Pool Championship. The move comes amid a broader shift in Saudi sports investment, following recent reports that the Public Investment Fund (PIF) may also be winding down its massive financial support for LIV Golf.
The cancellation has sparked a wave of frustration among top players who were blindsided by the news. Barry Hawkins and Mark Williams have been vocal in their criticism, demanding clarity on how a decade-long contract could be “blown out of the water” so abruptly. “We just get some stupid email saying it’s been stopped. No explanation, nothing,” Hawkins told TNT Sports, highlighting the lack of communication from tour officials.
The China Open is set to fill the gap in the calendar, marking its return for the first time since 2019. However, the move presents a significant financial blow to the professional circuit; the China Open’s £1.2m prize pool is barely half of what was on offer in Riyadh. Because world rankings are calculated based on cumulative prize money, the loss of the Saudi event creates a volatile situation for players fighting to maintain their positions in the global standings.