Circus Tavern to host 2022 World Seniors Darts Championship

The Circus Tavern in Purfleet will host the inaugural World Seniors Darts Championship in 2022.

The World Seniors Championship is open to any player over the age of 50 and will take place from February 3-6.

The tournament is a joint venture between MODUS Sports and Jason Francis, who transformed his Snooker Legends exhibition tour into a global circuit which is now ratified by the sport’s governing body.

The World Seniors Championship is set to incorporate a top prize of £25,000 – exceeding that of the last BDO World Championship.

The iconic Circus Tavern has been announced as the host venue, having become synonymous with the sport after being the home of the PDC World Championship from 1994-2007.

The venue played host to some of the greatest matches of all time, including the epic Semi-Final between Phil Taylor and Eric Bristow in 1997 and the sudden death World final between Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld a decade later.

The PDC World Championship moved to Alexandra Palace in 2008, and the Circus Tavern has continued to host high-profile darts exhibitions in the subsequent years, as well as the final BDO World Masters in 2019.

The 24-player field for the World Seniors Championship will be comprised of 14 former World Champions from both PDC and BDO codes, plus a further seven invited players.

Two further places will be available via a qualifying event in November, though contractual ties mean current PDC Tour Card holders are ineligible.

The field is headed by 16-time World Champion Phil Taylor, who was the first player to be confirmed last month.

At 75, three-time World Champion John Lowe is set to be the oldest player in the line-up, ahead of 73-year-old Bob Anderson.

Wayne Warren, the 2020 BDO World Champion and current MAD World Champion, will also be in action, alongside 1995 Lakeside Champion Richie Burnett and 2004 champion Andy Fordham.

Keith Deller, the 1983 World Champion, will also feature, having also won the League of Legends event back in 2009.

Ten-time Women’s World Champion Trina Gulliver MBE will make her return to competitive action, alongside two-time BDO World Champion Ted Hankey and 1997 champion Les Wallace.

John Part is one of three former PDC World Champions in action, while Australia’s Tony David is also set to compete, having won the BDO world title in 2002.

Three-time BDO World Champion Martin Adams and 2001 champion John Walton also accepted their invitations.

Former PDC world finalists Kevin Painter and Peter Manley are among the seven wildcards, as well as crowd favourites Tony O’Shea and Terry Jenkins.

Multiple major winner Robert Thornton, who dropped off the PDC circuit at the end of last season, also features alongside former UK Open champion Roland Scholten and Singapore legend Paul Lim.

Two-time World Champion Dennis Priestley is awaiting knee surgery and withdrew from the competition, with former World Trophy winner Darryl Fitton called up as his replacement.

Two-time world finalist Bobby George and 2009 Women’s World Champion Francis Hoenselaar have both accepted ambassadorial roles.

Organisers remain in advanced talks over television coverage, while the format and ticket news will be confirmed in due course.

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World Seniors Championship 2022 Invited Players

Phil Taylor
Keith Deller
Bob Anderson
Martin Adams
John Walton
Wayne Warren
John Lowe
Ted Hankey
Andy Fordham
Richie Burnett
John Part
Les Wallace
Tony David
Trina Gulliver
Kevin Painter
Tony O’Shea
Terry Jenkins
Peter Manley
Robert Thornton
Roland Scholten
Paul Lim
Darryl Fitton

Plus a further two qualifiers