Martin Muleya
MASVINGO-All roads lead to Masvingo at the events venue of choice, Urban Lifestyle Hotel this Saturday as Zimbabwe’s finest pool players converge for the Carling Black Label 2026 national finals.
The road to the finals has been a remarkable journey, with regional qualifiers taking place across 31 regions nationwide. The competition attracted strong participation and enthusiastic support from players, fans and local communities, highlighting the growing appeal of the sport across Zimbabwe.
Pool enthusiasts gathered in outlets around the country to compete, connect and celebrate their shared love of the game. Beyond the action on the tables, the tournament generated meaningful economic benefits for host communities, supporting local traders and businesses through increased foot traffic and heightened commercial activity.
This year’s edition recorded significant growth in participation, reinforcing pool’s rising popularity and strengthening its association with the Carling Black Label brand. The standard of competition also reached new heights, with players displaying greater professionalism, skill and discipline throughout the tournament.
“We are proud of the progress we continue to see in the sport. The growth in participation and the elevated level of play reflect the passion and commitment from players across the country. We commend everyone who took part and contributed to making this tournament a success,” said Kundayi Mawema, Marketing Manager – Lagers Business Unit.
A standout feature of this year’s tournament has been the continued rise in women’s participation, which has shown consistent year-on-year growth. Carling Black Label remains committed to encouraging more women to participate in the sport, promoting inclusivity and creating equal opportunities within Zimbabwe’s pool community.
Looking ahead, the brand remains focused on the continued development of pool in Zimbabwe. Through grassroots activations, support for bar tournaments and partnerships with local traders, Carling Black Label seeks to further expand the sport, nurture emerging talent and provide players with platforms to showcase their abilities on bigger stages.
The national finals in Masvingo will see a total of 80 finalists, comprising both men and women, battling for honours in their respective categories.
At stake are attractive prizes, with the champions walking away with US$2,500 and a pool table, while second place will receive US$1,500, third place US$1,000 and fourth place US$500.
Members of the public are invited to attend the event and rally behind their regional champions as they compete for national glory. Entrance is free, promising an exciting day of high-quality pool action, entertainment and celebration in Masvingo.
In 2025 the tournament was held at the ZITF Hall 1 in Bulawayo where Alice Chiota and Timothy Onida walked away winners in the female and male categories respectively.
