Vietnam's run at the 2026 World 10-Ball Championship ended abruptly on home ground. The last local players were knocked out at Phu Tho Sports Hall, leaving the host country with no one left in the men's or women's events.
Duong Khuc Hoang, known as Hoang "Sao," was the last Vietnamese man in the main draw. He faced two-time world champion Eklent Kaci in the qualifying round for the last 32. Hoang started strong and took the first set 4-3 after Kaci made a rare mistake. But Kaci quickly took control. The Albanian star won the next two sets 4-1 and 4-0. He came back to win 2-1 and moved on to the knockout rounds. With Hoang out, Vietnam had no men left in the field, as reported by local media and tournament coverage.
The 2026 Iwan Simonis WPA Men's 10-Ball World Championship in Ho Chi Minh City featured 96 players competing for a total prize fund of $300,000, with the winner set to receive $80,000.
The women's side brought more disappointment. Bui Xuan Vang lost to Tzu-Chien Wei of Taiwan in the Poison Saigon Open 9-Ball event. Xuan Vang jumped out to a perfect 4-0 start but could not keep it going. Tzu-Chien Wei fought back, took the second set 4-1, and led 3-1 in the decider. Xuan Vang forced a shootout at 3-3, but the Taiwanese player held steady in the penalty racks and took the win. That ended Vietnam's last hope for a home breakthrough.
This early exit stands out, given the size and status of this year's event. The 2026 World 10-Ball Championship, officially called the 2026 Iwan Simonis WPA Men's 10-Ball World Championship, took place at Phu Tho Indoor Stadium (also known as Phu Tho Sports Hall) in Ho Chi Minh City. According to event materials and live broadcasts from the Predator Pro Billiard Series, the men's championship ran from 19 to 26 September 2026. This was the second year in a row that Ho Chi Minh City hosted the world's top players in this discipline.
Several other big names also went out during the afternoon session on 23 September. Carlo Biado, David Alcaide, Konrad Juszczyszyn, and Moritz Neuhausen all lost. The field now shrinks to the world's best, while the host nation watches from the stands.
Ho Chi Minh City hosted the World 10-Ball Championship for the second year in a row, with the event organized in partnership between the WPA, local Vietnamese sports authorities, and Predator Group. As of the morning of 23 September, tournament broadcasts confirmed that play was still ongoing, with day 5 sessions underway and the championship not yet concluded.
Vietnam's cue sports ambitions have grown, as seen in regional breakthroughs like those reported earlier in neighboring countries. But failing to turn home advantage into deep runs at the world level shows the gap between Vietnam's top players and the sport's global elite.
For Vietnam's cue sports community, this result is a clear sign that hosting a world-class event is not the same as producing world-class players. The facilities and exposure are there. The next step-turning local promise into international medals-remains out of reach. Until Vietnamese players can regularly challenge the world's best, the country's ambitions will stay just beyond their grasp, no matter how big the stage at home.
