Motomu Sakai, Lourence Ilagan, Ryusei Azemoto, and Paul Lim have secured their qualification for the 2025/26 Paddy Power World Darts Championship following the conclusion of the 2025 PDC Asian Tour in Qingdao, China. The final double-header, Events 25-28, delivered dramatic moments as players battled for Alexandra Palace spots. Sakai, who claimed four titles this season, will make his World Championship debut, while Ilagan will appear for the tenth time – his eighth consecutive – after winning four titles in 2025. Azemoto’s Event 28 triumph earned him a return to Alexandra Palace, and Lim, aged 71, will make his first appearance since 2021/22 after victories in Dubai and Kuala Lumpur.
The action-packed finale saw Lok Yin Lee edge Sakai 5-4 in Event 25, while Toylo secured top spot on the Asian Tour with a 5-0 victory over Ilagan in Event 26. Paolo Nebrida claimed Event 27, producing legs of 13, 12, and 13 darts to overcome Tomoya Goto 5-4. Event 28 provided the decisive qualifier drama as Azemoto rallied from 3-1 down to defeat Man Lok Leung 5-3, confirming his World Championship berth. “He will be joined in the sport’s flagship event by his compatriot Sakai, who claimed a quartet of titles across the season to confirm his debut in the World Championship,” the PDC noted.
The PDC Asian Championship will follow on September 13-14, with 48 players competing for the title. The winner will earn a place at the 2025 Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts, while both finalists will secure spots at the World Darts Championship. If the finalists have already qualified, the remaining spots will go to Leung and Nebrida, who finished sixth and seventh on the Asian Tour rankings.
2025 PDC Asian Tour – Qingdao Finals Highlights
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Event 25 Final: Lok Yin Lee 5-4 Motomu Sakai
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Event 26 Final: Alexis Toylo 5-0 Lourence Ilagan
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Event 27 Final: Paolo Nebrida 5-4 Tomoya Goto
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Event 28 Final: Ryusei Azemoto 5-3 Man Lok Leung
Source: PDC.TV
