Race to 2025 Men's WDF World Championship Update: American pair top the rankings while recent tournament success sees new faces join the fight

The WDF rankings have been updated for 21st August, with Alex Spellman topping the WDF provisional 2025 WDF Lakeside World Championships at Lakeside, with the tournament beginning at the end of November.

The ranking system is slightly different to what the PDC have implemented, with a points structure in place over a variety of WDF tournaments held globally. Players still have to defend points, but it is more regular than the PDC, with them having something on the line every year. The best ten results over the calendar year will be added to their tally. The top 16 in the race will qualify for Lakeside.

It is an American one-two at the top, with Spellman (540) edging out Leonard Gates (485). His recent USA Darts Classic title racked him up an important 90 points to add to his tally, extending the gap to his fellow countryman. It was also his first title since May, with a barren run of results following. Gates has played less tournaments, but struck gold in Toronto, winning the event to take home a huge 180 points to move him into a solid position to qualify. He recently came runner-up in the DPFL Live Event 2025, losing in the final to Stowe Buntz.

Five points back sits James Beeton, with a larger gap to David Fatum with 428 points in fourth and Matt Clark in fifth with 420. The main ranking leader, Jimmy van Schie, sits in sixth with 402 points after a drop off in form from his electric 2024 campaign. His recent triumphs at the Antwerp and Belgium Open have put him in a more comfortable spot.

Benjamin Pratnemer (379), Corne Groeneveld (368), and Jason Brandon (357) squeeze into the top ten along with Marko Kantele, who finished runner-up in the Swedish Open last weekend to push himself back up. He lost in the final to Brian Raman, who rose up to 14th with that important haul of points. Andy Davidson (331), Jonny Tata (326), and Dennis Nilsson (319) all sit above Raman (308).

Neil Duff's recent victory at the Timisoara Darts Grand Prix cannons him up to 15th with 306 points, with Thomas Junghans (298) placed in the final qualifying spot in 16th, just one point ahead of Englishman Vince Tipple, who despite coming out on top in the USA Darts Open still needs to find more to get him a spot in Lakeside.