Darts fans, mark your calendars! The World Darts Federation (WDF) has officially unveiled the draw for its prestigious World Championship, held at the iconic Lakeside venue. This year’s tournament promises a thrilling spectacle, with rising stars, seasoned veterans, and former champions all vying for the coveted title.
The highly anticipated draw for the WDF World Championship at Lakeside has been announced, setting the stage for thrilling darts action. Top seed and young sensation Mitchell Lawrie, a strong favorite after six title wins this season, will kick off his campaign in the second round against either Harry Lane or Declan Bailey. Defending champion Jimmy van Schie will not return, having secured a PDC Tour Card. Other key players like second seed Jenson Walker, former champion Neil Duff, and rising star Kaya Baysal also know their challenging paths, promising intense matchups from the outset.
Top Seeds and Their Paths to Glory
The draw has laid out challenging routes for the tournament’s leading contenders, ensuring exciting clashes from the second round onwards.
Mitchell Lawrie: The Young Favorite’s Quest
All eyes will be on Mitchell Lawrie, the 15-year-old Scottish sensation and tournament’s number one seed. After an incredible season boasting six open titles, Lawrie is widely tipped as a strong favorite. He will begin his journey in the second round, facing the winner of the first-round match between England’s Harry Lane and Australia’s Declan Bailey.
Notably, Jimmy van Schie, who defeated Lawrie in the 2025 final, will not be defending his title. The Dutchman secured a PDC Tour Card earlier this year, moving on to professional circuit darts.
Jenson Walker: The Interceptor’s Challenge
The second seed, Jenson Walker, known as ‘The Interceptor’, has also had a stellar season, clinching eight ranking titles. His path to the final will start against the victor of the match between New Zealand’s Mark Cleaver and Australia’s Blake Hatchett.
The Former Champion: Neil Duff’s Return
The only former winner in the field is Neil Duff, the 2022 WDF World Champion from Northern Ireland. Duff faces a potentially tough opening assignment in the second round, awaiting the winner of a clash between England’s Lewis Gurney, a recent winner in Turkey, and the experienced Ron Meulenkamp of the Netherlands.
Other Key Contenders and Rising Stars
- Kaya Baysal, the 16-year-old Turkish talent and youth rival to Lawrie, is the eighth seed. He will begin his maiden campaign against either Stefan Schroder (Netherlands) or Pat Scurfield (England).
- Matthew Edgar, the sixth seed, secured his spot with a win in Hungary. He faces a tricky second-round tie against the winner of Haupai Puha (New Zealand) and Tomoya Goto (Japan).
- Jeff Smith, a finalist in 2016, must first overcome David Davies (Wales), with the winner advancing to face Corne Groeneveld (Netherlands).
First Round Highlights and Potential Upsets
The first round features several intriguing matchups where players will battle for a chance to face the seeded contenders.
- Harry Lane (ENG) v Declan Bailey (AUS) – The winner faces Mitchell Lawrie (1).
- Stefan Schroder (NED) v Pat Scurfield (ENG) – The winner faces Kaya Baysal (8).
- Mark Cleaver (NZL) v Blake Hatchett (AUS) – The winner faces Jenson Walker (2).
- Lewis Gurney (ENG) v Ron Meulenkamp (NED) – The winner faces Neil Duff (15).
- Sean Fisher (WAL) v Jitse Van der Wal (NED) – The winner could face Ross Montgomery (10).
- Anthony Brown (ENG) v Paul Lewis (ENG) – The winner could face Brian Raman (14).
- Haupai Puha (NZL) v Tomoya Goto (JPN) – The winner faces Matthew Edgar (6).
- Jeff Smith (CAN) v David Davies (WAL) – The winner faces Corne Groeneveld (11).
Full First Round Draw (Selected Matches)
Here are some of the other exciting first-round matchups:
- Alex Williams (WAL) v Dmitrii Rogov (ISR)
- Daniel Zapata (CAT) v Jack Drayton (ENG)
- Ben Townley (ENG) v Shane Sakchekapo (CAN)
- Franko Giuliani (AUT) v Joey Lynaugh (USA)
- Petri Rasmus (FIN) v Ryusei Azemoto (JPN)
- Liam Maendl-Lawrance (GER) v Berry Pater (NED)
- Carsten Hoffmann (GER) v Dennis Nilsson (SWE)
- Matt Clark (ENG) v Terry Tan (MLY)
Paths for the Top Seeds (Second Round Matchups)
Here’s a breakdown of who the top 16 seeds could face in their opening matches:
- (1) Mitchell Lawrie (SCO) v Lane/Bailey
- (16) Scott Robertson (SCO) v Williams/Rogov
- (8) Kaya Baysal (TUR) v Schroder/Scurfield
- (9) Mursel Yavuz (TUR) v Zapata/Drayton
- (4) Leonard Gates (USA) v Townley/Sakchekapo
- (13) Chris Lim (USA) v Giuliani/Lynaugh
- (5) James Beeton (ENG) v Rasmus/Azemoto
- (12) Jarno Bottenberg (NED) v Maendl-Lawrance/Pater
- (2) Jenson Walker (ENG) v Cleaver/Hatchett
- (15) Neil Duff (NI) v Gurney/Meulenkamp
- (7) Moreno Blom (NED) v Hoffmann/Nilsson
- (10) Ross Montgomery (SCO) v Fisher/Van der Wal
- (3) Paul Krohne (GER) v Clark/Tan
- (14) Brian Raman (BEL) v Brown/Lewis
- (6) Matthew Edgar (ENG) v Puha/Goto
- (11) Corne Groeneveld (NED) v Smith/Davies
With the draw now complete, the countdown to the WDF World Championship truly begins. Fans can anticipate a tournament filled with drama, skill, and unforgettable moments as players battle for darts supremacy at Lakeside.
Source: Based on an article from Darts World Magazine.
