2025 World Grand Prix (darts)

Last updated
2025 BoyleSports World Grand Prix
Tournament information
Dates6–12 October 2025
Venue Mattioli Arena
Location Leicester, England
Organisation(s) Professional Darts Corporation (PDC)
Format Sets
"Double in, double out"
Prize fund£600,000
Winner's share£120,000
«2024 2026»

The 2025 World Grand Prix (known for sponsorship reasons as the 2025 BoyleSports World Grand Prix) [1] is an upcoming professional darts tournament that will be held at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester, England, from 6 to 12 October 2025. It is the 28th staging of the World Grand Prix by the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). The total prize fund is £600,000, with the winner receiving £120,000.

Contents

The tournament, sponsored by BoyleSports and played in the "double in, double out" format, will feature 32 players: the top 16 players on the two-year PDC Order of Merit and the top 16 players from the one-year PDC Pro Tour Order of Merit who had not yet qualified.

Mike De Decker is the defending champion, having defeated Luke Humphries 6–4 in the 2024 final.

Overview

Background

The tourmament will be held at the Mattioli Arena (pictured in 2017) in Leicester, England. Leicester Community Sports Arena (geograph 5582162).jpg
The tourmament will be held at the Mattioli Arena (pictured in 2017) in Leicester, England.

The 2025 World Grand Prix is the 28th edition of the tournament to be staged by the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) since the 1998 edition. The tournament is unique as it is the only event in the darts calendar that uses the "double in, double out" format, in which players must start on a double or the bullseye to start scoring and do the same to win a leg. [2] The inaugural edition in 1998 featured matches consisting of sets played to the best of three legs, with Phil Taylor winning the final 13–8 against Rod Harrington. [3] After first serving as host venue for the 2001 event, the Citywest Hotel in Dublin became the regular home of the tournament. [4] In 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Grand Prix was relocated to England due to the Citywest being used for health services, with the event being held in Leicester since 2021. [5] [6] Brendan Dolan became the first player to hit a double-start nine-dart finish, achieving the feat in his match against James Wade at the 2011 World Grand Prix; Wade and Robert Thornton both hit nine-darters in their match at the 2014 event. [7]

Mike De Decker (pictured in 2024) will enter the tournament as defending champion. Mike de Decker 2024.png
Mike De Decker (pictured in 2024) will enter the tournament as defending champion.

The 2025 edition will take place from 6 to 12 October 2025 at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester. [8] Irish gambling company BoyleSports continued its sponsorship of the event, having extended its partnership with the PDC until 2027. [1] Mike De Decker will enter the tournament as defending champion after defeating Luke Humphries 6–4 in the 2024 final to win his first PDC major title. [9]

Format

The tournament will feature 32 players; the top 16 players on the PDC Order of Merit are seeded and will be drawn to compete against the 16 qualifiers from the PDC Pro Tour Order of Merit in the first round. [8] All matches are in set play format, with each set being played to the best of five legs (first to three); it is one of three PDC tournaments that uses set play, along with the World Championship and the World Masters. [10] As per the "double in, double out" format, players must begin a leg by hitting a double or the bullseye and do the same to win a leg. The amount of sets required to win a match increases as the tournament progresses: [11]

RoundBest of (sets)First to (sets)
First32
Second53
Quarter-finals53
Semi-finals95
Final116

Prize money

The prize fund remained at £600,000, with £120,000 going to the winner. The prize fund breakdown is: [12]

Position (num. of players)Prize Money
(Total: £600,000)
Winner(1)£120,000
Runner-up(1)£60,000
Semi-finalists(2)£40,000
Quarter-finalists(4)£25,000
Second round(8)£15,000
First round(16)£7,500

Qualification

The 32 participants will comprise two qualification routes. The top 16 players on the two-year PDC Order of Merit at the cut-off point on 28 September are seeded for the tournament. The top 16 players on the one-year PDC Pro Tour Order of Merit, not to have already qualified through the main ranking, are unseeded. [13]

References

  1. 1 2 Phillips, Josh (23 April 2025). "BoyleSports extends World Grand Prix sponsorship to 2027". Professional Darts Corporation. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  2. Mardle, Wayne (7 October 2020). "World Grand Prix is different from any other major tournament". Sky Sports. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  3. "World Grand Prix 1998". mastercaller.com. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  4. "New home for Grand Prix". Sky Sports. 9 September 2009. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  5. Glennon, Michael (27 August 2020). "Dublin to miss out on World Grand Prix with HSE holding Citywest lease". RTÉ. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  6. Phillips, Josh (5 July 2021). "BoyleSports World Grand Prix heading to Leicester in October". Professional Darts Corporation. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  7. Mirza, Raz (7 October 2020). "Best nine-dart moments from the World Grand Prix Darts in Dublin". Sky Sports. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  8. 1 2 Gorton, Josh (28 August 2025). "2025 BoyleSports World Grand Prix race ahead of Flanders Darts Trophy". Professional Darts Corporation. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  9. Keogh, Frank (13 October 2024). "De Decker stuns Humphries to win World Grand Prix". BBC Sport. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  10. Nicholson, Paul (30 January 2025). "PDC World Masters: Season-opener gets a rebrand as the likes of Luke Littler prepare for the return of the most 'cut-throat' format in darts". Sporting Life. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
  11. Gorton, Josh (25 April 2024). "Format expansion & ticket prices confirmed for BoyleSports World Grand Prix". Professional Darts Corporation. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
  12. "World Grand Prix 2025". mastercaller.com. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
  13. "PDC Rankings Rules". Professional Darts Corporation. Archived from the original on 29 May 2025. Retrieved 31 August 2025.