"The way I’m performing, I think I can win against anyone" - Danny Noppert hopes to cash in on good form at PDC World Darts Championship

Danny Noppert will begin his eighth participation in the PDC World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace in December. Never before has the Dutchman arrived so highly placed as he does now: as number six in the world. After a particularly consistent year on the PDC Tour, Noppert hopes to finally polish off his modest World Championship balance and break through on the biggest stage of all.

The 34-year-old Noppert is among the most stable players on the PDC Tour in 2025. He is one of only four darters who managed to reach four semifinals at individual major tournaments this calendar year. Semifinal finishes at the World Masters, World Grand Prix, European Championship and the Grand Slam of Darts underscore his regularity. Yet one thing is still missing from his record: a real breakthrough at the World Championship.

“I'm really confident and I like to play on stage,” Noppert said. “I'm pleased with what I’m doing the last couple of months. Now I have to go a step further than the semi-finals."

According to Noppert himself, there is a clear development in his game. "I play a little bit quicker now, and if my first dart goes in then my other two are easier to follow. The way I’m performing, I think I can win against anyone. I always think positively.”

Although Noppert won the 2022 UK Open and has reached the semifinals 10 times on television, the World Championship so far remains a difficult chapter in his career. Never did he get beyond the third round. Since the 2022/23 edition, he has even been waiting for a victory on the World Championship stage. In 2023 he lost to Scott Williams, last year Ryan Joyce was too strong.

“So far, the World Championship has not been a good tournament for me,” Noppert acknowledges. “I don’t know why but at the World Championship it’s always an early exit for me, and that’s not what I want to do."

According to Noppert, several factors play a role. "Maybe it’s the set format. There’s a lot of good players in the PDC and maybe I've been unlucky with the draw. You can’t have an off day there; everybody wants to perform when the World Championship starts. Every player’s heartbeat goes up when they play there.”

Noppert recorded five wins in seven World Championship appearances. With his current status as a top-six player, he hopes to finally boost those numbers.

With the seventh highest prize money total of any player in 2025, Noppert is among the absolute best of the year. Only European champion Gian van Veen earned more as a Dutchman. Together they reached the semifinals of the World Cup of Darts last summer.

The broader Dutch line-up is also impressing. Jermaine Wattimena and Wessel Nijman are also posting appealing results. “We are all close to each other,” Noppert said. “There is a lot of talent from the Netherlands right now."

About his bond with Van Veen, he is clear. “Gian and I are really good friends. At tournaments, we practice with each other, and the relationship is really good. We are all fighting for the World Cup next year. It is nice to play for the Netherlands, but I always like to play tournaments that count towards the rankings.”

In the first round, Noppert will meet a familiar opponent: compatriot Jurjen van der Velde. The 23-year-old rookie impressed recently by immediately reaching the knockout stage in his first appearance at the Grand Slam of Darts.

Yet Noppert remains calm under the confrontation with a young challenger. His confidence is high without losing himself in grandstanding. “Maybe this year can be my year because my confidence is good,” he says.

“My performances in this year’s televised tournaments have been good; I’ve made lots of semi-finals. If I win a few rounds at the World Championship, I can go even higher up the rankings, and maybe even get a spot in the Premier League."

For Noppert, the stakes are high in London. Not only athletically, but also financially, a good World Championship could give his career another solid boost. “It would mean everything to have a good run at Ally Pally," he states. "With the prize money as well, life would change a lot."

Still, he remains level-headed. “I’m not someone that says they will lift the title, but in my head, I think it’s possible.”