A new chapter in darts history begins on Monday as the inaugural 2026 Riyadh Season Saudi Arabia Darts Masters takes center stage, bringing the sport’s biggest stars to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the very first time.
Set for January 19-20 at the Global Theater, the landmark event is headlined by Michael van Gerwen, who arrives fresh from his Bahrain Darts Masters triumph and eyeing back-to-back World Series titles in the Middle East. The three-time World Champion showcased his class last week by overcoming Stephen Bunting, Gerwyn Price and Gian van Veen, and he now opens his Saudi campaign against India’s trailblazer Nitin Kumar.
“It felt amazing to win in Bahrain. It meant the world to me,” insisted Van Gerwen, the reigning six-time World Series of Darts Finals champion.
“Wherever I go, I always want to win. I always give 100%.
“I’ve had a tough couple of years, but you need to make sure you keep battling.
“This gives me confidence, and I think there’s more in the tank. As long as I keep believing in my own ability and performances, anything is possible.”
World Championship runner-up Gian van Veen also arrives in form after reaching two finals in as many weeks and faces Japan’s Motomu Sakai in round one, with a potential quarter-final clash against World Champion Luke Littler looming.
“I can’t be too upset with reaching two finals in a couple of weeks,” reflected Van Veen.
“This is something to build on, and I had a fantastic tournament in Bahrain.
“I’m here to win. That is the goal. I didn’t succeed last week, but now I’m looking forward to this tournament.”
Littler will again meet 71-year-old legend Paul Lim, while a staggering $100,000 nine-darter bonus—potentially rising to $200,000 via the Riyadh Season Bullseye—adds extra drama.
“I’d love to do it. Obviously, it’s something that’s an opportunity for all of us players, but I would love to be the first one to do it,” admitted Littler.
“It’s going to be very interesting, and it’s an opportunity for us players to visit a different country, and just experience it all.
“Riyahd is massive for the boxing, so hopefully we can go over there and make darts big over there.”
With Luke Humphries, Gerwyn Price, Nathan Aspinall, and Stephen Bunting also in action, all eyes turn to Riyadh for a thrilling desert showdown.
Source: PDC.TV
