The 15-year-old prodigy, the tourcardless titan and the Aussie Guru - The favorites for the WDF World Championship at Lakeside

The next major stop on the global darts circuit is fast approaching: the WDF World Championship. As tradition dictates, the iconic Lakeside Country Club will host the action, with the first darts taking flight on November 28 at 7 p.m.

Many familiar faces return to the famous stage—among them defending champion Shane McGuirk, who claimed last year’s title in a memorable final against Paul Lim. Since the BDO’s demise in 2020, this marks the fourth edition of the WDF’s flagship event.

Shane McGuirk is back to defend his crown—but this time without a seed beside his name. The Irishman has slipped outside the WDF’s top 16 and will therefore begin his campaign in the opening round on Friday evening. Waiting for him is Petri Rasmus, who came through the qualifying event and produced a standout 93 average while knocking out Ron Meulenkamp.

If McGuirk settles quickly, this opening hurdle should be manageable. A tougher test awaits in round two in the form of Stefan Schröder, the Dutchman enjoying a superb 2025 highlighted by titles at the Hungarian Masters and Irish Classic. McGuirk will fancy his chances of another deep run, but the draw stiffens significantly around the quarter-finals—where the tournament’s true heavy hitters reside, and where anything less than a 90+ average rarely suffices against him.

A potential quarter-final showdown looms with Jimmy van Schie, one of the hottest players in the WDF right now. The towering Dutchman continues to perplex many observers: despite his level, he remains without a PDC Tour Card. This year he fell just short again, losing the PDC World Championship qualifier final to Andy Baetens, who averaged 100 in the decider.

Van Schie enters Lakeside as the world No. 1, buoyed by major successes including the World Masters title. His opening assignment will be the winner of Alex Williams vs. Romeo Grabavac—a challenge, but one he’ll expect to navigate. Known for relentless scoring and rock-solid averages, a Lakeside triumph would feel less like an upset and more like the logical next step in his season.

German standout Paul Krohne could cross paths with van Schie in the last 16. Now one of the tournament favourites, Krohne has flourished since voluntarily relinquishing his PDC Tour Card at the start of the year. His confidence has surged thanks to strong European Tour campaigns.

At the World Masters, only a superb performance from Jeff Smith stopped him. He also shone in the PDC Europe Next Gen and the PDC Europe Super League, narrowly missing Ally Pally qualification after Liam Maendl-Lawrence averaged a stunning 102 against him. Seeded 16, Krohne is not someone top contenders will relish facing early.

He opens against either Dalibor Smolik or seasoned Finn Marko Kantele. Kantele’s slow, deliberate rhythm is notoriously disruptive, so Krohne will need to start sharply to avoid an early exit.

One man who always raises eyebrows at Lakeside is Raymond Smith. The Australian qualified for the PDC World Championship but declined his spot, choosing instead to pursue his dream of WDF world glory. Considered one of Australia’s finest, Smith makes just his second WDF Worlds appearance despite having played at Ally Pally three times.

This could well be the best form of his career, bolstered by success in the ANZ Premier League. In round one, he meets Cliff Prior or Clint Clarkson, a very winnable start. Should he hit the ground running, Smith becomes a real danger for a deep Lakeside run.

Another major contender is only 15 years old—and no, not Luke Littler, but Mitchell Lawrie. The Scottish sensation has dominated the WDF youth scene for months and has already transitioned impressively into senior competition, winning the British Open, Welsh Open, and Irish Open.

Many pundits rate him as the tournament favourite. At the Irish Open Youth, Lawrie opened with a 102 average and won the final with a 103—figures many established pros would envy. Despite being ranked No. 13 in the world, he enters in round one due to the ranking cut-off.

His opener comes against Tomoya Maruyama, winner of the Japan Open. If Lawrie finds his trademark relaxed, fluent rhythm, he should advance comfortably. A round-two meeting with Jason Brandon, the in-form American, follows. Should Lawrie manage the occasion and maintain his composure, this astonishing teenager could remain in the title picture right to the finish.