2026 Cuetec Belgium Open
Recap
Published April 13, 2026
The seaside town of Ostend, Belgium hosted the 2026 Cuetec Belgium Open, where Germany's Tobias Bongers won his first World Nineball Tour ranking title. The 31-year-old German defeated compatriot Felix Vogel in the final to claim the $32,000 top prize.
Bongers had previously reached WNT Major quarter-finals at the 2024 UK Open and 2025 European Open, where he defeated former World Champion Francisco Sanchez Ruiz in Sarajevo. Just weeks before the Belgium Open, Bongers won the European Championship in 14.1 straight pool, defeating Poland's Mateusz Sniegocki 125-101 in the final in Tallinn, Estonia.
The final in Ostend featured two German players competing at the championship level. Bongers defeated Vogel to secure the ranking title. The victory improved Bongers' ranking from 61st in the world and increased his career prize money to $27,335.
The Belgium Open ranking event served as preparation for upcoming tournaments on the World Nineball Tour's 2026 schedule, including the Players Championship by Diamond at Expo in Philadelphia, which offers a $100,000 prize fund. This first ranking title represents a significant achievement for Bongers on the international stage.
Bongers joins compatriot Pia Filler in winning European Championship titles for Germany. His progression through the rankings combined with his victory at Ostend marks a milestone for the 31-year-old player as the sport continues to develop globally under Matchroom's promotion.
Sources: Matchroom Pool – Tobias Bongers, Matchroom Pool Schedule, WPA Pool – European Championships
This recap was compiled from public tournament records and tournament organizer communications. ForceFollow is not affiliated with the tournament organizer.