Kenyan darts star David Munyua will be hoping to get his PDC World Darts Championship campaign off to a flying start at the Alexandra Palace in London on Thursday when he takes on Belgium's Mike De Decker in his first round of the global championship.
The PDC World Championship, the crown jewel of professional darts, attracts 128 elite players all battling for a share of the Sh844 million purse and the coveted Sid Waddell Trophy.
A record-breaking total of 128 players are competing at the event — expanded from the previous tally of 96 — a field announced by the PDC in March 2025.
The first and second rounds will be played to a best-of-five sets, with the first to three sets winning the match. The third and fourth rounds have seven sets, with the first to four sets, claiming victory and a ticket to the quarters.
The quarterfinals stretch to nine sets, with the top five advancing to the semis, where there are 11 sets, with the top six making the finals cut.
Munyua is the first Kenyan in history to make it to the global showdown after sealing his ticket through the African qualifiers in September.
Speaking earlier, Munyua highlighted the magnitude of the milestone of representing both his country and the continent.
“Being the first Kenyan to represent Africa is a big moment for me. I hope when I get to that stage, I can have a good game,” Munyua said.
The magnitude of the challenge has, however, not escaped him, as he knows he is stepping up against the sharpest arrows and steadiest nerves in the sport.
“There’s a lot of pressure, waking up every morning knowing you’re going against the world’s best,” he admitted. “But you have to handle that pressure. I just need to do whatever it takes to give my best.”
This moment is the result of relentless dedication. “I have never missed any tournament in the last three years. I have always been competing to get the exposure and the experience I need,” he said.
England's Luke Littler enters the tournament as the defending champion, having defeated three-time champion Michael van Gerwen 7–3 in the 2025 final to claim his first world title and become the youngest world champion in darts history at 17 years.
He kicked off his title defence in style, securing a 3-0 sweep over Lithuania’s Darius Labanauskas last Thursday night.
