WDF World Darts Championship 2025: Prize Money, Format Changes and Key Dates Confirmed for Lakeside Return

The World Darts Federation (WDF) has confirmed full details for the 2025 WDF World Darts Championship, which returns this winter to the iconic Lakeside Country Club in Frimley Green. Featuring a £221,000 prize fund, new match formats, and broadcast coverage through Welsh channel S4C, this year’s event promises another unforgettable week at the spiritual home of darts.

From Friday 28 November to Sunday 7 December, four world titles will be contested — the Men’s Open, Women’s, Boys’ and Girls’ Championships — as the WDF continues its mission to make darts accessible across every age and level.

The total purse of £221,000 remains unchanged from 2024 and continues to stand as the biggest prize fund in darts outside the PDC. The Men’s Open champion will pocket £50,000, while the Women’s winner earns £25,000 — still the highest prize in any women’s darts event worldwide.

The WDF has also reaffirmed its investment in the youth game. The Boys’ champion takes home £3,000, with £1,500 awarded to the Girls’ winner — a signal of the organisation’s commitment to developing the next generation of darting stars.

Winner: £50,000

Winner: £25,000

Boys’

Winner: £3,000

Girls’

Winner: £1,500

The WDF 2025 format will look a little different following consultation with players and fans.

In the Men’s Open, the first round expands from best of 3 to best of 5 sets.

The Women’s quarter-finals will now also be best of 5.

The Boys’ final extends to best of 7 sets, while the Girls’ final becomes best of 5.

The WDF has also adjusted the tournament schedule for a smoother flow. Afternoon sessions on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are scrapped, with evening play starting slightly earlier to create a more balanced and watchable event for fans both on site and online.

The qualification period runs until Saturday 1 November, immediately after the WDF World Masters. The final qualifier takes place in Budapest on Sunday 2 November, followed that same day by the official draw for all four events — streamed live via the WDF’s official YouTube channel.

The full schedule will be released no later than Wednesday 5 November. The opening day on Friday 28 November will feature six first-round matches in the Men’s Open, with two winners returning to the Lakeside stage the very next evening for their second-round clashes.

The tournament builds towards a high-stakes finale at one of darts’ most cherished venues.

Friday 5 December: Quarter-finals in the Men’s and Women’s events, plus the remaining Boys’ matches.

Saturday 6 December – ‘Semi-Final Saturday’: All four categories decide their finalists.

Sunday 7 December – Championship Finals: Four new WDF world champions crowned at Lakeside.

With 37 previous world championships already etched into its history, Lakeside Country Club remains the perfect stage for the sport’s most storied amateur event. The 2025 WDF World Darts Championship is shaping up to be another classic — rich in tradition, full of new talent, and ready to deliver drama on one of darts’ most famous stages.

For fans, the 2025 edition marks a continuation of the WDF’s revival of the Lakeside legacy — maintaining affordable entry points for players worldwide while providing a genuine world stage outside the PDC. For players, the raised set formats and balanced schedule suggest a more competitive, viewer-friendly event that stays true to the heritage of the game.

As winter approaches, all roads in the amateur darts world once again lead to Frimley Green — where legends are made, and the Lakeside lights shine brightest.