ICE Barcelona Hosts WorldGaming-Backed Nineball Championship in 2027

World Nineball Tour partners with WorldGaming and ICE Barcelona to bring world-class nine-ball to the world's biggest gaming, technology and entertainment event. 

The World Nineball Tour is set to return to Spain in 2027 with the inaugural World Grand Prix, taking place from 18–20 January at the iconic ICE Barcelona (Fira Barcelona Gran Via).

The brand-new World Nineball Tour Major will form part of a landmark partnership between Matchroom and WorldGaming with the World Grand Prix staged alongside ICE Barcelona – the world's biggest international event for the gaming technology industry.

The partnership with WorldGaming will bring professional nine-ball to a global audience of industry leaders and visitors from across the gaming, technology and entertainment sectors, with the World Nineball Tour joining ICE Barcelona for three days in the heart of the Catalan capital.

The World Grand Prix will feature 64 players competing in a single-elimination format across eight tables, with a $100,000 total prize fund on offer.

With sports betting now one of the fastest-growing verticals at ICE, and the show floor home to the operators, suppliers and data providers powering wagering on sport worldwide, the World Grand Prix brings live elite competition directly to the people who build the global sports betting experience.

The partnership reflects ICE's growing role at the intersection of sport, betting and entertainment, where sport is increasingly the content that drives engagement across the global gaming industry.

Statements by Executives

Margaret Dunn, Portfolio Director responsible for ICE Barcelona said:  "ICE is renowned for bringing together the leading names in gaming, creating exceptional networking opportunities and delivering memorable live experiences.

"Sport sits at the heart of today's gaming industry. Many of the companies on our show floor power sports betting, streaming and fan engagement for audiences around the world, so bringing live, world-class sport into ICE is a natural next step.

"Our audience lives and breathes sport, from the operators' taking bets on it to the technology companies streaming, analysing and monetising it. Putting elite nine-ball on the show floor gives them the chance to experience the product at its source.

"Nine-ball is a fantastic fit for ICE, and we're excited to see the energy and excitement the World Grand Prix will bring to the show floor outside Hall 7. With some of the world's leading players competing in Barcelona, it will create a spectacular live experience for our international audience and will be a real highlight for ICE 2027."

Matchroom Multi Sport CEO, Emily Frazer said: "We're incredibly excited to bring the World Nineball Tour back to Spain and launch the World Grand Prix in Barcelona, working alongside WorldGaming on what promises to be an exciting new chapter for nine-ball.

"This new event gives us a real opportunity to build something bigger and introduce nine-ball to a completely new audience through our partnership with both WorldGaming and ICE Barcelona."

"ICE is one of the biggest fixtures in the global gaming and entertainment calendar, so having the World Nineball Tour alongside it at Fira Barcelona Gran Via is a fantastic opportunity for our sport.

"With 64 players competing for a $100,000 prize fund across three days, the World Grand Prix will deliver a world-class spectacle in one of Europe's most exciting cities."

The World Grand Prix will take place from 18–20 January 2027, with further details on the player field, broadcast coverage, schedule and tickets to be announced in due course.

WORLD GRAND PRIX 2027

Dates: 18–20 January 2027
Venue: Fira Barcelona Gran Via, Barcelona, Spain
Players: 64
Prize Fund: $100,000
Format: Single elimination
Tables: 8