For the next ten days, all eyes in European bowling will turn to Tali Bowling Hall in Helsinki, as the 56th Brunswick Ballmaster Open gets underway tomorrow.
One of Europe’s longest-running and most respected tournaments once again brings together top-level competition at the start of the new year.
This year, the tournament has not only expect close to 500 players from more than 20 countries, but also a total prize pool of nearly €84,000, with the champion taking home €10,000.
55th Brunswick Ballmaster Open Format
The tournament runs from January 2 to January 11, with qualification squads spread across the opening days and the finals weekend scheduled for January 10–11.
The tournament format remains unchanged from last year. After the qualification rounds, 48 bowlers will advance to the finals. The top 38 players in the overall standings will qualify directly, while the remaining 10 places will be decided through additional qualification paths - early bird and desperado.
Finishing high in qualifying continues to be a major advantage. The top 16 players in the standings will advance directly to the second stage of the finals, bypassing the opening elimination rounds. The competition builds toward the final day on Sunday, January 11, when the top four players will compete in the televised stepladder finals.
Defending Finnish Pride
Last year’s event ended with a memorable Finnish victory. Jarno Lahti captured the 2025 Brunswick Ballmaster Open title after defeating defending champion Jesse Kallio 237–190 in the final. At just 25 years old, Lahti secured his first Ballmaster Open crown and kept the trophy in Finland for the second year in a row.
Fans can catch all the action via live streams and stay updated through regular posts on BowlingLife, the tournament's official media partner, across their website and social media platforms.
Useful links:
Brunswick Ballmaster Open Livestream
