WDF World Championship Field Confirmed as Lakeside Prepares
The field for the 2026 WDF World Championship is now complete after the final six places were claimed at the weekend’s last-chance qualifiers. A total of 90 players will descend upon the iconic Lakeside Country Club in Frimley Green later this month for the tournament, which runs from 27 November to 6 December.
Teenage prodigy Mitchell Lawrie will arrive as the top seed in the Open category. The Scot, who is yet to turn 16, was a surprise finalist last year and will be hoping to go one better this time around. It is set to be his first and last attempt at winning the title, as he reportedly plans to make the switch to the PDC in January. He will face stiff competition from a field that includes Dutch Open winner Paul Krohne, American veteran Leonard Gates, former Tour Card holder Matthew Edgar, and two former champions in Ross Montgomery and Neil Duff. Chris Lim, son of the legendary Paul Lim, is also among the notable names in the draw.
In the women’s event, Deta Hedman will lead the field as she prepares to defend the title she memorably won for the first time last year. After numerous near misses over a long and distinguished career, Hedman finally lifted the trophy and returns as the number one seed. Among those looking to deny her a second successive crown are Welsh international Rhian O’Sullivan, Dutch star Aileen de Graaf, and New Zealand’s Nicole Regnaud. With the full lineup now known, the draw will be eagerly anticipated by players and followers of the sport. The top seeds will be considered favourites, but the unique pressures of the Lakeside stage often produce unexpected results, a factor that many will consider when looking at the latest tournament odds.
Aspinall to Miss Players Championship Finals
Nathan Aspinall will not feature in the Players Championship Finals later this month after withdrawing from the final two ProTour events of the season. ‘The Asp’ had been scheduled to play in Players Championship 33 and 34 in Leicester this week in a last-ditch attempt to qualify for the season-ending tournament in Minehead.
The world number nine has participated in only 13 of the 32 floor events held so far in 2026, earning £26,500. That return places him 77th on the Players Championship Order of Merit, outside the top 64 who qualify for the Finals. His best result came in the very first event of the year, where he reached the final. By pulling out of the final double-header, he has forfeited any chance of climbing into the qualification spots, bringing his ProTour season to a premature close.
Elsewhere in the PDC, Gerwyn Price’s transformation into a crowd favourite has been a notable storyline over the past 18 months. The Welshman, once a pantomime villain for many audiences, now receives widespread support. Interviewer Polly James suggested recently that Price’s previous antagonistic persona was likely a coping mechanism for the crowd’s reaction, rather than something he enjoyed. James believes fans have now embraced the authenticity and passion that the former world champion displays on the oche.
Looking further ahead, the field for the 2027 PDC World Darts Championship is already beginning to take shape. Three debutants have secured their place at Alexandra Palace through regional qualifiers. András Borbély, a 21-year-old from Hungary, won the Hungarian Super League to earn his spot. He will be joined by Rudie van Staden of South Africa and Lihao Wen of China, who also triumphed in their respective national qualifying events.
Taylor to Front New Youth Academy
Phil Taylor has been announced as the ambassador for a new darts academy in Wales, where he will aim to help develop the next generation of talent. The 16-time world champion will make regular visits to the academy to share the knowledge and experience gained over his remarkable 31-year professional career.
Now 66, Taylor retired from the professional circuit in 2018 with a record that includes 87 major titles. The new venture is a partnership with Ace of Sports, a company owned by former footballer John Jones, and represents a significant move by ‘The Power’ to invest his expertise back into the sport’s grassroots.
Meanwhile, the ADC Global Championship got underway in Portsmouth, with the opening day seeing the immediate exit of the defending champion, Jack Tweddell. In the straight knockout format, Tweddell lost out to Alex Williams. Former WDF World Champion Neil Duff began his campaign with a victory, as did David Davies. It was a less successful start for another former Lakeside finalist, Jeff Smith, who suffered a 5-0 whitewash defeat.
