2026 Bahrain Darts Masters Draw and Schedule – Luke Littler faces Paul Lim in a generational clash

Stephen Bunting will kick off his defence of the Bahrain Darts Masters crown against Japan’s Ryusei Azemoto on Thursday night, while newly crowned World Champion Luke Littler goes up against Singapore legend Paul Lim in one of the standout ties of the opening round.

The 2026 World Series of Darts gets underway with the fourth edition of the Bahrain Darts Masters on January 15–16, as a 16-player field competes at Exhibition World Bahrain for the season’s first World Series title.

Thursday’s first round sees the eight PDC representatives — led by two-time World Champion Littler — matched up against eight Asian challengers, with places on Friday’s Finals Day up for grabs.

Littler, who lifted the Bahrain trophy on his World Series debut in 2024, faces 71-year-old trailblazer Lim in a remarkable meeting of eras, with more than five decades separating the pair.

Defending champion Bunting begins his quest for consecutive Bahrain titles against Azemoto, a two-time World Championship qualifier, while world number two Luke Humphries once again meets Bahrain qualifier Abdulla Saeed, the third successive year the pair have been drawn together in the opening round.

World Championship finalist Gian van Veen resumes his rivalry with Hong Kong’s Man Lok Leung, renewing a matchup that previously produced a memorable contest on the Alexandra Palace stage in December 2023.

Three-time World Champion Michael van Gerwen opens his campaign against Alexis Toylo, the reigning PDC Asian Tour champion, as the Dutchman looks to make a strong start to the new season.

Elsewhere, two-time Bahrain runner-up Gerwyn Price takes on Japanese crowd favourite Motomu Sakai, who earned widespread admiration during his World Championship debut last month.

Former World Matchplay winner Nathan Aspinall meets Filipino star Lourence Ilagan in a repeat of their recent World Championship encounter, where Aspinall claimed a 3-1 victory.

Completing Thursday’s schedule, Dutch number three Danny Noppert faces host nation representative Basem Mahmood, with either Van Veen or Leung awaiting the winner in the last eight.

Following the opening round, the Bahrain Darts Masters concludes on Friday, featuring the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final — as the world’s top players battle it out for the distinctive date palm trophy and the first World Series title of 2026.

2026 Bahrain Darts Masters Draw and Schedule – Luke Littler faces Paul Lim in a generational clash

January 15-16, Exhibition World Bahrain

Draw Bracket

(1) Luke Littler v Paul Lim

Gerwyn Price v Motomu Sakai

(4) Michael van Gerwen v Alexis Toylo

Stephen Bunting v Ryusei Azemoto

(2) Luke Humphries v Abdulla Saeed

Nathan Aspinall v Lourence Ilagan

(3) Gian van Veen v Man Lok Leung

Danny Noppert v Basem Mahmood

Schedule of Play

Thursday January 14 (1900 AST, 1600 GMT)

Round One

Gerwyn Price v Motomu Sakai

Gian van Veen v Man Lok Leung

Danny Noppert v Basem Mahmood

Nathan Aspinall v Lourence Ilagan

Luke Humphries v Abdulla Saeed

Luke Littler v Paul Lim

Michael van Gerwen v Alexis Toylo

Stephen Bunting v Ryusei Azemoto

Best of 11 legs

Friday January 15 (1900 AST, 1600 GMT)

Quarter-Finals

Littler/Lim v Price/Sakai

Van Gerwen/Toylo v Bunting/Azemoto

Humphries/Saeed v Aspinall/Ilagan

Van Veen/Leung v Noppert/Mahmood

Best of 11 legs

Semi-Finals

Best of 13 legs

Final

Best of 15 legs

All Friday’s matches to be played in Draw Bracket order.