“I have to choose my family” – Danny Noppert turns down World Series invite for Australia and New Zealand

Danny Noppert will not be heading to Australia and New Zealand for this summer’s World Series events. The Dutch star has declined an invitation from the PDC, opting instead to prioritise time with his family.

The 35-year-old enjoyed an impressive 2025 campaign, reaching several semi-finals at major televised tournaments. His only real disappointment came at the PDC World Darts Championship, where an early exit cost him a place in the Premier League Darts line-up.

As a result, Noppert was offered invitations to the World Series events in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia earlier this year. He competed in both, but did so while unwell and was unable to produce his usual level. A fresh invitation was waiting for the upcoming Down Under double header, with a guaranteed starting spot, yet Noppert decided to turn it down.

“I’ve already booked a holiday, so it’s not going to happen. At least everyone knows now that I won’t be playing there,” the former UK Open champion said on the Darts Draait Door podcast.

For many players, a World Series trip to Australia and New Zealand is seen as a rare and prestigious opportunity. Noppert experienced it himself in 2023, when he travelled across the world alongside his younger brother.

“I’ve been there before, my younger brother came with me. We had a great time there. It’s special over there, but…”

However, he stressed that a World Series tour involves far more than stepping up for a few matches. The schedule is packed with media duties and promotional commitments, leaving little space to unwind.

“You’re there for two weeks, you don’t really have much free time and there are lots of commitments. Then I have to choose my family, so we can just go on a normal holiday. To Gran Canaria, just enjoy ourselves and not play darts for a bit. Especially with how busy the schedule is nowadays.”

There are six regular World Series events on this year’s calendar. After tournaments in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in January, the circuit will later visit Denmark, the United States, New Zealand and Australia, before the World Series Finals are staged in the Netherlands in September.