Inside The $1M World Pool Championship With Matchroom's Emily Frazer
The 2025 World Pool Championship, set for July 21–26 in Jeddah, is the pinnacle event of the World Nineball Tour and the richest professional pool tournament of the year. The championship features a record-breaking $1,000,000 prize fund, with a staggering $250,000 awaiting the champion.
Returning for its second year to the Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium in Saudi Arabia, the World Pool Championship has transformed the venue into a world-class stage, featuring upgraded aesthetics and a refined layout.
Spearheading the tournament is Emily Frazer, CEO of Matchroom Multi-Sport and Director of Matchroom Sport. Through her leadership, Frazer has attracted significant investment, expanded the sport's international footprint, and elevated both its competitive and commercial standards on a global scale.
Ticket sales have already surpassed last year's numbers. 'It's only year two, and we're already planning for 2026,' Frazer says. 'The energy behind this event is one of constant progression and relentless ambition.'
Last year's Champion, Fedor Gorst, captured his second World Pool Championship title in a gripping 15-14 victory over Eklent Kaçi. At just 24 years old, Gorst became the youngest player to win the event more than once, having first claimed the crown in 2019.
World Pool Championship With Matchroom's Emily Frazer, Driving Growth And Visibility
JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA. 08 Jun, 2024. Photo taken during the World Pool Championships 2024 at Green ... More Halls on Saturday, June 08, 2024 in JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA. Credit: Taka Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport
With more than 150 hours of live and digital coverage, the World Pool Championship's reach is massive. 'We've expanded massively. Four stream tables, over 50 hours of TV, and 100 hours of live streaming. Fans can watch on their phones, tablets, or at work and still feel part of it,' says Frazer. The event will be broadcast on Sky Sports in the UK and across multiple global platforms, including Matchroom's in-house WNT TV.
Frazer focused on innovation, explains, 'We introduced a $10,000 prize for the highest break and run. It's our version of a nine-darter or a 147. It rewards individual brilliance and gives lesser-known players a shot at making headlines,' she says.
With a focus on global reach, Frazer has made digital engagement a top priority. 'From TikTok live matches to Q&As and behind-the-scenes content, we're meeting fans where they are,' she says. 'We're not afraid to try new things if it brings people closer to the sport.'
World Pool Championship With Matchroom's Emily Frazer, Building Player Pathways
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: ? during todays Media Day ahead of his fight this weekend, 4 June 2024 Picture ... More By Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
One of Frazer's most significant contributions has been creating a structured ranking system for the sport. 'Before we introduced our WNT Nineball ranking system, players relied on invites and connections. Now, it's about performance. That's how it should be,' she says.
Frazer notes, 'We have players representing every continent, from Asia and Europe to the Americas, with a growing audience in the Middle East. Among the top 128 ranked players, 40 nationalities are represented, a clear sign of the sport's rapid growth.'
Of the 128 players in the main draw, 100 earned their place through season-long rankings. The remaining 28 wildcard spots are used to elevate emerging players, local Saudi qualifiers, and women with world champion titles.
Frazer is keenly aware of the financial challenges many players face. 'Not everyone can afford to travel or enter every event. Some grind it out locally, collecting ranking points wherever they can,' she says. 'We're working to create more opportunities for players worldwide to get noticed. The goal is to build more household names in pool, just like you see in Formula 1 or darts.'
'It's a balance between showcasing the best in the world and giving fresh faces a platform,' she says. 'There's no guaranteed winner here. That's what makes it so exciting. From defending champions to debutants, there'll be upsets, breakout stars, and players who surprise everyone. That unpredictability is exactly what makes this event must-watch.'
She highlights the growth of junior players in particular. 'Felix Vogel was the Saudi Junior Champion last year and now he's playing in the main event. That's the pathway we're building,' Frazer explains. 'The last two junior events saw girls reach the semi-finals. That's what this tour is all about. Girl or boy, we want to make sure every player has a pathway to the top.'
World Pool Championship With Matchroom's Emily Frazer, Evolution
JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA. July 20: Photo taken during Press Conference prior to the World Pool ... More Championships 2025 at Green Halls on Sunday, July 20, 2025 in JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA. Credit: Taka Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport
Frazer's journey within Matchroom began with an internship in poker. Today, she leads a global tour of more than 40 ranking events.
'The turning point was acquiring the US Open in 2019,' she recalls. 'We went from one-table invitational shows to running 35 tables in Las Vegas. It was chaos. Our shipping container didn't arrive on time so we were building sponsored tables out of dining tables and old fabric. But we pulled it off.'
That experience set the tone for what followed. 'Back then, maybe eight players in the world were full-time professionals. Now, we're pushing to make that the norm,' she says.
The World Nineball Tour now spans the UK, Spain, Vietnam, the Philippines, and more. 'We've built a calendar that gives players more chances to compete, grow their brand, and earn a living,' Frazer says. 'We've also built junior events and women's events into that schedule. We're playing the long game.'
World Pool Championship With Matchroom's Emily Frazer, In The Spotlight
JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA. July 20, 2025. Emily Frazer. World Pool Championship.
Frazer's leadership will soon be on full display in Matchroom: The Greatest Showmen, an upcoming Netflix documentary produced by Box to Box Films, the team behind Formula 1: Drive to Survive. The series will follow her behind the scenes as one of the youngest female CEOs in UK sports.
'It was definitely a new experience but one I loved being part of,' Frazer says. 'Because this has been my day-to-day for so long, I've always thought it was quite normal. But when you take a step back, you realise how different our world is.'
The series will spotlight both the glamor and the grind. 'People often see the Instagram cool side. The airports, the lights. But not the hours, the pressure, the stress. This show is going to show both.'
Frazer also credits her team and support system. 'I'm very lucky to have an incredibly supportive family. And my team is unbelievable. They're the hardest-working, most passionate group of people I know. My leadership style is all about helping them be the best they can be.'
And yes, even during an event, she finds time to reset. 'Sometimes I just need one hour to go to the gym or take a walk to stay grounded. It's how I perform under pressure.'
As the World Pool Championship with Matchroom prepares to crown a new winner, Emily Frazer is already mapping the future. 'We haven't even kicked off yet and I'm already thinking about what more we can do next year,' she says. 'That's what drives me.'
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