IPA World Championship
The pinnacle of professional blackball pool — the IPA’s flagship annual event.
IPA World Championship
The IPA World Championship is the flagship event in professional blackball pool, attracting the best English 8-ball talent from around the world. Sanctioned and organised by the International Professional Pool Association (IPA), it is regarded as the pinnacle of English-style 8-ball competition and is held annually in the United Kingdom.
Unlike American 9-ball tournaments, the IPA World Championship follows blackball rules — a variation of English 8-ball recognised by the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA). The event features both men’s and women’s divisions, as well as amateur and senior categories, making it a true festival of small-table pool.
Each year, dozens of elite-level players compete in multi-day, televised knockout matches. The title of IPA World Champion is the most coveted in the IPA circuit. Year-by-year recaps for this tournament are in progress and will be added to this archive soon.
Year-by-Year Archive
Year-by-year recaps coming soon.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the IPA World Championship?
The IPA World Championship is the flagship event of the International Professional Pool Association and the most prestigious title in professional blackball pool. It is held annually in the UK and features elite competitors from across the English 8-ball pool world.
What is blackball pool?
Blackball pool is a form of English 8-ball played on a small table with red and yellow ball sets, where the 8-ball (the black) is the final target ball. It follows rules set by the World Pool-Billiard Association and differs from American 8-ball, which uses stripes and solids on a larger table.
Who can enter the IPA World Championship?
The IPA World Championship features both professional and amateur divisions, including men’s, women’s, senior, and junior categories. Players must be registered with the IPA or their national association to compete.
How is the IPA World Championship structured?
The event features multi-day knockout matches with players progressing through rounds of competition. Finals are typically televised and draw significant online viewing audiences from the English pool community across the UK, Ireland, and beyond.
What is the difference between IPA and WEPF pool?
Both the IPA and WEPF govern English 8-ball pool but under slightly different rule sets and philosophies. The IPA focuses on professional blackball competition and a structured ranking tour, while the WEPF World Championship is more amateur-oriented and places emphasis on national team representation under World Rules.
More Tournaments
Browse every event we cover across snooker, American pool, and English pool.