"No one wants to suffer every week, this one hurts": Raymond van Barneveld unsure about darting future after abject Ally Pally display

For Raymond van Barneveld, his 33rd World Darts Championship appearance was nothing to cherish. The 58-year-old fell at the first hurdle, once again seeing a world championship end prematurely. A heavy blow for a player who had resolved to enjoy the scarce highlights of his career more, and dwell less on the darker sides of professional life.

With his 33rd Worlds appearance, Van Barneveld equaled Steve Beaton’s record. Nineteen of those came on the PDC stage, but there was no new chapter at Alexandra Palace this year. Against Swiss player Stefan Bellmont, the world No. 111, the Dutch darts legend never got a grip on the match.

The evening started promisingly. With his familiar walk-on song Eye of the Tiger, Van Barneveld had the Ally Pally crowd on their feet and opened with a 180. The atmosphere was exuberant, but on stage the five-time world champion couldn’t find the spark. After taking the first leg, his scoring power all but stalled. He would win just one more leg in the rest of the match, not until the third set. That opening 180 also turned out to be his last maximum of the night.

Bellmont capitalized fully on the dip. While Van Barneveld struggled to close out legs, it was almost always the Swiss who got first look at the doubles. In the second set the Dutchman missed a chance at tops, then a 110 checkout attempt fell short on double 16. Bellmont needed more darts, but did eventually land his tops opportunity.

Sky Sports commentator Wayne Mardle called it “a disaster,” though the stats paint a more nuanced picture. Van Barneveld averaged 92.5, higher than Bellmont’s 91.36, and hit more tons. Yet he barely earned chances at a checkout.

In the third set there was a flicker of hope. After quickly falling 2-0 behind, Van Barneveld did nick a leg, sparking an explosion of noise at Alexandra Palace. It proved a fleeting revival. Bellmont kept his composure and saw the job through professionally, while Van Barneveld could only watch.

Afterwards, the Dutchman was gracious in his assessment. “He played fantastic and just cleaned everything up. Credit to him. He simply played well,” Van Barneveld told Viaplay.

With another Worlds ending after one match, the questions about the future resurface. Last year his Worlds campaign also lasted just a single appearance. That pattern is starting to weigh heavily, especially given the season that preceded it.

“It’s obviously been a very poor year. On paper I’m a five-time world champion, but it just doesn’t come out. How to proceed from here is something I have to figure out. No one wants to suffer every week. This one hurts.”

With his World Championship ending early, Van Barneveld now has more than a month off. His new season begins on 01/28/2026 with the qualifier for the Winmau World Masters. “I’ve got homework to do,” Van Barneveld concluded.