The Liwa Centre in Abu Dhabi will be hosting the emirate's first-ever Middle East Pool Championship from September 10-20.

The tournament will feature 96 players from the Middle Eastern circuit and some of the top stars from over 25 countries are expected to be in the fray.

Nasser Al Nowais, Chairman of the organising committee for the Middle East Championship announced details of the event at the Al Maha Rotana Group recently.

"We expect a flood of entries from both the national and expatriate players. The game has now developed into a popular sport in the region and we are looking forward to a successful inaugural Middle East Championship.

"This championship can turn into a regular feature in Abu Dhabi. We are delighted to host such an event and are looking forward to some exciting fare in the coming weeks", said Nasser Al Nowais, who is also chairman of the Rot-ana group and managing director of Abu Dhabi Mall and Liwa Centre.

Sultan Al Shahra, a marketing and relationship director of the 8 Ball Pool Championship, said the response to the event was encouraging.

"The players from the rest of the world gain qualification through the regional championships. They are professionals and we expect the players from the Middle Eastern region also to reach that level in the future," said Ahmad Ebrahim, world promoter for the sport.

The tournament will feature amateur players from 25 countries in the Middle East. "We hope that greater exposure would mould professionals from among the local players," said Ebrahim.

T.C Mathew, managing director of Liwa Billiards, said preparations for the event were in full swing.

"The most significant aspect in this Middle East Championships is the significant number of slots for them in the World Event. We have made special arrangements to stage this Middle East event at the main hall of the Liwa Centre," he said.

Entries for the tournament will close on September 6. More details can be obtained by phoning 6331655 or mobile 6134130.