Live Darts on Monday | World Darts Championship 2025/26 Day Five Preview and Order of Play

A host of box office stars begin their World Darts Championship campaigns at Alexandra Palace on Monday.

Day Five of the sport’s biggest-ever event plays host to another enthralling double session, with a multitude of former major title winners taking to the stage.

The afternoon’s line-up includes a showdown between two-time World Champion Peter Wright and Noa-Lynn van Leuven.

Wright is one of only six players to have lifted the Sid Waddell Trophy on more than one occasion, having triumphed in 2020 and 2022.

The eight-time major winner, however, arrives back at Ally Pally in his lowest seeded position (30) since 2011/12, having endured a torrid season on both floor and stage.

The flamboyant Scot has suffered first round exits in the World Matchplay, World Grand Prix and European Championship, while also failing to qualify for the Grand Slam for the first time since 2012.

However, he did reach a Players Championship final in April, as well as four European Tour quarter-finals during the season, and will seek inspiration from last year’s resurgent run to the quarter-finals at Ally Pally which included an emotional Last 16 win over Luke Humphries.

Wright’s opening challenge sees him come up against Women’s Series qualifier Van Leuven – who finished fourth on the Order of Merit and returns for a second stint at Ally Pally following last year’s debut defeat to Kevin Doets in Round One.

One of the stand-out ties of the opening round sees multiple ProTour event winner Cameron Menzies meet emerging star Charlie Manby.

Menzies heads into the World Championship seeded for the first time after a memorable campaign which has seen him clinch a second Players Championship title and reach a further two finals, as well as a quarter-final run at the World Grand Prix.

The enigmatic Scot is looking to atone for last year’s heart-breaking defeat to Leonard Gates in Round One, but faces a formidable opener against one of the sport’s most promising young talents.

Manby, 20, makes his debut after finishing fourth on the Development Tour Order of Merit, picking up a title along the way and sensationally registering a record average of 130.7 during Event Four.

Former Champions League of Darts winner and World Matchplay finalist Mensur Suljovic comes up against Canada’s David Cameron.

Suljovic competed in the first PDC World Championship at Ally Pally back in 2007/08 but has never made it beyond the Third Round in 16 appearances to date.

The Gentle was part of the Austria team that finished runner-up in last year’s World Cup of Darts, but he has struggled for consistency on both floor and stage since and has dropped to 60th in the Order of Merit.

Cameron is no stranger to winning on the televised stage, having famously claimed the World Seniors Masters title in 2022 with victory over Phil Taylor at Lakeside.

The 56-year-old, who notably defeated Ritchie Edhouse from two sets down on his debut in 2022/23, has secured a third appearance at Ally Pally as the top-ranked Canadian from the CDC ProTour.

The opening match of the afternoon sees nine-time PDC ranking event winner Brendan Dolan face debutant Tavis Dudeney.

Dolan has often preserved his best form for the sport’s biggest stage in recent years, reaching the quarter-finals in both 2019/20 and 2023/24.

The 2011 World Grand Prix finalist defeated Gary Anderson and Gerwyn Price during that memorable run two years ago before losing out to Luke Littler and has reached a Players Championship final this season alongside a further two semi-finals.

Dudeney has endured a difficult first season as a Tour Card holder, amassing just £9,500 in prize money, but showed his character to progress through the Tour Card holder qualifier last month with 7-6 wins over Darryl Pilgrim and Jim Long along the way.

Evening Session

Four-time major champion Jonny Clayton commences his campaign against dangerous debutant Adam Lipscombe.

Fifth seed Clayton has enjoyed a magnificent year in major competition, finishing runner-up in the World Masters and going on to reach a further three consecutive semi-finals at the UK Open, World Matchplay and World Grand Prix.

The tenacious Welshman added a European Tour title and a ProTour title and was also runner-up in the World Cup of Darts, and he returns to Ally Pally looking to eclipse his landmark run to the quarter-finals in 2022/23.

Lipscombe has enjoyed a fine first season as a Tour Card holder, reaching the final of Players Championship 7 as well as the Last 16 of the recent Players Championship Finals, defeating Cameron Menzies and Bradley Brooks for the loss of just three legs.

Meanwhile, two renowned power-scorers collide as Connor Scutt takes on 2010 world finalist Simon Whitlock.

Scutt has suffered second round defeats to Gerwyn Price and Damon Heta in his two previous World Championship appearances and reached the knockout phase of last month’s Grand Slam before being narrowly beaten 10-9 by Josh Rock.

Aussie icon Whitlock returns to the sport’s greatest stage after missing out last year, having won the inaugural ANZ Premier League in his homeland last month.

The 56-year-old, a former European Champion and World Cup winner, dropped off the tour at the end of last season but has featured on the World Series in 2025 and his competitive appetite remains as strong as ever.

Another mouth-watering tie sees 29th seed Dirk van Duijvenbode take on former WDF World Champion Andy Baetens.

Van Duijvenbode has roared back into form this season following a lengthy battle with injury, reaching the final of both the German Darts Championship and Players Championship 17.

The lively Dutchman also reached the quarter-finals of the World Grand Prix and is bidding to record his first win on the iconic Ally Pally stage in three years.

Belgian ace Baetens came through the Netherlands & Belgium Qualifier to book his place in this event for the first time, having underperformed by his standards during his first two-year cycle as a Tour Card holder, which is likely to see him return to Q School in January barring a miraculous run here.

The opening match of the evening sees 2024 Grand Slam finalist Martin Lukeman take on former European Tour event winner Max Hopp.

Lukeman has failed to hit the heights since finishing runner-up to Littler in Wolverhampton last November, with just one quarter-final on both the European Tour and ProTour to show for his efforts this season.

The 40-year-old is vying to reach Round Two at Ally Pally for the fourth consecutive year but faces a tough assignment against German icon Hopp – who makes his return to the World Championship stage for the first time since 2020/21.

Hopp became the second-youngest player ever to compete at the PDC World Championship when he qualified as a 16-year-old back in 2012/13 and regained a Tour Card this season following a two-year absence.

The action gets under way from 12.30pm GMT, with first round ties to be contested over the best of five sets.

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World Darts Championship 2025/26 Day Five Schedule

Monday December 15

First Round

Afternoon Session (12.30pm-5pm)
Brendan Dolan v Tavis Dudeney
Cameron Menzies v Charlie Manby
Mensur Suljovic v David Cameron
Peter Wright v Noa-Lynn van Leuven

Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
Martin Lukeman v Max Hopp
Dirk van Duijvenbode v Andy Baetens
Jonny Clayton v Adam Lipscombe
Connor Scutt v Simon Whitlock