World Seniors Darts World Championships 2025
The draw has been completed for the 2025 World Senior Darts Championship which will take place between February 19-22 at the iconic Circus Tavern with some real must watch ties drawn out and still some qualifiers to come.
The World Seniors Darts Championship is a premier tournament celebrating the sport’s veteran players, featuring competitors aged 50 and above. The fourth staging of the championship will see 28 players battling for a record £50,000 top prize. The event’s format includes four seeds, 12 qualifiers, and 12 invited players, creating a diverse and competitive field.
Matches follow a knockout format, starting with the first round and culminating in the final. The number of sets required to win increases as the tournament progresses. In rounds 1 and 2, players must win three sets to advance. By the final, competitors must secure seven sets to claim victory.
The event spans four days, starting with the opening round and concluding with the final on February 22. The Circus Tavern, located in Purfleet, Essex, has a storied history in darts, previously hosting the PDC World Championship.
John Henderson, the defending champion, claimed his first title in 2024 with a dominant 5-0 victory over Colin McGarry. Robert Thornton, who won the inaugural title in 2022 and defended it in 2023, also returns as a key contender.
Matches to Watch
The first-round draw offers a range of compelling matchups. Mark Dudbridge, a former world finalist, faces two-time BDO semi-finalist Chris Mason. The winner will meet defending champion John Henderson in what promises to be a thrilling second-round clash.
Tony O’Shea, a crowd favourite, takes on four-time Women’s World Champion Lisa Ashton in a match sure to captivate fans. Meanwhile, former WDF World Champion Neil Duff faces Vincent van der Voort, a newcomer from the PDC ProTour, in a highly anticipated contest.
Simon Whitlock, known as "The Wizard," marks his Seniors debut against Paul Hogan, last year’s quarter-finalist. Martin Adams and Darryl Fitton, two BDO legends, rekindle their rivalry in a nostalgic showdown.
Three-time World Champion John Part returns to the Seniors stage to face Jim McEwan, the 2023 World Seniors Matchplay finalist. Adding to the excitement, Trina Gulliver, the ten-time Women’s World Champion, makes her televised Seniors debut against Ross Montgomery, while Steve Beaton, another debutant, takes on last year’s runner-up Colin McGarry.
Second-round matchups are equally compelling. Henderson awaits the winner of Dudbridge vs. Mason. Thornton faces either Martin Adams or Darryl Fitton. Leonard Gates, a multiple World Seniors televised title winner, takes on the winner of Kevin Edwards vs. Qualifier 3. Richie Howson, the reigning Champion of Champions, will meet either Kevin Painter or Qualifier 2.
Three qualifying events held in Reading from February 1-2 will determine the final three spots in the field, adding an element of unpredictability.
2025 World Seniors Darts Championship Draw
First Round
Mark Dudbridge v Chris Mason
Derek Coulson v Mervyn King
Tony O’Shea v Lisa Ashton
Kevin Edwards v Winner of Qualifier 3
Richard Rowlands v Winner of Qualifier 1
Neil Duff v Vincent van der Voort
Kevin Painter v Winner of Qualifier 2
Colin McGarry v Steve Beaton
Paul Hogan v Simon Whitlock
Martin Adams v Darryl Fitton
Jim McEwan v John Part
Ross Montgomery v Trina Gulliver
Second Round
John Henderson v Dudbridge/Mason
Coulson/King v O’Shea/Ashton
Leonard Gates v Edwards/Winner of Qualifier 3
Rowlands/Winner of Qualifier 1 v Duff/Van der Voort
Richie Howson v Painter/Winner of Qualifier 2
McGarry/Beaton v Hogan/Whitlock
Robert Thornton v Adams/Fitton
McEwan/Part v Montgomery/Gulliver
