World Seniors Darts Championship scrapped as the end looms for televised Seniors events
The 2026 World Seniors Championship has been cancelled in what appears to mark the end of the road for Seniors Darts.
The flagship event on the Seniors Darts calendar was due to take place from February 19-21 at the iconic Circus Tavern in Purfleet, but Live Darts understands the event has now been shelved, as well as the Seniors Darts Matchplay at Epsom Racecourse on November 15.
Tickets for both events have been taken off sale and fans are now receiving refunds from their point of purchase.
Speculation began to mount over the organisation’s future when it was discovered on Wednesday that the official social media channels had been rebranded and all advertising of upcoming events removed.
Live Darts has reached out to co-promoter Jason Francis for comment but is yet to receive a response. No official statement has been provided by Seniors Darts, leaving players and fans in the dark over the situation.
The World Seniors Darts Tour was launched in 2022 as a joint venture between MODUS and Jason Francis Sport, with a host of star names from yesteryear returning to the big stage, headlined by 16-time World Champion Phil Taylor.
The World Seniors Championship, World Seniors Matchplay, World Seniors Masters and Champion of Champions were held between 2022 and 2024, alongside a series of tour events open to any player aged 50 or over.
However, wholesale changes to the tour were unveiled in November, with tour events removed from the calendar and the age criteria for entries lowered to 45.
Greater emphasis was placed on invitations to televised events as opposed to a qualification system in order to satisfy broadcaster demands for the established names to take precedence.
A £50,000 top prize had been promised for the World Seniors Championship winner in February, however eventual winner Ross Montgomery received £30,000, with the overall prize fund decreasing from the previous year.
It is understood that substantial production costs, low ticket sales and loss of sponsorship meant a number of the major events were being run at a loss and that the tour was no longer financially viable.
The last event to take place was the Champion of Champions – which was moved to the 96-capacity MODUS Live Lounge in Portsmouth in June and saw Raymond van Barneveld included in the line-up despite being a PDC Tour Card holder.
An announcement followed that the Seniors Darts Matchplay was to take place as a 12-player, one-day event at Epsom Racecourse in November and the draw was conducted, but the event now looks to have been scrapped.
The news has been met with disappointment and frustration from both fans and players on social media, with reigning World Seniors Champion Ross Montgomery posting: ‘It was great to meet you all. As supporters you all made it superb and great fun. Personally I’m disappointed and sad at what’s happened but it is what it is. Hopefully see you all again.’
