Preview UK Open Darts 2025: Everything you need to know about the FA Cup of Darts

The action is coming thick and fast in darts in 2025, and this weekend it is time for the 2025 UK Open. And like every previous edition, the UK Open is set to deliver some of the most exciting matches as one of the fan favourite tournaments on the PDC calendar.

Dubbed the "FA Cup of Darts" due to its open draw format, the event brings together top professionals and amateur qualifier which can create some incredible upsets. Taking place at Butlin’s Minehead Resort from February 28 to March 2, 2025, the UK Open will feature 160 players battling for the title and a share of the £600,000 prize fund, with £110,000 going to the winner.

But how does the tournament work? And what happened last year? And who are the favourites this year? Let’s take a closer look in our pre-tournament preview.
Follow all the results during the UK Open in our live-scores!

Read also

Tournament Centre UK Open Darts 2025: Schedule, all results, TV Guide and prize money breakdown

Tournament overview

Founded in 2003, the UK Open has rapidly established itself as a major ranking tournament, with past winners including some of the sports most legendary figures such as Phil Taylor, Raymond van Barneveld, James Wade, Michael van Gerwen, and Gary Anderson.

Unlike traditional PDC events, there is no fixed bracket or seeding, meaning top stars can clash early, and qualifiers can make deep runs for glory. The format also features a multi-board setup, particularly in the opening rounds, making it one of the most exciting events in darts for fans.

Following the third round, there will be an open draw on stage featuring all remaining players

Format breakdown

The 160-player field include:

• All 128 PDC Tour Card holders
• 32 qualifiers (from amateur tournaments and Challenge/Development Tour

The format

Rounds 1-3: Lower-ranked players and qualifiers start, with matches played in best of 11 legs

Round 4 (last 64): The top 32 ranked players enter (best of 19 legs).

Last 32 to Quarter-finals: best of 19 legs

Semi-finals & Final: best of 21 legs

Who is in action?

Luke Humphries (World number one)

The 2024 UK Open runner-up and reigning World Champion, Humphries enters looking to rediscover his very best form. 2023 and 2024 were super years for him, but he hasn’t quite been at his best since before last year’s Grand Slam of Darts.

Will we see the best of Humphries this weekend? He will enter in the fourth round as the number 1 seed.

Dimitri Van den Bergh (Defending champion)

The Belgian edged Humphries in an 11-10 final last year, in his second major PDC title after winning the World Matchplay back in 2020.

Van den Bergh made it to the semi-finals of the World Masters recently, and hit a nine darter in a victory over Michael van Gerwen in that tournament. Will he reach the same heights of last year?

Michael van Gerwen (Three time UK Open champion)

Despite his struggles in 2024, MVG remains one of the sport’s biggest names, and there are certainly signs that he is getting back to his best. Someone who has won 157 PDC titles in total doesn’t need to listen to critics, and he’s won the UK open on 3 occasions. But, having not won this title since 2020, he’ll be hungry to become champion again this year.

Gerwyn Price (Former World Champion)

The Welshman has been one of the most in form players in 2025 so far, but the UK Open remains one of the few major titles missing from Price’s CV. Ranked 9th, if he shows the form he has been in so far this year, he could finally get his hands on the title this weekend.

Luke Littler (The World champion)

Now we arrive at the man who defies all limits, the man who has broken nearly every record in his young career so far, and the man that is the world champion.

The 18-year-old sensation, also a Grand Slam of Darts champion, Premier League Champion and World Youth Champion, is going in search of his first title since winning the world title at the start of 2025.

It was actually in this tournament that Littler made his PDC debut at a major event, where he reached the fourth round only to lose to Adam Gawlas 10-8.

Peter Wright (2017 UK Open Champion)

Coming in at the number 12 seed, the Scotsman has had inconsistent form but knows how to win on the big stage. He showed in the most recent world championships that he is not ready to move over to the senior game just yet, but can he reclaim the crown he won in 2017?

Other contenders

Nathan Aspinall (2019 champion)

Rob Cross (2018 world champion and 2019 UK Open runner up)

Jonny Clayton (2021 World Grand Prix winner)

Dave Chisnall (semi-finalist in 2012)

Stephen Bunting (2024 Masters champion)

Damon Heta (semi-finalist in 2024)

Potential dark horses

Andrew Gilding (2023 Champion)

Despite being a past winner, Gilding still flies under the radar. The 54 year old’s first and only PDC major title came here in 2023, can he do it again this year though?

Danny Noppert (2022 Champion)

Often overlooked, the Dutchman has the experience and nerve to make another deep run. His 11-10 victory over Michael Smith in 2022 was a classic.

Dirk van Duijvenbode

One of the tour’s heaviest scorers, “The Titan” could thrive in the open draw. The 32 year old made it to the last 16 back in 2022.

Beau Greaves

Beau Greaves makes her UK Open debut after dominating the women’s scene. While expectations should be measured, any victories against male opposition would be historic, and she is more than capable.

What happened last year?

In the 2024 UK Open, Dimitri Van den Bergh clinched his first title in the final against then world champion Luke Humphries. The match was a rollercoaster, with both players missing multiple match darts. Van den Bergh initially led 4-1, but Humphries fought back to level at 8-8.

Despite the pressure from the crowd who wanted ‘Cool Hand’ to win, Van den Bergh held his nerve, eventually securing an 11-10 victory in a deciding leg. But can he do the same this year?

So there you have it, the FA Cup of Darts is just moments away from getting underway. The 2025 UK Open promises to be just as special as all of its previous editions. with an open draw format almost certain to guarantee some surprises. Whether it’s a top seed getting knocked out, more Luke Littler magic, or an unheralded qualifier shocking the world, Minehead is set for another unforgettable tournament.

Read also

Prize money UK Open Darts 2025: £600,000 at stake in Minehead

Dimitri van den Bergh is the defending champion at the UK Open

Schedule UK Open Darts 2025

Main stage

Mike Gillet v Rusty-Jake Rodriguez (R1)

Beau Greaves v Stefan Bellmont (R1)

William Borland v Brett Claydon (R2)

Darren Beveridge v James Hurrell (R2)

Thibault Tricole v Roelofs/Sykes (R2)

Jelle Klaasen v Lipscombe/Dewsbury (R2)

Scott Williams v Wessel Nijman (R3)

Ricky Evans v Gabriel Clemens (R3)

Henderson/Usher/Gillet/Rodriguez v Raymond van Barneveld (R3)

Stage 2

Cor Dekker v Niko Springer (R1)

Wesley Plaisier v Cam Crabtree (R1)

Sebastian Bialecki v Viktor Tingstrom (R1)

Shaun Fox v Max Hopp (R1)

Danny Lauby v Tim Wolters (R2)

Radek Szaganski v Benjamin Reus (R2)

Manby/Kirk v Haupai Puha (R2)

Chris Landman v Kist/Perry (R2)

Jermaine Wattimena v Florian Hempel (R3)

Madars Razma v Ryan Meikle (R3)

Wenig/Rowley/Sedlacek v Kim Huybrechts (R3)

Jeffrey de Graaf v Hunt/Czerwinski/Kuivenhoven (R3)

Board 3

Darryl Pilgrim v Chris Hartrey (R1)

Paul Rowley v Karel Sedlacek (R1)

Adam Lipscombe v Marc Dewsbury (R1)

Greg Ritchie v Jamie Kelling (R1)

Danny van Trijp v Henry Coates (R1)

George Killington v Owen Bates (R2)

Weber/Merkx v Wickenden/Girvan (R2)

Coulson/Labanauskas v Mario Vandenbogaerde (R2)

Joshua Richardson v Van Velzen/Bissell (R2)

Callan Rydz v Alan Soutar (R3)

Tricole/Roelofs/Sykes v William O'Connor (R3)

Jose de Sousa v Van Schie/Paxton/Stevenson/Van Dongen (R3)

Ian White v Klaasen/Lipscombe/Dewsbury (R3)

Board 4

Simon Stevenson v Jules van Dongen (R1)

Dennie Olde Kalter v Andy Boulton (R1)

Christopher Wickenden v Nathan Girvan (R1)

Oskar Lukasiak v Thomas Lovely (R1)

Marvin van Velzen v Tom Bissell (R1)

Steve Lennon v Dom Taylor (R2)

Martijn Dragt v Dudeney/Hall (R2)

Fox/Hopp v Justin Hood (R2)

Berry van Peer v Van Trijp/Coates (R2)

Rob Owen v Niels Zonneveld (R3)

Keane Barry v Van der Velde/Kanik/Brooks (R3)

Kevin Doets v Warner/Morris/Ritchie/Kelling (R3)

Manby/Kirk/Puha v Landman/Kist/Perry (R3)

Board 5

Tommy Lishman v Kai Gotthardt (R1)

Christian Kist v Daniel Perry (R1)

Maximilian Czerwinski v Maik Kuivenhoven (R1)

Jimmy van Schie v Adam Paxton (R1)

Lukas Wenig v Rowley/Sedlacek (R2)

Baker/Harrysson v Jansen/Gruellich (R2)

Henderson/Usher v Gillet/Rodriguez (R2)

Andy Baetens v Plaisier/Crabtree (R2)

Jim Williams v Martin Lukeman (R3)

Lennon/Taylor v Cameron Menzies (R3)

Dennant/Olde Kalter/Boulton v Lukasiak/Lovely/Cocks/Henderyck (R3)

Griffin/Greaves/Bellmont v Mickey Mansell (R3)

Fox/Hopp/Hood v Beveridge/Hurrell (R3)

Board 6

Tavis Dudeney v Graham Hall (R1)

John Henderson v Graham Usher (R1)

Danny Jansen v Dominik Gruellich (R1)

Derek Coulson v Darius Labanauskas (R1)

Lishman/Gotthardt v Michele Turetta (R2)

Adam Hunt v Czerwinski/Kuivenhoven (R2)

Van der Velde/Kanik v Bradley Brooks (R2)

Ljubic/Long v Nathan Rafferty (R2)

Van der Wal/Pilgrim/Hartrey v Lauby/Wolters (R3)

Grundy/Bialecki/Tingstrom v Luke Woodhouse (R3)

Weber/Merkx/Wickenden/Girvan v Matt Campbell (R3)

Szaganski/Reus v Baetens/Plaisier/Crabtree (R3)

Board 7

Leon Weber v Alexander Merkx (R1)

Adam Warner v Tommy Morris (R1)

Jurjen van der Velde v Tytus Kanik (R1)

Lee Cocks v Stefaan Henderyck (R1)

Dekker/Springer v Patrick Geeraets (R2)

Matthew Dennant v Olde Kalter/Boulton (R2)

Lukasiak/Lovely v Cocks/Henderyck (R2)

Rhys Griffin v Greaves/Bellmont (R2)

Nick Kenny v Baker/Harrysson/Jansen/Gruellich (R3)

Dragt/Dudeney/Hall v Borland/Claydon (R3)

Mensur Suljovic v Ljubic/Long/Rafferty (R3)

Van Peer/Van Trijp/Coates v Connor Scutt (R3)

Board 8

Scott Baker v Andreas Harrysson (R1)

Owen Roelofs v Tom Sykes (R1)

Charlie Manby v Aden Kirk (R1)

Pero Ljubic v Jim Long (R1)

Jitse van der Wal v Pilgrim/Hartrey (R2)

Robert Grundy v Bialecki/Tingstrom (R2)

Van Schie/Paxton v Stevenson/Van Dongen (R2)

Warner/Morris v Ritchie/Kelling (R2)

Dekker/Springer/Geeraets v Dylan Slevin (R3)

Lishman/Gotthardt/Turetta v Stephen Burton (R3)

Richard Veenstra v Coulson/Labanauskas/Vandenbogaerde (R3)

Richardson/Van Velzen/Bissell v Killington/Bates (R3)

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Unlock your ultimate darts experience—subscribe today for exclusive access to top stories.

Subscribe