Who will win at Ally Pally?

Preview of the World Darts Championships brought to you by The Bahrain Darts Masters

IT’S that time of year again. Whilst Bahrain gets set for National Day celebrations and the festive period, the best darts players in the world are about to battle it out for the three-week epic of the World Darts Championships in London.

The event’s place in sporting history is unmatched for the unique atmosphere, fancy dress and merriment which have become a hallmark of Alexandra Palace, or ‘Ally Pally’ as the venue is known. At the same time, there is a serious sporting side to this, as well as some not inconsiderable prize money. It’s the one that every player dreams of winning.

Performances at Ally Pally can also have an impact on who we may see in Bahrain for the Darts Masters in January. We are fortunate to be the first event to take place after the World Championships. Not only does that mean we can bring the Ally Pally buzz to Bahrain, but there is the chance for one or two players to put in a stellar performance and earn their place for our event on January 15 and 16 at our new home at Exhibition World.

When looking at the title contenders, most would look no further than the two Lukes.

Luke Littler and Luke Humphries have dominated the world of darts in the last couple of seasons.

Since winning his first major title (The 2024 Bahrain Darts Masters, no less), Littler has become a household name winning last year’s World Championships, with wins this year in the World Matchplay and Grand Slam of Darts. But he has also shown to be beatable, having lost in the final of the Premier League this year, as well as the World Series final. Despite that, he is the world Number One and clear favourite as the defending champion.

As for Luke Humphries, his consistency has remained strong this year despite losing in the semi-final this year in Bahrain. Having won the World Championships in 2024, his most notable triumph this year came in The Premier League final in summer, as well as three appearances in other major finals this year. He is second in the world rankings and has every chance of repeating his 2024 success.

Amongst the other top contenders are three fan favourites from previous editions of Bahrain Darts Masters.

Gerwyn Price ‘the Iceman’ won three Darts Masters titles this year and was runner up in Bahrain in January. His two semi-final appearances in the Grand Slam of Darts and Players Championship this year showed a strong return to form and given his history at Ally Pally (he won four years ago), he should certainly be in the mixer. 

Michael Van Gerwen can certainly never be written off as a three-time winner and last year’s beaten finalist. He also won the World Series final this year, so comes into the tournament with some momentum. He is also in a section of the draw which avoids many of the big guns, so should have a good chance of reaching the latter stages.

Stephen Bunting, current Bahrain Darts Masters champion, is seeded fourth and has a reasonable path to the latter stages. He was a semi-finalist last year but has had mixed fortunes since. He performed well in the World Series this year, in addition to his win in Bahrain, but struggled in some of the majors and the Premier League. Fans will be hoping he has a long run in the tournament, not least because his walk on song is always one that gets the crowd going (Titanium by David Guetta featuring Sia).

Outside of these favourites, Nathan Aspinall, ever popular with the fans, has had a mixed season by his high standards, has a tough draw and could face Luke Humphries as early as the fourth round. And, don’t rule out Michael Smith, who won the first ever Bahrain Darts Masters in 2023. Whilst his world rankings have dropped a fair bit since then, his recent quarter final at the Grand Slam of Darts gave a glimpse of his old form.

It’s also been great to see a return to form recently for Jonny Clayton. He was last seen in Bahrain at our first event in 2023 doing 270kph on the Bahrain International Circuit drag strip in our dragster experience. Whilst a dip in form followed (unrelated to the dragster, we hope), his 2025 has shown promise with an appearance in the final of the PDC World Masters and a handful of semi-final appearances in other ranking tournaments. Certainly not one to write off.

Whichever way the tournament plays out, in the next few weeks, it will no doubt be a world-class showcase of sport and entertainment.

We may well see some surprises along the way too, and perhaps even a player who can outperform and get themselves an invitation to the Bahrain Darts Masters.

Don’t forget that just two weeks after the World Championships end, you will be able to witness the stars of the game right here in Bahrain.

l You can pick up your tickets right now at Bahraingp.com. Hurry though, as many of the front sections are already sold out, which is a great sign of how popular the sport has become in Bahrain over the last few years.

– Laurence Jones

Senior Manager,

Marketing and Communications, Bahrain International Circuit