20 Most Important Darts Tournaments

Darts, a highly competitive and thrilling precision sport, has garnered a loyal fan base worldwide.

With numerous renowned tournaments showcasing the skill of distinguished players, here is an overview of the most important darts competitions.

Most Important Darts Tournaments:

1. World Championship
2. UK Open
3. World Matchplay
4. Premier League
5. Grand Prix
6. World Grand Prix
7. Players Championship Finals
8. Grand Slam of Darts
9. European Championship
10. World Darts Championship
11. PDC World Darts Championship
12. The Masters
13. World Series of Darts Finals
14. World Cup of Darts
15. Lakeside World Championship
16. International Darts Open
17. World Youth Championship
18. Women’s World Championship
19. Dutch Darts Championship
20. Belgian Darts Championship

#1 World Championship

• 📍 Location: Varies globally
• 📅  Established: 1994
• 🔄 Held: Annually
• 👥 Teams: Individual players

The PDC World Darts Championship, organized by the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), is the most prestigious darts tournament. Phil Taylor has a record 14 PDC titles.

The Championship’s high level of competition and thrilling matches made it a pivotal event in the evolution of professional darts, attracting global attention to the sport.

#2 UK Open

• 📍 Location: England
• 📅  Established: 2003
• 🔄 Held: Annually
• 👥 Teams: Individual players

The UK Open, organized by PDC, is also known as the “FA Cup of Darts” due to its open draw format. With multiple stages and a record 160 players, the UK Open provides a platform for both amateurs and professionals. Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen are among the tournament’s dominant players.

#3 World Matchplay

• 📍 Location: England
• 📅  Established: 1994
• 🔄 Held: Annually
• 👥 Teams: Individual players

The World Matchplay is another PDC flagship event, famous for its intense competition and unique format.

Phil Taylor dominated the tournament with a stunning 16 titles before retiring. Matchplay has been a significant platform for darts players to showcase their skills, with many memorable matches throughout its history.

#4 Premier League

• 📍 Location: United Kingdom and Europe
• 📅  Established: 2005
• 🔄 Held: Annually
• 👥 Teams: 10 individual players

The PDC Premier League features the top players in a league format, touring various venues in the UK and Europe.

Known for its high-quality play and spectacular rivalries, the league has been instrumental in popularizing darts. Players like Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson have multiple titles to their names.

#5 Grand Prix

• 📍 Location: Ireland
• 📅  Established: 1998
• 🔄 Held: Annually
• 👥 Teams: Individual players

The World Grand Prix is a unique PDC tournament, employing the ‘double-in, double-out’ format, adding to its intrigue.

Famously unpredictable, the event tests players’ adaptability and provides a compelling challenge for competitors. Phil Taylor has the most titles with 11 victories.

#6 World Grand Prix

• 📍 Location: England
• 📅  Established: 2001
• 🔄 Held: Annually
• 👥 Teams: Individual players

The World Grand Prix, organized by BDO (now WDF), is distinct from the PDC’s Grand Prix. It showcases top talents from both organizations, allowing players to compete against international opponents and gain global recognition.

The tournament has witnessed some gripping encounters and intense rivalry between the players.

#7 Players Championship Finals

• 📍Location: England
• 📅  Established: 2009
• 🔄 Held: Annually
• 👥 Teams: 64 individual players

The Players Championship Finals is a culmination of the PDC Players Championship series, featuring the top performers from the season.

The tournament has been a springboard for future stars, providing a platform for lesser-known players to make a name for themselves. Gary Anderson, Peter Wright, and Gerwyn Price have etched their names in its history.

#8 Grand Slam of Darts

• 📍 Location: England
• 📅  Established: 2007
• 🔄 Held: Annually
• 👥 Teams: 32 individual players

The Grand Slam of Darts is a unique PDC event that invites players from multiple organizations, including PDC and WDF, showcasing a high level of talent across the darts domain.

Historical rivalries and memorable moments define the tournament. Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen are among the dominant players, with multiple titles to their name.

#9 European Championship

• 📍 Location: Varies across Europe
• 📅  Established: 2008
• 🔄 Held: Annually
• 👥 Teams: 32 individual players

The PDC European Championship is a prestigious tournament, featuring the top players from the European Tour. Carsten Tischer, its founder, aimed to enhance the sport’s popularity in Europe.

Michael van Gerwen and Adrian Lewis have had notable successes in the competition, contributing to the tournament’s high-profile status in the darts community.

#10 World Darts Championship

• 📍 Location: England
• 📅  Established: 1978
• 🔄 Held: Annually
• 👥 Teams: Individual players

The BDO World Darts Championship, now known as the WDF World Darts Championship, is an iconic tournament that has contributed significantly to the sport’s development.

Historically dominated by players like Eric Bristow and Phil Taylor, the championship holds great importance for the darts community and paved the way for the PDC World Championship.

#11 PDC World Darts Championship

• 📍 Location: England
• 📅  Established: 1994
• 🔄 Held: Annually
• 👥 Teams: Individual players

The PDC World Darts Championship was established following the split from BDO and has grown to become the most prestigious tournament in darts.

The tournament showcases the best talent, with players like Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen clinching multiple titles. Its impact on the sport is immeasurable, elevating darts to new heights globally.

#12 The Masters

• 📍 Location: England
• 📅  Established: 2013
• 🔄 Held: Annually
• 👥 Teams: 16 individual players

The Masters is an invitational PDC tournament, featuring the top 16 players in the Order of Merit. It offers darts enthusiasts action-packed matches with the world’s elite.

Michael van Gerwen has been a dominant force, winning the title multiple times and creating unforgettable moments in the competition’s history.

#13 World Series of Darts Finals

• 📍 Location: Varies globally
• 📅  Established: 2015
• 🔄 Held: Annually
• 👥 Teams: 24 individual players

The World Series of Darts Finals is the culmination of the PDC’s global World Series tour, featuring top players from around the world.

The tournament showcases the sport’s international appeal, with iconic players like Michael van Gerwen, Gary Anderson, and Peter Wright leaving their mark on the competition, further promoting darts globally.

#14 World Cup of Darts

• 📍 Location: Varies internationally
• 📅  Established: 2010
• 🔄 Held: Annually
• 👥 Teams: 32 Nations (2 players per team)

The PDC World Cup of Darts is a unique tournament that represents the sport’s international reach. Teams of two players from each nation compete for national pride and global recognition.

The Netherlands and England have been the most successful nations, with legendary players such as Michael van Gerwen and Phil Taylor featuring in the event.

#15 Lakeside World Championship

• 📍 Location: England
• 📅  Established: 1986
• 🔄 Held: Annually
• 👥 Teams: Individual players

The Lakeside World Championship, previously the BDO World Darts Championship’s official venue, holds great historical significance in the darts community.

The iconic setting displayed unforgettable moments and champions like Eric Bristow, Raymond van Barneveld, and Phil Taylor. This tournament played a vital role in developing the sport and shaping its future.

#16 International Darts Open

• 📍 Location: Germany
• 📅  Established: 2014
• 🔄 Held: Annually
• 👥 Teams: Individual players

The International Darts Open, part of the PDC European Tour, showcases top talent from the darts world. Transmitting an infectious enthusiasm for darts in Germany, the tournament provides an excellent platform for young talents and seasoned professionals.

Notable champions like Michael Smith and Gerwyn Price continue to shape the event’s competitive history.

#17 World Youth Championship

• 📍 Location: Varies internationally
• 📅  Established: 2010
• 🔄 Held: Annually
• 👥 Teams: Individual players

The PDC World Youth Championship is a vital platform for nurturing and showcasing the next generation of darts talent. It allows young players to prove themselves on a global stage and carve out a professional career in the sport.

Past champions include Michael Smith and Dimitri Van den Bergh, who have gone on to achieve success in senior tournaments.

#18 Women’s World Championship

• 📍 Location: England
• 📅  Established: 2001
• 🔄 Held: Annually
• 👥 Teams: Individual players

The Women’s World Championship, now held under the WDF, celebrates the exceptional talent of women in darts. With past champions like Trina Gulliver and Lisa Ashton demonstrating skill and determination, it is an essential event in the darts community.

The tournament promotes gender equality and helps bring global attention to women’s darts.

#19 Dutch Darts Championship

• 📍 Location: The Netherlands
• 📅  Established: 2012
• 🔄 Held: Annually
• 👥 Teams: Individual players

The Dutch Darts Championship is an integral part of the PDC European Tour, highlighting the Netherlands’ strong darts community.

Showcasing both international and local talent, the championship has grown in stature since its creation. Recognized players like Michael van Gerwen, Adrian Lewis, and Ian White have celebrated victories in this tournament.

#20 Belgian Darts Championship

• 📍 Location: Belgium
• 📅  Established: 2020
• 🔄 Held: Annually
• 👥 Teams: Individual players

The Belgian Darts Championship, a recent addition to the PDC European Tour, aims to foster a vibrant darts culture in Belgium.

This tournament offers an exciting mixture of local and international players, promoting darts across Europe. Gerwyn Price won the inaugural championship, and newcomers continue to seek success and recognition on Belgium’s growing darts stage.

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