We've witnessed numerous high-profile UFC and boxing bouts during this current Riyadh Season run, and now it's the turn of the green baize brigade to strut their stuff and share some of the Saudi sporting spotlight. ‘Gold Ball’ is the current buzzword around Riyadh, and no, there’s no sign of David Beckham in town. The top-10 ranked snooker players (plus two local Saudi wild cards) will line-up at Boulevard City for the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship on Wednesday, December 18. A novel aspect to this event, is that if a player records a maximum 147-break, then he has a further opportunity to sink the 20-point GOLD ball to hit a 167-break and scoop a whopping $1m (£788,291).
The Riyadh Season Snooker Championship returns for a second-time this year, following a successful first edition of the tournament back in March. Unsurprisingly, it was the seven-time world champion, Ronnie O’Sullivan, who reigned in Riyadh nine months ago. He lifted the trophy and pocketed the £250,000 winner’s cheque after beating Luca Brecel 5-2 in the final, following earlier wins against John Higgins and Judd Trump.
O’Sullivan thrived at the tournament and is savouring the return to Saudi soil. “All the players enjoyed the culture and hospitality. These are the tournaments I really want to play in, with a great atmosphere. Riyadh Season has a lot of the best sport”. It’s not only the players looking forward to snooker returning, as the Saudi nation has fallen in love with the sport, and interest continues to grow. March’s Riyadh Season Snooker Championship produced 16 century breaks, with O'Sullivan making the most, knocking in six of that total. However, the highest break was a 138 made by Ding Junhui, and therefore, no player successfully compiled a maximum break for a chance to pot that glittering gold ball. We are all eagerly hoping that it happens this time around.
Let GOAL help show you everything you need to know about the upcoming Riyadh Season Snooker Championship, including the TV schedule, streaming links and how much prize money is up for grabs.
When is the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship?
Getty Images The Riyadh Season Snooker Championship is a 3-day invitational tournament taking place at Boulevard City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between Wednesday, December 18 and Friday, December 20.
Riyadh Season Snooker Championship - Session times
The Riyadh Season Snooker Championship gets underway at 2pm (GMT) on Wednesday, December 18, with two back-to-back Round 1 encounters featuring Ding Junhui & Zhang Anda, who will both be taking on local Saudi wild card players.
Round 2 takes place later the same day, with two back-to-back matches kicking off from 7pm (GMT). Thursday, December 19, is quarter-finals day, with two afternoon matches starting from 2 pm (GMT) and the latter two starting in the evening from 7pm (GMT). During the final day’s play on Friday, December 20, both semi-finals get underway at 2pm (GMT), and the final starts at 7pm (GMT).
Riyadh Season Snooker Championship - Venue & location
Getty Images The Riyadh Season Snooker Championship is back at Boulevard City, an amazing entertainment and relaxation hub in the heart of Riyadh. Opened in 2019, the complex operates primarily during the annual Riyadh Season festival and is well known for hosting high-profile events. It offers a perfect backdrop for fans to witness some of the world’s best snooker players in action.
How to watch the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship
The Riyadh Season Snooker Championship can be watched and streamed live in the UK on DAZN. You can download the DAZN app for PC, Apple, Android, Fire TV, Roku, your Smart TV and many others. You can subscribe to DAZN in the UK for £9.99 a month on a 12-month deal. A flexible pass, worth £19.99 a month, is available too, which you can cancel anytime. You can also pay £99.99 for the year upfront, which is the lowest cost option.
What is the format for the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship?
Getty Images All Riyadh Season Snooker Championship matches up to and including the semi-finals are best-of-7 frames. The final on Friday, December 20, is the best-of-9 frames.
What's the prize money for the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship?
The total prize money on offer for the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship is £785,000, and that is broken down as follows:
- Winner - £250,000
- Runner-up - £125,000
- Losing semi-finalist - £75,000
- Losing quarter-finalist - £50,000
- Second Round losers - £25,000
- First Round losers - £5,000
In addition, if a player records a maximum 147-break, he has a further opportunity to sink the 20-point GOLD ball to hit a 167-break and scoop a whopping $1m (£788,291).