Ahmedabad, October 7, 2026: The second edition of the Commonwealth Cue Sports Championships got underway in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, with 144 players from around 42 Commonwealth nations set to battle for honours at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex from October 7 to 10.
The championship, being staged in India for the first time, features an equal representation of 72 men and 72 women across five disciplines — English Billiards, Snooker, 10-Ball Pool, Heyball and Blackball. A total of 10 medal events will be contested over the four-day championship.
The event brings together some of the leading names in Commonwealth cue sports and is being organised by Apex Sports Promotion, with the Billiards and Snooker Federation of India (BSFI) serving as the host. The championship is supported by the World Confederation of Billiards Sports (WCBS) and Commonwealth Sport.
The tournament also holds special significance for Indian cue sports as part of BSFI’s centenary celebrations.
India will enter the competition with confidence after securing five medals at the inaugural edition in Mauritius in 2025. Leading the home challenge will be Commonwealth Women’s Heyball defending champion Vidya Pillai, Men’s Heyball silver medallist Shivam Arora and Women’s 10-Ball Pool silver medallist Chitra Magimairaj.
With home advantage behind them, the Indian trio will be aiming to add to their medal tally against a strong international field.
The home contingent, however, faces stiff competition from a line-up featuring several established international names and defending champions. Among the players expected to make an impact are England’s Kelly Fisher, South Africa’s Craig Bower, Malaysia’s Lim Kok Leong, England’s Rebecca Kenna and Wales’ Darren Morgan.
The tournament was formally launched at a pre-event press conference attended by senior officials and leading figures from the cue sports fraternity, including WCBS Vice President Mubarak Alkhayarin, WCBS Board Member Greta Steenkamp, WCBS Anti-Doping Director James Leekey, BSFI President S. Balasubramaniam, BSFI Secretary Sunil Bajaj, Gujarat Snooker and Billiards Association President Abhishek Shah, and Apex Sports CEO and Founder Shivam Arora.
Speaking ahead of the championship, WCBS Vice President Mubarak Alkhayarin said the event would provide a significant platform for elite cue sports competition while strengthening the sport’s Commonwealth-wide network.
“The Commonwealth Cue Sports Championships is an important occasion for the sport, and we are delighted that this year’s edition is being hosted in Ahmedabad, India. Bringing leading cue sports players from across the Commonwealth together provides an important platform for high-level competition and further strengthens the connections that unite our sport globally. We look forward to an exciting championship in Ahmedabad and to seeing the players perform at their very best.”
WCBS Board Member Greta Steenkamp said hosting the championship in India would create new opportunities for players while helping strengthen international sporting ties.
“We are delighted to welcome the Commonwealth Cue Sports Championships to India and proud to support this competition, which brings players from across the Commonwealth together. Championships such as this play an important role in creating new opportunities for players, strengthening international sporting relationships and continuing to expand the reach of cue sports globally. We look forward to a fantastic championship in Ahmedabad and wish all participating players the very best for the competition ahead.”
With four days of competition ahead, Ahmedabad is set for a high-quality showcase of Commonwealth cue sports, as established champions, emerging talents and India’s leading players vie for medals and Commonwealth glory.
