Preview Monday afternoon PDC World Darts Championship 2026: Wright faces Van Leuven in headline act

On Monday afternoon, December 15, the next four first-round matches at the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship are on the schedule. They feature, among others, a two-time world champion, a lightning-fast Scot, and a rising prospect.

The afternoon opens with “The History Maker” Brendan Dolan against 21-year-old Tavis Dudeney. Next up is Scotsman Cameron Menzies, renowned for his blistering pace, who faces 20-year-old talent Charlie Manby. Then it’s Mensur Suljovic versus David Cameron, before we finish with the blockbuster between two-time world champion Peter Wright and the Dutchwoman Noa-Lynn van Leuven.

Brendan Dolan heads to his 18th World Championship. The Northern Irishman has been around for years and reached the quarterfinals twice in previous appearances, most recently two years ago. On the floor this year he posted decent results, reaching the semifinals twice and even one final. He played only twice on the European Tour, and both times his run ended after one match.

He meets 21-year-old Tavis Dudeney, who makes his Alexandra Palace debut. The young Englishman mainly played the Development Tour and floor events this year. The floor, however, was a struggle. He reached the last 16 once but otherwise suffered mostly first-round exits. On the Development Tour he made two quarterfinals and one semifinal. That left him 29th on that ranking, which wasn’t enough for a Worlds ticket. He therefore took one last shot at the World Championship Tour Card Holder Qualifier, and that paid off. He defeated Darryl Pilgrim, Jim Long, and Martijn Dragt in succession to claim one of the final five spots. On paper, Dolan’s experience makes him a slight favorite.

Next comes one of the most enticing matches of the first round. Cameron Menzies takes on prospect Charlie Manby. Menzies has had an excellent year and has climbed to 26th on the Order of Merit. At the Players Championship events the Scot was formidable, reaching three semifinals and winning the title at the fourth event. Beyond the floor, ‘Cammy’ also performed well. On the European Tour he was consistent and made several final days. The quarterfinals proved his ceiling there. Only on the majors did it disappoint somewhat. He reached the quarterfinals at the World Grand Prix, but elsewhere the Scot often exited early.

Menzies won’t have been thrilled with the draw. He immediately runs into one of the most exciting prospects in Charlie Manby. The 20-year-old played both the Challenge Tour and the Development Tour this year. He particularly excelled on the latter and finished fourth on the Order of Merit, securing his spot at this Worlds. He also won two tournaments at the MODUS Super Series. ‘Champagne’ will be among the contenders to earn a Tour Card at Q-School in January. While Menzies will still be the favorite on paper, Manby can certainly trouble the Scot and possibly even win. If he handles the Ally Pally pressure, this could turn into a thriller.

Mensur Suljovic and David Cameron then go head-to-head. Suljovic travels to Alexandra Palace for the seventeenth time, where he has never truly shone. In sixteen previous appearances he reached the third round only four times. The Austrian is also not in the best phase of his career. He failed to convince on the floor and played just five European Tour events, with one last-16 run. He has slipped to 56th in the world rankings, putting him in danger of dropping out of the top 64 and losing his Tour Card.

He faces Canadian David Cameron in the first round. Cameron played the CDC Pro Tour this year, reaching three semifinals and one final. That route also earned his World Championship qualification. The pair look evenly matched, so the small margins may decide it. Suljovic has more experience on the big stage, which could work in his favor.

And then the closer: ‘Snakebite’ Peter Wright opens against Dutchwoman Noa-Lynn van Leuven. Wright is a two-time world champion and knows what it takes to perform on the Alexandra Palace stage. He heads to London for the seventeenth time but with less confidence than in previous years. The Scot has long been battling for form. Yet he often finds something special at Ally Pally, as shown last year when he shocked everyone by knocking out Luke Humphries in the last 16. Judging purely by his results this year, however, nothing suggests a deep run. And Van Leuven might even spring an upset straight away.

It’s common knowledge that all big names are wary of their opening match at the Worlds, simply because that first hurdle must be cleared. So Wright will first want to survive round one, and Van Leuven is no easy opponent. The Dutchwoman won two Women’s Series titles, no mean feat with Beau Greaves dominating most events there. She also gained Worlds experience last year, losing in the first round to compatriot Kevin Doets. If she finds her best game, she has a genuine chance to beat Wright, but much depends on how ‘Snakebite’ turns up. If he’s found something and rediscovers his old form it will be tough, but if he continues to toil as he has all year, there are real opportunities for Van Leuven to claim her first Ally Pally win.