2016 WPA World 9-Ball Championship

Results

Recap

Published April 13, 2026

In the sweltering heat of Doha’s summer, Albin Ouschan won the 2016 WPA World 9-Ball Championship with a 13-6 victory over Shane Van Boening. The Austrian's win at the al-Attiya Sports Arena made him the first Austrian male to claim the sport's most prestigious title and continued his family's notable pool legacy.

Both finalists had navigated challenging paths to reach the final. Ouschan had finished as runner-up in this venue two years earlier and entered the tournament as the reigning China Open champion. In his semifinal, he defeated veteran Alex Pagulayan, the 2004 world champion who had won back-to-back Master of the Table titles at Derby City Classic. Van Boening, a four-time US Open champion, competed after finishing as runner-up the previous year. The American defeated Taiwan’s Yushuan Cheng, the reigning US Open champion, in his semifinal match.

The tournament drew 128 players from around the world to Qatar’s capital for the seventh consecutive year. Defending champion Ko Pin-yi was eliminated in the round of 64 by Jayson Shaw, opening the field for other contenders. The event used Wiraka 9-foot tables with Simonis 860 Tournament Blue cloth and the Magic Rack template.

Ouschan's victory elevated Austria's pool profile significantly. While his sister Jasmine had won the 2010 World Ten-Ball Championship and Gerda Hofstätter won the Women's World 9-Ball title in 1995, Albin's win in the men's premier event established Austria as a pool powerhouse. His 13-6 victory against Van Boening, one of America's most accomplished players, demonstrated his performance in the final.

Sources: 2016 WPA World Nine-ball Championship – Wikipedia IT’S DOWN TO A FANTASTIC FOUR IN DOHA – WPA Pool

This recap was compiled from public tournament records and tournament organizer communications. ForceFollow is not affiliated with the tournament organizer.