Africa handed an extra spot at the World Darts Championship and World Cup of Darts following Kenyan sensation David Munyua’s fairytale run

The PDC World Darts Championship will take on an even more international character from next year. The PDC has announced that Africa will be represented by two players in future editions, instead of one. The decision follows the standout performances by international debutants at the current World Championship at Alexandra Palace.

The expansion means there will be separate qualifying tournaments for North and South Africa. The winners will qualify directly for the World Darts Championship. Up to and including this year, only one African place was available via a qualifying event.

The timing of the decision is no coincidence. David Munyua has been one of the most talked-about debutants at this year’s Worlds. The Kenyan, who works as a veterinarian, produced one of the tournament’s most eye-catching moments in his very first appearance.

In the opening round, Munyua turned a 2-0 deficit against Mike De Decker into a win. That comeback not only earned him a place in the second round, but also the sympathy of the London crowd. In no time, he became a fan favorite at Ally Pally.

The crowd largely backed the African debutant in his second match as well, against Dutchman Kevin Doets. Doets ended Munyua’s run with a clear 3-0 victory, but the Kenyan’s performances did not go unnoticed by fans or the organization.

By introducing two African berths, the PDC takes another step in the global development of professional darts. This year, Munyua qualified via the existing African qualifier, a route that will be split from next season to give more players access to the world stage.

According to PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter, the expansion fits perfectly within the organization’s long-term vision. “Our aim remains the continued globalization of darts at professional level. And we are moving in the right direction,” Porter said.

In addition to an extra place at the World Darts Championship, a second African team will also enter the World Cup of Darts, the African Darts Group (ADG) has announced. South Africa will be guaranteed a spot in the field, while another African nation will qualify for the 2026 team event via a separate qualifier.

Africa was not the only region to make a first strong impression this year. The World Championship delivered multiple historic firsts. Nitin Kumar recorded India’s first-ever win at the Worlds by defeating Richard Veenstra in the opening round.

Switzerland also made history. Stefan Bellmont delivered a milestone by knocking out Raymond van Barneveld and then pushed Damon Heta to the limit in the second round. In addition, Jesús Sálate became the first Argentine player to appear on the World Championship stage in London.

According to the PDC, this trend underlines that the sport is gaining broader support beyond the traditional darts nations. "The success Kenya's David Munyua and India's Nitin Kumar in being their nation's first winners on the World Championship stage and with Jesus Salate becoming the first Argentinian player in the event will only inspire more players from around the world and there is now a defined route for these players to gain more big-stage experience," Porter said. In a press release, the organization announced it will invest three million pounds over the next three years in the sport’s global development.