Latest news with #WorldSeniorsSnooker
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Beyond the apathy: the Manchester City and Chelsea fans off to the Club World Cup
The Club World Cup, it is fair to say, has not captured the imaginations of domestic Manchester City and Chelsea supporters. Very few are talking about the tournament and, it appears, only true diehards will make the trip to the USA for the month-long end-of-season endurance test. Fifa slashed the prices of match tickets after poor uptake from fans and the UK broadcaster showing the tournament will be Channel 5, the home of World Seniors Snooker. Meanwhile, many, if indeed not most, players taking part are not overly enamoured by the prospect of losing five weeks of time off to recover from another gruelling campaign. Advertisement 'Fifa can forget it, footballers and clubs will not participate in that tournament,' Carlo Ancelotti, the former Real Madrid head coach, said last year before backtracking on those comments. Money clearly talks and the prospect of securing a winning prize of £97m makes it an enticing prospect for those invited to take part. Related: David Squires on … Infantino's Club World Cup buildup in the land of Trump Despite the damp buildup, some UK-based fans of City and Chelsea will be travelling across the Atlantic in order to see their team play. Many of the hardcore are, however, staying away. Anyone wanting to attend has to consider expenditure on flights, hotels, food and match tickets, none of which come cheap. And anyone wanting to see each of their team's matcheswould need to be in the US for a minimum of 10 days. 'There's a lot of apathy about it among fans,' says Paul Seery who is travelling to the Club World Cup to watch City and will also take in Boca Juniors v Auckland City in order to fulfil a lifelong ambition of seeing the Argentinian club in the flesh. 'If you go on [City fans' forum] Blue Moon and look at the thread, there's some that are dead against it saying: 'I'm not watching it.' But I'm sure if we get to the final, they'll be standing in front of the telly. I am 65 this year and it's my last chance to do something like this.' Advertisement The teams that reach the Club World Cup final on 13 July, a little more than a month before the start of the Premier League season, will contest seven matches in the US. City, for example, will play group matches against Wydad Casablanca, Al Ain and Juventus in Philadelphia, Atlanta and Orlando respectively before potentially heading for knockout ties in Miami and New York, requiring more than 2,000 miles to be covered. Meanwhile, the most affordable tickets for the final are currently retailing at $611 while the very best seats are going for $4,348. Fifa originally wanted to charge $890 for the cheapest final ticket but relented. 'I think Fifa shot themselves in the foot because the prices were so ridiculously high,' says Chelsea supporter Chris Rayburn, who will be travelling to the US to watch the Uefa Conference League winners and expects the trip to cost him up to £6,000. 'To be sure of getting a ticket, you had to pay up front. Initially if you wanted to do the whole tournament you would have had to fork out £1,600 to buy your tickets. I think we would have brought a lot more supporters had the tickets been reasonably priced. I think my tickets probably came to between £800 and £900 in total for seven games.' Olivier Giroud's LAFC, Flamengo and ES Tunis stand between Chelsea and the knockout stages, and the prospect of facing Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain in a competitive game make it an intriguing tournament for those supporters willing to do the miles. There is also the prospect of some great sightseeing in between travelling between cities. 'I've seen us win two Champions Leagues, Europa Leagues, Cup Winners' Cups and the Club World Cup a couple of years ago and now the Europa Conference League – I've been to all of them,' says Rayburn. 'I've been to all the FA Cups and League Cup successes. So yes, I'd be a bit gutted if you ended up winning a Club World Cup competition and not being there.' Advertisement For all the flaws and criticism of the Club World Cup, its expanded version is innovative. 'No one was interested in the first World Cup but nearly 100 years on, everybody remembers who won the first World Cup and where it was. I'm hoping the Club World Cup's going to be exactly the same,' says Seery, who is take two weeks of unpaid leave in order to fulfil his trip. 'I'm sure it will.' It is becoming increasingly expensive for supporters to follow their teams and sometimes it goes against common sense to do so. But then again, love – and the hope of glory – makes people do crazy things.


The Sun
12-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
World Seniors Snooker Championship final 2025 LIVE RESULTS: Alfie Burden thrashes Aaron Canavan in huge showpiece match
ALFIE BURDEN has been crowned king of the World Seniors Snooker Championship for 2025 after thrashing Aaron Canavan in a thrilling Crucible final! The English icon beat Canavan 8-4 but it could have been worse had he not let his foot off the gas. This also marks Burden's first-ever Seniors title, snatching the crown off Igor Figueiredo. Much-loved snooker heroes Jimmy White and Ken Doherty suffered shock exits in the first round. 7th May 2025, 11:17 By Emillia Hawkins Who is the reigning champion? Last year, Brazil's Igor Figueiredo made history by becoming the first player from outside of Europe to lift the prestigious World Seniors trophy. The 47-year-old beat Ken Doherty 5-2 in the blockbuster final and will return to the Crucible as defending champion this week. 7th May 2025, 11:13 By Emillia Hawkins Welcome! Hello and welcome to SunSport's coverage of the World Seniors Snooker Championship! With the World Snooker Championship having finished on Monday with Zhao Xintong taking the crown, we now move on to the Seniors compeition. At the Crucible, 16 players - including some legends of the sport - will compete for the title.


Wales Online
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Mark Williams teases surprise career move after World Championship final defeat
Mark Williams teases surprise career move after World Championship final defeat The Welshman was beaten by Zhao Xintong in the final at the Crucible but has now turned his attention elsewhere Williams has set his sights elsewhere following his World Snooker Championship heartbreak (Image: Tai Chengzhe/VCG via Getty Images ) Welsh snooker star Mark Williams has teased a surprising new career move following his defeat to Zhao Xintong in the final of the World Championship. The 50-year-old was aiming for his fourth world title at the Crucible but was beaten by Zhao, who became world champion for the first time with an 18-12 win having raced into a commanding lead. The Chinese star is a former world number six but was playing as an amateur having returned from a 20-month ban from the sport. Following the defeat, a disappointed Williams - who beat the likes of Judd Trump and John Higgins to make it to the final - said he had "nothing but admiration" for the new world champion, hailing him as a "new superstar of the game". But the Welshman has promptly turned his attention elsewhere and has raised a few eyebrows by teasing plans to compete at the World Seniors Championship next year. The tournament, which follows the World Snooker Championship, is currently taking place at the Crucible, with the likes of Jimmy White and Ken Doherty amongst those in action. Williams actually won the tournament in 2015 and played in it again the following year. However, he has been largely ineligible since, with the event closed to players who still had a professional tour card and were inside the top 64. Article continues below However, the partnership between World Seniors Snooker (WSS) and the World Snooker Tour is set to come to an end following this year's World Seniors Championship. That is set to lead to some major rule changes, with the WSS keen to allow all players over the age of 40 to play in seniors' competitions, regardless of their ranking. As a result, the door is set to be opened again for world number three Williams to take part in the competition if he wishes to do so, with the likes of Higgins and Ronnie O'Sullivan also allowed to compete. Williams himself seems keen to be involved again, taking to X to share a photo of himself watching the senior tournament and writing: 'I should be there, next year.' When asked by one fan whether he could persuade seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry to feature alongside him, he cheekily responded: 'He wouldn't get past the first round.' While few professional players take up the option of competing in the senior event, Williams could in theory claim two world titles in the space of a few weeks if he does take part next year, having banked £18,000 for his 2015 triumph. A statement by the WSS on their separation from the World Snooker tour read: 'Following a request from World Seniors Snooker to include players currently inside the top 64 on the World Rankings, and attempts to negotiate these changes to allow WST and WSS to continue in partnership, a compromise was unable to be met. 'WSS is aware some tour players within the top 64, and over the age of 45, have approached WST to request permission to play in WSS Events. Also the WPBSA Players Board were supportive of the changes in the WST Tour players contract, which allow any third party promoter to invite any tour player irrespective of their ranking position, should also apply to WSS. 'WST extended the option to terminate the agreement which WSS have chosen to exercise," it continued. "As a result, both parties have mutually agreed to an early termination of the Sanctioning Agreement, which will take effect on May 12, following the conclusion of the 2025 World Seniors Snooker Championship. Article continues below 'WST and WSS remain committed to the sport of snooker and recognise the contributions of players at all levels. Both organisations sincerely appreciate the support of players, fans, and stakeholders and look forward to continuing to celebrate the rich history and future of the game.'


The Sun
07-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
World Seniors Snooker Championship 2025 LIVE RESULTS: Champ Figueiredo headlines day one, Jimmy White forced to wait
Live Blog SENIOR CITIZENS Emillia Hawkins , Sports Reporter Updated : 11:07, 7 May 2025 LEGENDS of the sport return to action at the Crucible Theatre TODAY as the World Seniors Snooker Championship is back for 2025! Reigning champion Igor Figueiredo begins his title defence with a tricky test against Wayne Townsend. Irish icon Ken Doherty has to wait until tomorrow for his opener against Charl Jonck. And English hero Jimmy White's first encounter is also on Thursday - with his opponent being the lucky Golden ticket. Start time: 12pm BST 12pm BST FREE live stream/TV: Channel 5 BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK Follow ALL the action from the Crucible Theatre with our live blog below... From 12pm (All times BST) Joe Perry vs Fabio Anderson Luersen Dominic Dale vs Craig Steadman From 7pm Igor Figueiredo vs Wayne Townsend Aaron Canavan vs Andrew Norman Last year, Brazil's Igor Figueiredo made history by becoming the first player from outside of Europe to lift the prestigious World Seniors trophy. The 47-year-old beat Ken Doherty 5-2 in the blockbuster final and will return to the Crucible as defending champion this week. Hello and welcome to SunSport's coverage of the World Seniors Snooker Championship! With the World Snooker Championship having finished on Monday with Zhao Xintong taking the crown, we now move on to the Seniors compeition. At the Crucible, 16 players - including some legends of the sport - will compete for the title.