The Red Dragon Champion of Champions darts tournament, now in its eleventh year, continues to be a beacon for amateur players across the UK and Ireland. This unique event successfully elevates local pub and club players onto a significant stage, offering not just substantial prize money but also life-changing opportunities. This year’s final saw Connor Hopkins triumph over Jeff Bass in an all-Welsh showdown, marking another successful chapter for a competition that is truly shaping the future of grassroots darts by forging a direct path to the professional game.
The Ultimate Amateur Darts Challenge
For over a decade, the Red Dragon Champion of Champions has remained faithful to its original mission: to take talented darts players from their local social clubs and pubs and place them on a platform that truly matters. It’s more than just a trophy; it’s a testament to dedication and skill found at the very heart of the sport.
This year’s event, which saw Connor Hopkins clinch the title against Jeff Bass at The Depot in Cardiff, perfectly showcased why this tournament is considered the pinnacle of the amateur darts calendar. It’s an event that resonates deeply, offering validation and a tangible pathway for aspiring professionals.
A Journey of 256 Victories
The road to the Champion of Champions Finals Day is unlike any other. It involves a monumental effort, with 256 qualifying events held across the UK and Ireland. This staggering number highlights the tournament’s widespread reach and its commitment to uncovering talent from every corner.
Unlike professional tournaments that begin with seeded draws, the Champion of Champions starts in the humble settings of local venues – from working men’s clubs to village pubs. Each of these qualifiers offers just one coveted spot, meaning that every single player who stepped onto the stage at The Depot had already proven themselves a champion in their own right. This unique structure is the core appeal that Red Dragon champions year after year.
New Heights: Bridging the Gap to Professional Darts
While the familiar £10,000 top prize remains a significant draw, the 2026 Champion of Champions introduced groundbreaking additions designed to propel amateur talent into the professional realm. These new incentives represent a crucial step in tightening the link between grassroots and professional darts:
- Paid Q-School Entry: The winner receives a fully paid entry into the PDC Qualifying School, offering a direct route to earning a professional tour card.
- Travel and Accommodation Support: An additional £500 is provided to help cover the costs associated with attending Q-School, removing a common financial barrier.
- Winmau World Masters Spot: A preliminary round place in the prestigious 2027 Winmau World Masters tournament, one of the biggest events in global darts.
A smart safeguard is built into the World Masters spot: should the Champion of Champions winner secure a professional tour card through Q-School, this valuable opportunity then passes to the tournament runner-up. This ensures the prize always goes to an deserving amateur.
This direct connection to the professional darts system is a meaningful upgrade, solidifying the tournament’s claim as a genuine pathway to the top. The fact that previous winners include current darts superstars like Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton lends considerable weight to this promise.
A Final of Contrasting Journeys
The grand finale itself was a captivating display, featuring two players with very different paths to the big stage.
- Jeff Bass’s Fairytale Run: Bass’s journey to the final was remarkably smooth. He dropped just a single leg between the Last 64 and the final, effortlessly sweeping aside Graham Brooks 2-0 in the semi-finals. His precision and consistency were the talk of the day.
- Connor Hopkins’s Battle-Tested Triumph: Hopkins, in contrast, endured a much tougher route. His semi-final clash against Taylor Richards was a nail-biter, requiring the standout performance of the day – a phenomenal 106.64 average – just to secure his spot in the final.
This difference in their journeys played out dramatically in the final. Ultimately, it was Hopkins’s resilience that prevailed, as he closed out the match 2-1, averaging an impressive 98.79 in the deciding leg to deny Bass what would have been a storybook victory.
More Than Just Money: The Power of Validation
While the total prize fund of £32,500 is substantial for amateur darts, the true value of the Champion of Champions, as expressed by players and organisers alike, lies in something far less tangible: validation.
It’s the profound satisfaction of knowing that countless hours spent practicing in a quiet pub corner can indeed translate into something meaningful on a bigger stage. It’s proof that dedication, regardless of where it begins, can lead to significant recognition and opportunity.
Eleven years on, this fundamental “pitch” remains the tournament’s driving force, and Finals Day at The Depot once again delivered. The genuine excitement and jeopardy built into the best-of-three format, culminating in a final where nerve, not just previous form, determined the victor, confirms the event’s health.
As it heads into its twelfth year, the Red Dragon Champion of Champions stands firmly established as the UK’s leading grassroots tournament, in arguably its strongest position yet, continuing to inspire and elevate the next generation of darts stars.
Source: Based on an article from Darts World Magazine.
