Littler and Humphries Set to Lead 2026 World Series of Darts in the Middle East

World Champion Luke Littler and world number two Luke Humphries will spearhead the opening legs of the 2026 World Series of Darts, with back-to-back events scheduled in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia later this month.

The global circuit begins with the Bahrain Darts Masters on January 15–16, marking the tournament’s fourth staging, before darts breaks new ground in the Middle East with the inaugural Saudi Arabia Darts Masters on January 19–20, held as part of Riyadh Season.

Littler returns to a happy hunting ground

Fresh from lifting his second World Championship crown, Littler will be the headline attraction across January’s Middle Eastern double-header. The teenage star enjoyed a dream World Series debut in Bahrain in 2024 and returns as the sport’s dominant figure.

He will be joined by seven fellow PDC stars, including reigning World Series regular Luke Humphries, who claimed the 2023/24 World Championship title, and Gian van Veen, the newly crowned European Champion and recent World Championship finalist.

Van Veen will compete alongside his Dutch compatriot Michael van Gerwen, the most decorated player in World Series of Darts history, while Stephen Bunting returns as the defending Bahrain Darts Masters champion after a standout 2025 campaign on the global stage.

Former World Champion Gerwyn Price also makes his return to the World Series circuit, with Danny Noppert — a four-time televised ranking semi-finalist in 2025 — and ex-World Matchplay winner Nathan Aspinall completing the eight-player PDC contingent.

Asian stars to challenge PDC elite

Both Middle Eastern events will follow the established World Series format, with the eight PDC representatives facing eight Asian qualifiers in the opening round.

Next week’s Bahrain Darts Masters will be staged at The Exhibition World, featuring six players from the PDC Asian Tour who recently competed at the World Championship. Filipino aces Alexis Toylo and Lourence Ilagan headline the Asian lineup.

They will be joined by Japanese pair Motomu Sakai and Ryusei Azemoto, alongside Singapore legend Paul Lim and Hong Kong’s Man Lok Leung, a World Cup quarter-finalist.

Rounding out the 16-player field are home favourites Abdulla Saeed and Basem Mahmood, who secured their spots by winning through last month’s Bahrain Qualifiers to earn World Series returns on home soil.

Saudi Arabia hosts World Series debut

The newly introduced Saudi Arabia Darts Masters will then feature the same eight PDC stars against the top eight players from the 2025 PDC Asian Tour rankings.

Toylo, Ilagan, Sakai, Azemoto, Lim and Leung will again be involved, while Filipino trailblazer Paolo Nebrida and Japan’s two-time World Championship qualifier Tomoya Goto complete the Asian challenge for darts’ elite.

With new venues, historic firsts and a star-studded lineup, the opening stops of the 2026 World Series of Darts promise to deliver another compelling chapter in the sport’s global expansion.

Littler and Humphries Set to Lead 2026 World Series of Darts in the Middle East

2026 Bahrain Darts Masters

January 15-16, Exhibition World, Bahrain

Competing Players

PDC Representatives

Luke Littler (England)

Luke Humphries (England)

Gian van Veen (Netherlands)

Michael van Gerwen (Netherlands)

Stephen Bunting (England)

Danny Noppert (Netherlands)

Gerwyn Price (Wales)

Nathan Aspinall (England)

Asian Representatives

Alexis Toylo (Philippines)

Lourence Ilagan (Philippines)

Motomu Sakai (Japan)

Ryusei Azemoto (Japan)

Paul Lim (Singapore)

Man Lok Leung (Hong Kong)

Abdulla Saeed (Bahrain)

Basem Mahmood (Bahrain)

2026 Saudi Arabia Darts Masters

January 19-20, Global Theater, Riyadh

Competing Players

PDC Representatives

Luke Littler (England)

Luke Humphries (England)

Gian van Veen (Netherlands)

Michael van Gerwen (Netherlands)

Stephen Bunting (England)

Danny Noppert (Netherlands)

Gerwyn Price (Wales)

Nathan Aspinall (England)

Asian Representatives

Alexis Toylo (Philippines)

Lourence Ilagan (Philippines)

Motomu Sakai (Japan)

Ryusei Azemoto (Japan)

Paul Lim (Singapore)

Man Lok Leung (Hong Kong)

Paolo Nebrida (Philippines)

Tomoya Goto (Japan)