WDF Lakeside Race Update: 27 players including top favourite Mitchell Lawrie — already assured of places at 'home of World Darts'

WDF
Sunday, 13 September 2026 at 15:30
Mitchell Lawrie (1)
The contours of the WDF World Championship 2026 are coming into sharper focus. After the Philippines Open, 27 players are now assured of a place at the Lakeside World Championship. A large part of the field remains open, however: dozens of spots for the Open qualifiers still need to be filled. Several spots in the women’s and youth events are also still up for grabs.
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The WDF World Championship will be played from 27.11.2026 to 06.12.2026 at the iconic Lakeside Country Club in Frimley Green. It is the precursor also to the PDC World Darts Championship as one of two main title tilts this season.

Many familiar names already qualified

In the men’s field, sixteen players currently sit on a qualifying path via the provisional Open Race Ranking. Mitchell Lawrie, winner of the Denmark Open, leads that list. Behind the Scot are, among others, Jenson Walker, Paul Krohne, Moreno Blom, Corne Groeneveld, Ross Montgomery, James Beeton, and Leonard Gates.
Chris Lim is also certain of Lakeside. The American secured his spot by winning the World Masters. In addition, Neil Duff, Kaya Baysal, Andras Borbely, Mursel Yavuz, Jarno Bottenberg, Daniel Zapata, and Belgian Brian Raman currently complete the top sixteen.
Several players are also in thanks to victories at key WDF events. David Davies, Jason Brandon, Jack Drayton, Jeff Smith, Ryusei Azemoto, Mark Cleaver, Blake Hatchett, and Terry Jun Hao Tan have booked their tickets. The winner of the Hungarian Masters will likewise receive a direct place.
The regional ranking tables will add more qualifiers. Among those currently on course are Ryuta Arihara, Christian De Los Reyes, Raymond Smith, Declan Bailey, Jean-Michel Legault, Franko Giuliani, Haupai Puha, and Caleb Hope.
Berry Pater has qualified, as has Stefan Schröder is also on track for Lakeside. Liam Maendl-Lawrance is among the players currently in position via the last-chance qualifier.
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Lakeside Qualification Men

RankPlayerCountry
1Mitchell LawrieSCO
2Jenson WalkerENG
3Paul KrohneGER
4Moreno BlomNED
5Corne GroeneveldNED
6Ross MontgomerySCO
7James BeetonENG
8Leonard GatesUSA
9Chris LimUSA
10Neil DuffNI
11Kaya BaysalENG
12Andras BorbelyHUN
13Mursel YavuzTUR
14Jarno BottenbergNED
15Daniel ZapataCAT
16Brian RamanBEL
17David DaviesWAL
18Jason BrandonUSA
19Jack DraytonENG
20Jeff SmithCAN
21Ryusei AzemotoJPN
22Mark CleaverNZL
23Blake HatchettAUS
24Terry Jun Hao TanMLY
25Hungarian Masters winner
26Ryuta AriharaJPN
27Christian De Los ReyesPHI
28Raymond SmithAUS
29Declan BaileyAUS
30Jean-Michel LegaultCAN
31Franko GiulianiAUT
32Haupai PuhaNZL
33Caleb HopeNZL
34Petri RasmusFIN
35Dennis NilssonSWE
36Ethan De VeyraUSA
37Scott RobertsonSCO
38Alex SpellmanUSA
39Alex WilliamsWAL
40Stefan SchroderNED
41Matthew EdgarENG
42Carsten HoffmannGER
43Anthony BrownENG
44Matt ClarkENG
45Berry PaterNED
46Liam Maendl-LawranceGER
47Q3
48Q4

Women’s field taking shape as well

Twelve of the 24 spots in the women’s event are now filled. Deta Hedman tops the provisional qualifying list. The Englishwoman won the WDF World Championship 2025 and several major WDF events in 2026.
Priscilla Steenbergen, Maria Carli, Rhian O'Sullivan, Paula Jacklin, Kirsi Viinikainen, Gemma Hayter, and Nicole Regnaud are also set.
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Among the regional qualifiers we currently find Joanne Hadley, Jitka Cisarova, Cali West, and Dutch player Lerena Rietbergen. Aileen de Graaf, Irina Armstrong, Emine Dursun, Paula Murphy, Anca Zijlstra, and Eve Watson are also on qualifying pace.

Lakeside Qualification – Women's

RankPlayerCountry
1Deta HedmanENG
2Priscilla SteenbergenNED
3Maria CarliCAN
4Rhian O'SullivanWAL
5Paula JacklinENG
6Kirsi ViinikainenFIN
7Gemma HayterENG
8Nicole RegnaudNZL
9Mayumi OuchiJPN
10Christine RichardsonAUS
11Lovely Mae OrbetaPHI
12Hungarian Masters winner
13Joanne HadleyAUS
14Jitka CisarovaCZE
15Cali WestUSA
16Lerena RietbergenNED
17Aileen de GraafNED
18Irina ArmstrongGER
19Emine DursunTUR
20Paula MurphyUSA
21Anca ZijlstraNED
22Eve WatsonWAL
23Sophie McKinlaySCO
24Q2

Lawrie leads boys again

The youth will also take to the big Lakeside stage. In the boys’ event, Mitchell Lawrie and Benjamin Dopfer are already in as winners of the World Championship and World Masters respectively. Kaya Baysal, Kai Burger, Jack Nankervis, Mason Teese, Mika Donnevert, and Zsolt Csajbok are likewise on course to qualify.
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Kaya Baysal
Baysal set for Lakeside again.
In the girls’ event, Zehra Gemi and Ruby Grey are assured of participation. Paige Pauling and Macy Gibbons currently hold the two places via the ranking.
The qualifying battle is far from over. The WDF ranking calendar continues at full pace in the coming weeks. From 10.09 to 13.09, new ranking events are scheduled in India, Canada, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, and the United States.
The WDF will keep updating the provisional entry list weekly until the end of the season on 02.11. After that, it will be clear who will travel to the legendary Lakeside to contest the world titles.
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