The individual World Championship awards a world title at one edition. It is distinct from the World Cup circuit and from national-team, women’s and junior championships.
Format and scope
Blois, France ran from 23–27 September 2026. The UMB report describes 48 players in sixteen groups of three, matches to 40 with an equalising inning, then 32-player knockout to 50 without one. Eddy Merckx beat Phuong Vinh Bao 50–39 in 19 innings for his third individual title. Tayfun Taşdemir and Sameh Sidhom reached the semifinals.
How to read this event
Merckx’s event average was 1.993; his final’s 50 points in 19 innings is a different statistic. The main-stage average was 1.556 and the highest run, by Myung Woo Cho, was 16. Do not turn those figures into an entry standard or a target for beginners. The report records a closing run of nine by Merckx: reviewing the positions within that run is more informative than calling every winning shot a signature technique.
Calendar checked: 16 October 2026
This page records a completed 2026 edition. For another year, check that edition’s invitation and results rather than transferring the field size or race distance. A world title, a tournament high run and the number-one ranking are separate achievements.