World Snooker Grand Prix 2025 “Breaks-Off” at Kai Tak Arena

(HONG KONG, 4 March 2025) Organised by World Snooker Tour (WST) and F-Sports Promotions Limited, and supported by the Billiard Sports Council of Hong Kong China Limited, the “World Snooker Grand Prix 2025” will be held in Hong Kong for the first time, taking place from 4 to 9 March at Kai Tak Arena, Kai Tak Sports Park. The event sees the world’s top 32 snooker players competing for the championship and world rankings, along with a record total prize money of £700,000.

The event officially kicked-off today at Kai Tak Arena, Kai Tak Sports Park, with over 4,200 spectators in attendance. Miss Rosanna Law, JP, Secretary of Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau; Mr. Jason Ferguson, Chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association; Mr. Tony Mok, Director of F-Sports Promotions Limited; Mr. Vincent Law, Chairman of the Billiard Sports Council of Hong Kong China, along with China star player Xiao Guodong and Englandstar player Mark Selby, participating in the opening ceremony to mark the beginning of six days of intense competition.

Miss Rosanna Law, JP, Secretary of Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, said, “This event is not just a competition; it is a celebration of excellence in sports. As a recognised “M” Mark event, the Grand Prix guarantees an exceptional standard of play. We are thrilled to witness the world’s best snooker players showcasing their extraordinary talent and creating unforgettable moments right here at the state-of-the-art Kai Tak Sports Park!”

Mr. Jason Ferguson, Chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, said, “This is a huge moment in history, as it has been 36 years since a World Ranking Event was staged in Hong Kong. In between those years, we have seen great champions rise, like Marco Fu and Ng On Yee, with more talent following in their footsteps, year after year. Snooker in Hong Kong is in wonderful shape, and I must thank our many partners.”

In the tournament, world number one Judd Trump made his debut in the tournament’s round of 32. The player, known as “The Ace In The Pack,” who became a Hong Kong resident last December, faced off against Gary Wilson. Meanwhile, world number two “The Warrior” Kyren Wilson battled it out against Matthew Selt.

The “World Snooker Grand Prix 2025″is proud to be recognised as an “M ”Mark event, helping enhance the image of Hong Kong as an international sports event capital. The “M” Mark is awarded by the Major Sports Events Committee, symbolising an intense, spectacular and signature event in the territory sports calendar.

The World Snooker Grand Prix has been held since 2015 and is one of the premier events on the World Snooker Tour and features the top 32 players ranked for the season, making it one of the pinnacle events in professional snooker.

This year marks the first time the tournament will be hosted outside of the UK, with both a record-breaking venue size and prize money on offer. Some 5,000 spectators will experience this premier snooker event live at the brand-new Kai Tak Arena, making it the most attended event on the World Snooker Tour to date. The total prize money has increased from £380,000 ($3,800,000)last yearto£700,000($7,000,000)this year, with the champion’s prize rising from £100,000 ($1,000,000) to £180,000 ($1,800,000), both setting new historic highs.

This is the first ranking tournament held in Hong Kong since 1989. Notably, Judd Trump competed at ‘home ’ after becoming a resident of Hong Kong. Other all-time greats included China’s top player Ding Junhui, Mark Selby, Neil Robertson, Shaun Murphy, Mark Allen, John Higgins, Mark Williams and current World Champion Kyren Wilson.

Special exhibition matches are scheduled to take place on the 8 and 9 of March, commencing at 11 am. On Saturday, the men’s exhibition match will feature Hong Kong’s top player Marco Fu going up against “The Whirlwind” Jimmy White. On Sunday, a women’s exhibition match will showcase Hong Kong’s top player and World No.2 Ng On Yeecompeting against Thailand’s World No.1 Mink Nutcharut. To foster the sporting culture in Hong Kong and enhance community involvement in sports activities, as well as providing more people an opportunity to attend a major sporting event, a total of 4,000 complimentary tickets for exhibition matches will be distributed to community organisations and other beneficiaries.

The Hong Kong Billiards Sports Academy, a collaboration between F-Sports Promotions Limited and the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, located at Kai Tak Mall, will officially open during the tournament.

Public tickets are available through HKTicketing and Damai, ranging from HK$ 80 to HK$ 2,580. There is a special ‘roll-on roll-off’ format for this event, with two consecutive matches in both the afternoon and evening sessions, which means that fans buying a ticket for just one session can watch two matches.