World Masters of Snooker - Riyadh Season: Dates, format, history & more

The inaugural Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker will start on 4th March, 2024, and it will mark the first ever World Snooker Tour event held in Saudi Arabia. 

The top eight players in the official world rankings, following the Players Championship at the end of February, will be joined by two wild-card potters to make up a high-class field for the big-money event. 

It’s exciting times for snooker, which has followed many sports that have been holding prestige events in the Middle East, and it will be interesting to see who comes out on top. 

World Masters of Snooker dates

The tournament will run from Monday 4th March to Wednesday 6th March, 2024.

World Masters of Snooker venue

The event will be held at the Boulevard Arena In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The venue is part of Boulevard City, a 220-acre mixed-use development at the Prince Turki al-Awwal Road in the Hittin neighbourhood of Riyadh.

Boulevard City was opened in 2019 and features gardens, sports areas, music venues and theatres. 

It will mark the first time that a WST event has been held in Saudi Arabia. 

World Masters of Snooker players 

World champion Luca Brecel has confirmed that he will be in the field and the Belgian will be joined by Ronnie O'Sullivan, Judd Trump, Mark Allen, Mark Selby, Shaun Murphy, Mark Williams and Ali Carter. The wild-card potters have yet to be confirmed, but the draw has been made. 

Brecel will face either Carter or a wild card in round two, while Selby faces Allen and Trump takes on Murphy.

O’Sullivan awaits the winner of Williams and the other wild-card cueman. 

World Masters of Snooker schedule and format

Four quarter-finals will be staged on Tuesday, with the semi-finals and final following on Wednesday. Matches will be played under standard snooker rules, but with the addition of a 23rd ball known as the Riyadh Season ball.

This golden ball will be worth 20 points, but can only be potted at the end of a 147-break, making a score of 167 possible. 

World Masters of Snooker TV details * how to watch

Television details have yet to be announced, but with Eurosport broadcasting the bulk of the World Snooker Tour it is expected that the channel will pick up coverage. 

What are the current world rankings?

Ronnie O'Sullivan is at the top of the world rankings ahead of Judd Trump and Mark Allen. 

However, world champion Brecel will be handed the top seeding in Riyadh. The remaining seedings will be based on ranking order, with Williams securing the final Saudi Arabia spot.