Snooker's richest and most ground-breaking event returns on Wednesday when the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship takes place at the Globe Theatre in Boulevard City, Riyadh. Twelve elite players, including 10 invited superstars and two Saudi wildcards, will compete in a knockout bracket featuring the unique 'Riyadh Season golden ball' – a 20-point golden cue ball that can produce the sport's first-ever 167 break and deliver an instant $1million (£760,000) bonus.
The tournament has already produced memorable moments in its first two editions – Ronnie O'Sullivan took the title in March 2024, Mark Allen won in December 2024 – yet the prize pot and golden ball reward have been raised again, making this the most valuable three-day snooker competition ever held. A total prize fund of £785,000 is up for grabs, with the champion pocketing £250,000 – the joint-second largest winner's prize in professional snooker, surpassed only by the £500,000 World Championship cheque.
The golden ball is placed in the centre of the baulk cushion at the start of each frame, directly in line with the brown, blue, pink and black spots. It remains on the table for as long as a 147 is still possible for either player. As soon as a maximum becomes impossible, it is removed until the next frame. The ball is fully in play – players can cannon off it, lay snookers behind it, or even pot it accidentally (which counts as a foul). The decisive moment arrives after the final black has been potted for 147 points. The golden ball then becomes the next legal object ball. Pot it, and the break becomes 167 with an immediate £760,000 bonus. Miss it and the frame continues normally; the opponent only gets their own chance if they also reach 147 in the same frame.
Every successful 167 pays out separately – there is no cap, meaning three 167s in the tournament would result in three separate £760,000 bonuses. No one has achieved it yet, but with 14 maximum 147s already made this season and this stellar field, most experts expect it to happen soon.
The 12-player line-up mixes all-time greats, established icons and two promising Saudi wildcards. In Round 1, Ding Junhui faces Ziyad Al-Qabbani, while Shaun Murphy plays 15-year-old prodigy Ayman Alamri. The winners advance to Round 2 to meet John Higgins and Ronnie O'Sullivan respectively. The remaining eight players enter at the quarter-final stage: Kyren Wilson vs Neil Robertson, Judd Trump vs Mark Williams, with defending champion Mark Allen and reigning world champion Zhao Xintong awaiting the Round 2 victors. All matches up to the semi-finals are best-of-7 frames; the final is best-of-9.
