Mahmoud Charif at the Impulse Snooker & Billiards in Oud Metha, Dubai. EXPAT MEDIA

He didn’t love billiards at first. In fact, he didn’t even like it. But today, Mahmoud Charif stands proudly as the No. 1 ranked pool player in the UAE, a two-time gold medalist at the 2025 Arab Billiards and Snooker Federation Cup, and a national team icon who’s changing the face of cue sports in the country. The 28-year-old is now competing at the Knight Shot Open – WNT Nineball Tournament in Dubai—one of the world’s biggest pool events—which he says is energizing the local scene. “It’s making the billiards here better,” Charif told Expat Media in an exclusive interview. “All the players are excited for this tournament. They started practicing two or three months before just to get ready.”

UAE’s new golden boy in billiards

Charif recently returned from Tangier, Morocco, where he swept the 2025 Arab Billiards and Snooker Federation Cup, winning not one but two gold medals—in both 9-ball and 10-ball singles—and a third in the 10-ball team event alongside teammate Khaled Al Zarouni. In the singles final, Charif crushed Saudi Arabia’s Muhannad Al Ghamiz 11-5 in the 10-ball event after dominating the 9-ball earlier in the tournament. The UAE national team would go on to collect eight medals in total, including three golds in billiards and more in snooker. Charif wasn’t always chasing medals. In fact, when he first encountered billiards, he was indifferent. That is, until a chance meeting at a billiard hall with a Filipino professional changed everything. “He told me, ‘Your hand is ready to play this game,’” Charif said. “Then I started playing… and I couldn’t stop. Sometimes, I even skipped classes just to play billiards!” he added with a laugh. That early obsession turned into passion. He turned professional at age 23, and now, five years later, is leading the national team and inspiring a new generation of Emirati players. “All Emirati players love pool—like 100 percent. It’s a lifestyle for them,” he said. “Now that this tournament is hosted in the UAE, they are very excited to participate.” Charif’s training style is no-nonsense. He prefers sparring with pro players and practicing drills, sometimes for six hours a day, especially before major tournaments. “I like to play with professional players more,” he said. “Before a tournament, I would practice every day for six hours.” Now that he’s a national figure in cue sports, Charif is also offering advice to those hoping to follow in his footsteps. “Join a lot of tournaments,” he said. “Play with a lot of professional players. But the most important thing is to join a lot of tournaments.” That’s what worked for him—and it’s safe to say, the results speak for themselves. “My family didn’t like me playing this sport at first because I wasn’t going to school,” Charif admitted. “But when they saw that I had passion for billiards, they started helping me. They even sent me to some tournaments.” Today, with three gold medals in hand, national pride on his shoulders, and his cue firmly in hand, Charif is no longer just skipping classes—he’s rewriting UAE billiards history. PIA/Expat Media
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