Yesterday evening, Anton Kazakov from Ukraime defeated Oliver Sykes from England by 5-4 to become the 2026 European Champion. Both players get a 2 years professional tour card.
Kazakov Completes European Double As Sykes Secures WST Debut
Anton Kazakov defeated Oliver Sykes 5-4 to win the 2026 EBSA European Championship title in Gandia, Spain.
The victory saw the Ukrainian complete a memorable double, adding to the Under-21 crown he secured earlier in the week with 18 consecutive wins at the Gandia Palace Hotel, while Main event runner-up Oliver Sykes also earned a World Snooker Tour (WST) two-year tour card for the first-time in his career by reaching the final.
A total of 172 players contested the event, organised by the European Billiards & Snooker Association (EBSA), and Kazakov continued his outstanding form to finish top of a group that also featured Under-21 finalist Riley Powell, Belgium’s Nick Demuynck and Jan Laushman from Bulgaria.
A whitewash win over Arsenii Korolev was followed by a 4-1 success against reigning German national champion Simon Lichtenberg to reach the last 16, where he faced former professional Peter Lines.
Lines was able to rally from 3-1 behind to force a decider, but it was the 21-year-old who held his nerve to win through before denying former European Under-16 champion Vladislav Gradinari in the quarter-finals – just as he had done in the Under-21 competition earlier in the week.
The tournament high break of 140 then helped Kazakov comfortably past Finnish former professional Robin Hull to reach a second successive final, where he met Sykes.
The 20-year-old Englishman had been in fine form across the week and a 4-1 defeat of Germany’s Umut Dikme on Saturday morning guaranteed Sykes his place on the WST for the first time from the start of the 2026/27 campaign.
A closely fought title match saw the first eight frames of the match shared with neither player ever leading by more than a one, meaning it all came down to a decider.
It was Kazakov who proved to be the man of the moment once again as he took the ninth and decisive frame by a 62-5 scoreline to complete a memorable double in Gandia.
The final was a good match to watch. Both gave it their all, both played well. It’s just a shame that the live streaming on Youtube was interrupted for several minutes1 at one point.
Anton has been on tour before and he didn’t perform at all. This time however he will know what is expected, and having had this experience, hopefully will be able to play to his true potential. Also, we should not forget that the situation in his country is extremely difficult. It’s hard enough for a very young person to live alone in a foreign country, away from friends and family, just imagine how it must be if , every day, they fear for those they love because their country is at war. I hope that Anton will be made to feel very welcome on tour and that, if needed, he will get the psychological and emotional support, should he need it. We should never forget that behind the “player”, is a human person.
WPBSA Qualifying Criteria Announced for 2026 World Snooker Championship
The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) and World Snooker Tour have today announced the qualification criteria for the 16 amateur places at the 2026 World Snooker Championship in Sheffield in April.
The qualifying rounds will take place in Sheffield from 6-15 April with 16 places at the Crucible Theatre to be won.
Alongside all professionals ranked outside the elite top 16, following the 2026 Tour Championship, and top-ups from the 2025 Q School Order of Merit, will be 16 leading amateur players who have earned their place at the event following their performances at recognised international events across the season.
These include outstanding performers at the World Snooker Federation Championships in Sofia, and the WPBSA Q Tour Global which will reach its conclusion in Spain this March.
The exceptional performance of Alfie Burden who lifted his maiden professional ranking event title at the Shoot Out as an amateur top up player has also been recognised. Burden also won the World Seniors Snooker Championship for the first time in 2025.
Jason Ferguson, WPBSA Chairman said: “We are once again pleased to confirm how 16 WPBSA qualifiers will earn their places at this season’s professional World Snooker Championship in Sheffield.
“In line with previous seasons, the elite performers from recognised WPBSA Tour pathways are once again included and will have the opportunity to contest the biggest title in our sport this spring.
“There can be no better inspiration than the performance of China’s Zhao Xintong, who last year made history as he became the first WPBSA qualifier to lift the trophy at the Crucible Theatre, having begun his campaign in the very first round following his achievements at last season’s WPBSA Q Tour Europe.
“Players hoping to emulate his success a year on will include successful players at the WSF Championships – including our newly crowned junior champion Michael Larkov – as well as the WPBSA Q Tour Global and European Championships.
“We are also delighted to recognise the incredible achievement of Alfie Burden only last month, who became a world ranking event winner for the first time at the Shoot Out, whilst competing as an amateur qualifier.
“I look forward to seeing these players have the opportunity to achieve their dreams and to compete on the biggest stage of all.”
2026 EBSA Under-18 European Championship Winner (Runner-up if already qualified) – (Vladislav Gradinari – because the winner Michal Sbubarczyk is a pro)
2026 EBSA Under-21 European Championship Winner (Runner-up if already qualified) – (Anton Kazakov )
Highest ranked eligible player on the Q Tour Europe rankings
Exceptional Performance – Amateur winning a professional world ranking event (Alfie Burden)
All players selected will appear subject to acceptance of their place and any travel restrictions in place. Any replacement players for these 16 places will be selected from the final WPBSA Q Tour Europe ranking list this season.
Any current professional players who do not enter the tournament will be replaced from the 2025 Q School Order of Merit.
The players continued to play… of course, we just couldn’t watch them. ↩︎
The “2026 EBSA main event European Championship Winner” didn’t feature in that list, which is quite strange, but it doesn’t matter that much now as Anton Kazakovhad already qualified, but, of course, Oliver Sykes, the runner-up, may/will feel robbed and, no matter how you look at it, it isn’t logical, nor rigth. I hope he gets the call.
Also Wang Xinbo has qualified twice as a runner-up so I’m not sure what happens there …
As they say in all good series … to be continued in the next episode
Ronnie’s 2nd round opponent Ishpreet Sing Chadha has withdrawn from the World Open.
Yes, I saw that.Thank you. He still has to win the opener though. The way this season has gone, I take NOTHING for granted.