The World Snooker Tour (WST) has confirmed that planned editions of the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters will not take place, with the tournament cancelled.
The Saudi Arabia Masters was added to the schedule in 2024 and dubbed the 'fourth major' by the governing body, with a prize fund of over £2million dwarfing that of the UK Championship, leg one of the Triple Crown.
But amid war in the Middle East and widespread reports that Saudi Arabia is conducting a review of its sports investment strategy, Saturday's news that the event will be discontinued was not unexpected.
WST said in a statement: "Following constructive discussions between The Saudi Billiard and Snooker Federation and Matchroom following the conclusion of the 2025 editions, it has been mutually agreed not to proceed with future editions of the World Pool Championship and the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters.
"Across 2024 and 2025, the Kingdom successfully staged two major events in Riyadh and Jeddah, welcoming world champions and providing 18 Saudi players with the opportunity to compete on the same stage. Thousands of spectators attended from nearly 40 countries, many experiencing elite live snooker and pool for the first time.
"During this period, Saudi juniors also progressed through international events, including World Nineball Tour competitions, Q Tour Middle East, and Asian junior championships — important early steps onto the global stage. We extend our sincere thanks to all players, officials, and participants for their contribution to the success of these events."
There has been no update regarding the Saudi Arabia Darts Masters and, despite recent reports from several high-profile news outlets that its funding was set to be withdrawn ahead of 2027, LIV Golf continued its current season in Mexico last week.
