2026 WPA Heyball World Cup
Results
Recap
Published July 10, 2026
History was made in Sydney, Australia from January 16–19, 2026, as the inaugural WPA Heyball World Cup brought together elite national teams from across the globe for the first-ever world-level team championship under the World Pool-Billiard Association's sanctioning framework. Held at the Centre of Excellence at Marsden State High School in Waterford West, Queensland, the event was delivered in collaboration with the World Heyball Tour, operated by Joy Billiards, and recognized under the World Confederation of Billiard Sports — a milestone that underscores Heyball's growing footprint in the international sporting landscape.
On the men's side, Mongolia emerged as world champions, defeating Korea in the final to claim the top prize of USD $75,000. It was a result that will carry weight well beyond the trophy itself — Mongolia's victory in the very first edition of this event plants a marker in the history of the discipline. Korea, for their part, earned USD $36,000 as runners-up, a strong finish that reflects the depth of talent the peninsula continues to bring to the cue sports arena.
In the women's competition, China claimed gold with a final-round victory over Belgium. China's cue sports program has long been a dominant force across multiple disciplines, and their women's team added another title to that tradition here in Sydney. Belgium's run to the final was a notable result in its own right — reaching the championship match at a world-level event speaks to the strength of their program on the international stage. China took home USD $75,000, with Belgium earning USD $36,000 for the runner-up finish.
The prize structure across both divisions was substantial, with semi-finalists earning USD $24,000 per team and quarter-finalists taking home USD $15,000. Teams eliminated in the Last 16 received USD $12,000, while group stage finishers in third and fourth place earned USD $8,100 and USD $6,600 respectively — a payout framework that reflects the WPA's intent to make this event financially meaningful for participating nations at every level of the bracket.
As the first edition of what the WPA has positioned as a flagship world-level team competition, the 2026 WPA Heyball World Cup sets a foundation for the discipline's continued growth. With both men's and women's champions crowned and a prize pool exceeding USD $865,000 across both divisions, Sydney delivered a launch platform that the global Heyball community will look back on as a turning point. All eyes will now turn to where — and how — the second edition builds on what was started here.
Sources: 2026 Heyball World Cup | WPA Pool, A New Historic Beginning for Heyball | WPA Pool, 2026 WPA Heyball World Cup Event Page | WPA Pool
This recap was compiled from public tournament records and tournament organizer communications. ForceFollow is not affiliated with the tournament organizer.