Huang Sao knocked out of World 10-Ball Championship by Albanian Eagle

Vietnam's run at the World 10-Ball Championship ended suddenly. Duong Khuc Huang, or Huang Sao as fans know him, lost to Eklent Kaci-the 'Albanian Eagle'-in front of a home crowd at Phu Tho Sports Hall in Ho Chi Minh City. With this loss, Vietnam's last hope in the tournament was gone.

Huang Sao opened well. He took the first set 4-3. But Kaci quickly took control. The Albanian star won the next two sets 4-1 and 4-0. Huang Sao could not recover. Kaci moved into the round of 32. Huang Sao's campaign ended in disappointment. Tuổi Trẻ Online reported that the match happened on September 23, 2026, at the Phu Tho Indoor Stadium. The winner would go through to the Last 32.

This year's World 10-Ball Championship in Ho Chi Minh City offered a top prize of two billion Vietnamese dong. The total prize pool reached 500,000 USD, with 80,000 USD for the champion, according to Nguoi Dua Tin. For Vietnamese fans, seeing their last player knocked out so early was tough. The home crowd had hoped for more.

Vietnam's cue sports have had some breakthrough moments in recent years, as earlier regional successes have shown. But this result shows the gap that remains at the top level of world pool. Independent Vietnamese sports outlets confirmed that after Huang Sao's defeat, no Vietnamese players were left in the men's draw of the 2026 WPA World 10-Ball Championship. The host nation's run ended before the final rounds.

With Eklent Kaci advancing, the spotlight now turns to the international field as the tournament gets tighter. For Vietnam, the challenge is clear: turn local promise into results on the world stage. The lesson from Ho Chi Minh City is simple. At this level, technical skill and mental strength are a must. The next generation of Vietnamese players will need both if they want to fight for big titles at home or abroad.