England edge Morocco 13–12 in a dramatic Men’s A final, while France dominate South Africa 13–3 to claim the Women’s A world title London, England | 28 October 2026
London UK – October 29, 2026— wpalive.tv
The 2026 WPA Blackball World Championships concluded at the Thistle Hotel Heathrow in London following nine days of international competition, bringing together athletes from 15 nations across team, singles, doubles and World Grand Prix events.
The championships delivered a memorable conclusion, headlined by two outstanding team finals.
In the Men’s A Team final, England defeated Morocco 13–12 in a closely contested encounter that went down to the wire. Both teams demonstrated exceptional quality and determination, but England held their nerve to secure the Men’s A World Championship title.
The Women’s A Team final saw France defeat South Africa 13–3, delivering a commanding performance to take the world title. South Africa finished as runners-up, while England Ladies and Northern Ireland secured the bronze medals.
The championships featured competition across Men’s A, Women’s A, Men’s B, Seniors, Masters, Grandmasters, U15, U18 and U23 team divisions, alongside individual championships, doubles competitions and the established World Grand Prix series.
TEAM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
The team competitions produced an impressive spread of performances and international podium finishes.
Men’s A Team
Gold: England
Silver: Morocco
Bronze: Malta
Final: England defeated Morocco 13–12.
Women’s A Team
Gold: France
Silver: South Africa
Bronze: England Ladies
Final: France defeated South Africa 13–3.
Masters Team
Gold: France
Silver: England
Bronze: Australia
Final: France defeated England 13–11.
Grandmasters Team
Gold: England
Silver: South Africa
Bronze: France
Final: England defeated South Africa 13–11.
Men’s B Team
Gold: South Africa
Silver: England
Bronze: England C
Final: South Africa defeated England 13–7.
Seniors Team
Gold: France
Silver: South Africa
Bronze: England
Final: France defeated South Africa 13–8.
U15 Team
Gold: England
Silver: Australia
Bronze: Ireland
Final: England defeated Australia 8–4.
U18 Team
Gold: South Africa
Silver: France
Bronze: Malta
Final: South Africa defeated France 8–7.
U23 Team
Gold: France
Silver: South Africa
Bronze: England
Final: France defeated South Africa 8–3.
DOUBLES WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
The doubles competitions added another dimension to the championship programme, with international partnerships competing for world honours.
Men’s Doubles
Gold: Killian Ballon & Yannick Beaufils – France
Silver: Christophe Lambert & Alexandre Buscetti – France
Bronze: Miguel Mizzi & Clevion Micallef — Malta
Bronze: Oussama Masskini & Houssam El Amari — Morocco
Women’s Doubles
Gold: Emma Cunningham & Mika Roonay – Northern Ireland
Silver: Stella Paru & Trish Veivers – Australia
Bronze: Erin Lazarus & Joy Willenberg – South Africa
Bronze: Sabrilla Brunet & Marion Jude – France
Emma Cunningham and Mika Roonay topped the Women’s Doubles standings, finishing ahead of a strong international field.
WORLD GRAND PRIX RESULTS
Alongside the World Championship events, the tournament programme featured three major World Grand Prix competitions, together with the Grandmasters Singles and Youth World Grand Prix standings.
Over 40s World Grand Prix
Champion: Rob Wilson – England
Runner-up: Paul Coldrick – France
Joint third: Glen Pilkington – England
Joint third: Elie Christidis – France
Rob Wilson secured the title with a 5–2 victory over Paul Coldrick in the final. Wilson had defeated Elie Christidis 5–2 in the semi-final, while Coldrick progressed with a 5–3 win over Glen Pilkington.
Mixed Doubles World Grand Prix
Champions: Leonardo Moreira & Collette Henriksen – France
Runners-up: Damien Joly & Ophelie Laval – France
Joint third: Emma Smith & Graeme Witton – England
Joint third: Marion Jude & Killian Ballon – France
Leonardo Moreira and Collette Henriksen claimed the Mixed Doubles title with a 4–2 victory over Damien Joly and Ophelie Laval.
Men’s World Grand Prix
Champion: Garry Mehmet – England
Runner-up: Johan Attard – Malta
Joint third: Kevin Martin – South Africa
Joint third: Abderahmane Ech-Chorfy – Morocco
Garry Mehmet took the title after defeating Johan Attard 5–3 in the final.
Grandmasters Singles World Grand Prix
Champion: Keith Brewer – England
Runner-up: Stu Richardson – England
Joint third: Dafydd Hughes – France
Joint third: Ian Wilkinson – England
Keith Brewer finished at the top of the Grandmasters Singles standings, ahead of Stu Richardson, with Dafydd Hughes and Ian Wilkinson sharing third place.
Youth World Grand Prix
Champion: Calvin Creach – France
Runner-up: Scotty Denston – Australia
Joint third: Arthur Crespin – France
Joint third: Adam Wynne – Ireland
Calvin Creach topped the Youth World Grand Prix standings with an unbeaten record across five matches.
WPA WORLD CONNECT: CELEBRATING THE COMMUNITY BEYOND THE TABLE
The 2026 championships also featured the special WPA World Connect contest, an initiative designed to encourage players, teams and supporters to share the personality, culture and community spirit of the sport.
Through creative contributions covering team anthems, player stories, behind-the-scenes moments, national pride and the wider tournament experience, WPA World Connect gave participants another way to be part of the championships beyond their performances at the table.
The winner of the special contest was Shaun “The Jaguar” Martheze.
WPA congratulates Shaun on his winning contribution and thanks everyone who participated in bringing the global blackball community together through this initiative.
A CHAMPIONSHIP CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL BLACKBALL
The 2026 WPA Blackball World Championships showcased the depth and international reach of the sport, with established champions, emerging talents and national teams competing across multiple age groups and disciplines.
From the dramatic 13–12 Men’s A final to the closely fought U18 final, the championships delivered competitive action throughout the programme. The doubles and Grand Prix competitions further highlighted the strength and diversity of the international field.
The event was staged at the Thistle Hotel Heathrow in London from 20–28 October 2026, with competition across multiple categories and a total prize fund exceeding USD 100,000.
The WPA extends its congratulations to all the new World Champions, medal winners, participating nations and athletes. Appreciation is also extended to the organisers, officials, partners, volunteers and everyone whose contribution made the championships possible.
The 2026 WPA Blackball World Championships have concluded, but the performances and achievements in London will remain an important chapter in the continued growth of international blackball.
RELIVE THE CHAMPIONSHIP ON WPALIVE
The conclusion of the 2026 WPA Blackball World Championships does not mean the action has to end. Fans around the world can revisit the excitement, drama and defining moments of the tournament through WPALive, the official streaming platform of the World Pool-Billiard Association.
From the headline team finals and individual World Championship deciders to the doubles contests and Grand Prix action, viewers can relive the matches and watch the performances that crowned the 2026 World Champions.
Whether you missed the live broadcasts or want to experience the biggest moments once again, the championship coverage is available at:
Watch and relive the action: www.wpalive.tv
World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA)
The Women’s A Team final saw France defeat South Africa 13–3, delivering a commanding performance to take the world title.
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