Duya Legends Opens in Qianwei With 802-Player Field
The Golden Nine Open begins an ambitious five-event season with a vast international field, an 11-day schedule and ¥5.149 million at stake.
Eight hundred and two athletes from 28 countries and regions have gathered in Qianwei, China, for the opening stop of the 2026–2027 Duya Legends season. The size of the field turns the Golden Nine Open into more than a season launch: it is an early measure of how far this Chinese discipline can extend its international reach.
Play is taking place over 11 days at Blue Gem Arena in Qianwei, Sichuan. The event carries a ¥5.149 million total prize fund, with ¥2 million reserved for the champion, and begins a five-stop season built around four ranking tournaments and a Grand Final.
What makes an 802-player field significant?
Elite cue-sports events usually tell their story through a compact bracket of invited stars or qualified professionals. Qianwei starts at the other end of the scale. Its 802-player entry combines established competitors and emerging athletes from five continents, creating a tournament in which endurance and depth are as important as the leading names.
The number also gives the season an unusually broad opening sample. One deep run can introduce a new contender. Several strong performances from the same country can reveal a developing competitive base. With 28 countries and regions represented, the results will show whether Golden Nine is growing beyond its strongest domestic market.
The official opening placed that international identity at the center of the presentation. Athletes appeared behind national flags around the competition floor before guests completed a simultaneous ceremonial break.
How is the new Duya Legends season structured?
The 2026–2027 calendar consists of four ranking events followed by one Grand Final. Each ranking stop offers ¥2 million to its champion, while the season-ending global championship carries a ¥10 million winner's prize.
| Season element | Confirmed detail |
|---|---|
| Ranking events | 4 |
| Grand Final | 1 |
| Qianwei participants | 802 |
| Countries and regions | 28 |
| Qianwei total prize fund | ¥5.149 million |
| Qianwei champion prize | ¥2 million |
| Grand Final champion prize | ¥10 million |
| Qianwei competition period | 11 days |
That prize structure gives every ranking stop weight of its own while pointing players toward a much larger target at the end of the season. Qianwei is therefore both an individual title race and the first step in a longer campaign.
The format also gives the tour a simple narrative for followers: four chances to build standing and form, then one final event with the season's richest reward. Results from the opening stop will establish the first competitive order, even if the full picture will take months to develop.
Why is the WPA's presence important?
Olav Skrudland, the World Pool-Billiard Association's Director of Youth Sports, represented the governing body at the opening ceremony. He welcomed the competitors and thanked Qianwei's government, O'MIN · CUELEES, Duya Billiards, the organizing team, partners and supporters.
“WPA is delighted to join you all in opening the new season,” Skrudland said.
His attendance connects the event to a wider international framework. The tournament is supported by the WPA and the China Association of Small and Medium Commercial Enterprises Billiards Industry Branch, guided by the Leshan Municipal Sports Bureau, and hosted by the People's Government of Qianwei County.
For athletes arriving from outside China, that backing gives the new season a clear point of contact with organized international billiards. For the host, it places Qianwei in front of a global cue-sports audience for nearly two weeks.
How does Qianwei shape the identity of the event?
The opening ceremony did not present the tournament as a detached arena production. A light-and-laser show and a cultural performance titled “Impressions of Qianwei” introduced the city's jasmine fields, ancient temple towns and railway history.
That choice ties the event to local tourism and culture during a busy holiday period. The 11-day schedule overlaps with the Mid-Autumn Festival period and the approach of China's National Day, giving visiting players and fans a stronger sense of place than a standard tournament hall can provide.
The venue itself reinforces the scale. Blue Gem Arena surrounds the central table with tiered seating, national flags and large overhead screens. Even before the decisive rounds begin, the presentation signals that the organizers want Golden Nine to function as a spectator event as well as a mass-participation competition.
Who is supporting the Golden Nine Open?
O'MIN · CUELEES and Duya Billiards are the title partners, with the Duya Golden Duya Table serving as the competition table. Tournament materials identify more than 40 supporting industry brands, including Liberwin Cloth, Shouyiren Liquor, Aramith Billiards, Ye Bao Cues and ArchBenz Cues.
That commercial base matters during an event of this size. Hundreds of athletes, 11 days of play and live coverage from every table demand more than a headline sponsor. Equipment supply, venue production and broadcast capacity all have to work across a long schedule.
What should followers watch as competition develops?
The first question is whether established Golden Nine players can control such a large field. Long tournaments create repeated opportunities for an upset, and less familiar competitors have time to build momentum before the closing stages.
The second is geographical. With players from 28 countries and regions, the later rounds will indicate which nations have adapted most effectively to the discipline and conditions in Qianwei.
Then comes the season race. A title here would deliver a major prize and set the first benchmark of the 2026–2027 campaign, but four ranking stops leave room for the order to change before the Grand Final. Qianwei opens the argument. It does not settle it.
How many athletes are competing in the Qianwei Golden Nine Open?
The opening event has 802 athletes representing 28 countries and regions.
What is the prize money in Qianwei?
The tournament has a ¥5.149 million total prize fund, including ¥2 million for the champion.
How many events are in the 2026–2027 Duya Legends season?
The season is structured around four ranking events and one Grand Final.
Where is the opening tournament being played?
Competition is taking place at Blue Gem Arena in Qianwei, Sichuan, China, across 11 days.
