Max Hopp and a 71-year-old legend: The biggest comebacks of the 2026 World Darts Championship

The 2026 World Darts Championship not only brings together the best players in the world, but also personalities who have found their way back to Alexandra Palace after setbacks, form crises or long breaks. Five comeback stories stand out in particular - each remarkable in its own way.

At 59, Mervyn King is an institution in the sport of darts, even if he has always been denied the really big title in his long career. Six major finals, a World Championship semi-final in 2009 and numerous successes on the Pro Tour stand for a career full of consistency - until the Englishman slipped down the rankings after his participation in the 2023 World Championship and ultimately even lost his Tour Card. This was followed by a move to the Challenge Tour, combined with the harsh reality of having to fight his way back up in the lower house.

He finally made his return in dramatic fashion. In the last tournament of the Challenge Tour season, King survived three match darts from Lee Cocks in the quarter-finals, while rival Michael Unterbuchner was eliminated at the same time. With fourth place in the final Order of Merit, King surprisingly secured his World Championship spot. On December 12, he will meet Ian White in the afternoon session and celebrate his comeback on the sport's biggest stage.

Simon Whitlock has been one of the defining figures in international darts for years. However, the 2012 European Champion, 2022 World Cup winner and 2010 World Darts Championship finalist seemed to have reached the end of his professional career after his last World Championship appearance in 2024. Missing out on qualification last year and losing his Tour Card led many to assume that the Australian had already written the final chapter of his illustrious career.

But Whitlock found new momentum in his home country. By winning the first edition of the ANZ Premier League, the 56-year-old celebrated a remarkable comeback and at the same time secured his ticket for the World Championship. His return takes him to his first round match against Connor Scutt in the evening session on December 15.

Hardly any comeback at this World Championship has been as surprising as that of Cristo Reyes. The Spaniard, who reached the round of 16 at major tournaments several times in the mid-2010s and was considered one of the most talented newcomers, almost completely disappeared from the scene after the 2021 season. Travel difficulties during the coronavirus pandemic and the loss of his Tour Card meant that he no longer played any PDC tournaments from 2022.

When Reyes suddenly appeared at the Mediterranean Qualifier in November 2025, a jolt went through the darts scene. Even more remarkable: he played his way to victory there in impressive style and with top-class averages and thus back to the World Darts Championship. On December 12, the 38-year-old will meet Gian van Veen in the evening session - his first match at the Ally Pally for six years.

Max Hopp has been the figurehead of the German darts scene for years. Semi-finals at the World Championship and the European Championship as well as his European Tour title in 2018 made him the pioneer of an entire German generation. After his last World Championship appearance in 2021, however, Hopp lost touch, missed the following World Championships by a wide margin and ultimately slipped so far that he lost his Tour Card.

The new start came at the beginning of 2025 at the Q-School, where Hopp surprisingly regained his Tour Card. His comeback year was convincing: stable performances on the Pro Tour, qualification for the Players Championship Finals and ultimately 28th place in the Pro Tour qualifying race - enough to secure his place at the 2026 World Championship. On December 15, the 29-year-old will face Martin Lukeman in the evening session.

Paul Lim is one of the defining figures in the history of darts. At the age of 71, the "Singapore Slinger" is taking part in a World Darts Championship for the 28th time this winter. His 9-darter at the 1990 BDO World Championship is still legendary today, as are his countless international successes. Even in his old age, Lim remains competitive - in 2024 he sensationally reached the final of the WDF World Championship and impressively proved that he continues to stand not only for beautiful stories, but also extraordinary darts on stage.

Lim qualified for the 2026 PDC World Championship via the Asian Tour, where he won two tournaments and performed consistently over the months. The crowd favorite is thus returning to the biggest of all PDC stages after his last participation in 2022. On December 13, he will face Jeffrey de Graaf - and once again Alexandra Palace will tell the story of a man who can seemingly outwit time.