{"id":10027,"date":"2026-05-13T05:56:24","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T05:56:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=10027"},"modified":"2026-05-13T05:56:24","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T05:56:24","slug":"china-launches-snooker-team-league-in-bid-to-become-leading-powerhouse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=10027","title":{"rendered":"China launches snooker team league in bid to become ‘leading powerhouse’"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Wu Yize became China\u2019s second world champion earlier this month (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A new snooker league has launched in China as the country bids to \u2018move from a major billiards nation to a leading powerhouse.\u2019<\/p>\n

China has been the rising force in snooker ever since Ding Junhui ushered in a boom in popularity with his 2005 China Open win.<\/p>\n

There has been steady progress since then and with Zhao Xintong becoming China\u2019s first world champion last year and Wu Yize their second earlier this month, the sport is hitting new heights in popularity.<\/p>\n

The South China Morning Post report that the Chinese Billiards Club Professional League (CBL) is a new step to grow the sport still further and encourage young players into the professional game.<\/p>\n

The CBL will consist of eight teams, playing from May to December in home and away fixtures in China, starting next week.<\/p>\n

The fixtures will involve both snooker and pool contests, in singles and doubles matches.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tAre you snooker loopy?\t\t\t<\/h2>\n
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You’re in the right place. I’m Phil Haigh, and I cover the game we all love for Metro<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In my newsletter, The Table, I analyse the biggest talking points, pull back the curtain on the sport and crown the biggest winners and losers every week.<\/p>\n

We’ve just seen one of the greatest World Championships of all time, so there’s no better time to sign up.<\/p>\n

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Phil has been reporting on snooker for over a decade<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

There will be a league table which will produce the draw for the quarter-finals in October, with a grand final in December.<\/p>\n

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Zhao Xintong was China\u2019s first world champion when he beat Mark Williams last year (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The teams will be made up of players from a \u2018100+N\u2019 talent pool which includes 100 domestic players, foreign players who have signed up for the league and the 128 professionals on the World Snooker Tour.<\/p>\n

With a busy WST calendar ahead of them, the SCMP report states that \u2018involvement seems unlikely\u2019 for top professional players.<\/p>\n

However, over the summer break for the professional circuit, there is nothing stopping pro players getting involved.<\/p>\n

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Xiao Guodong, Wu Yize, Ding Junhui, Zhao Xintong and Si Jiahui were all top 16 players at the Crucible this year (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The project appears to be more about identifying and nurturing young talent, with the aim for those players to turn professional and compete with the world\u2019s best.<\/p>\n

Jiang Shicai, president of the Chinse Billiards and Snooker Association (CBSA) said: \u2018Chinese billiard sports has entered a golden age of high-quality development. With Zhao Xintong and Wu Yize winning World Championships one after another, that gave us the confidence to launch the new league.<\/p>\n

\u2018The association shall continue to optimise and improve league operations, and work together with the entire industry to help China move from a major billiards nation to a leading powerhouse.\u2019<\/p>\n

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