World Darts Federation

Main events

The WDF stages a world championship (called the WDF World Cup), as well as continental championships such as the WDF Americas Cup, the WDF Asia-Pacific Cup and the WDF Europe Cup. The country that is first in the overall leader board (overall best result in the two events, singles, pairs, teams) becomes the world champion. Winners of any of the events can also call themselves the official World Champion. Winners of continental championships can call themselves the official champion of their own areas.

After the collapse of the British Darts Organisation in September 2020, the WDF announced plans to launch the WDF World Championship and WDF World Masters. Both competitions took place for the first time in 2022, starting with the 2022 WDF World Darts Championship in April.

Members

80 national full members :

• Australia
• Austria
• Bahamas
• Bahrain
• Belgium
• Brunei
• Bulgaria
• Canada
• Catalonia
• Chinese Taipei
• Croatia
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Egypt
• England
• Estonia
• Ethiopia
• Faroe Islands
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Gibraltar
• Greece
• Guernsey
• Hong Kong
• Hungary
• Iceland
• India
• Iran
• Isle of Man
• Italy
• Jamaica
• Japan
• Jersey
• Kenya
• Latvia
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Macau
• Malaysia
• Malta
• Mauritania
• Monaco
• Mongolia
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Nigeria
• Northern Ireland
• Norway
• Pakistan
• Palestine
• Papua New Guinea
• Philippines
• Poland
• Republic of Ireland
• Romania
• Russia
• Scotland
• Serbia
• Singapore
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• South Africa
• South Korea
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Thailand
• Trinidad & Tobago
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• Turks & Caicos
• Uganda
• Ukraine
• United Arab Emirates
• United States
• Wales
• Yemen

The WDF Rankings, as defined by the World Darts Federation, are the "objective merit-based method used for determining qualification for entry and seeding in all of its tournaments for both male and female singles, pairs and team". The rankings tables are "rolling tables", and points from an event are counted until that event occurs the following year. If a particular event does not occur in the following year, points are deleted after a calendar year.

Para Darts

World ParaDarts is also an associate member of the WDF.

Tournament levels and points allocation

A player's WDF Ranking is based on the points they have accrued from their best 10 performances over the previous 12 month rolling period. The eligible tournaments include a selection of Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze level tournaments with decreasing points at each level.

Since the formation of the WDF rankings in 1974 the method used to calculate a player's ranking points has changed several times. Notes: The WDF international tournaments have six categories for both men and women (singles, pairs and teams)

Current points distribution

Points are currently awarded as follows:

Current WDF World Rankings

The rankings are based on a cumulative points system similar to ATP rankings in tennis they are done on a rolling one year basis. When a tournament is played, the previous year's results are removed from the rankings. This list is used to determine seeds for some of the WDF Opens. The World Darts Federation also have a ranking system designed to provide a measure of the global activities of darts players in every WDF recognised darts event. It used to be very similar to the BDO system but was revised in January 2007 to include categories by country and by events, and the distribution of ranking points reflect the levels of prize money on offer and the numbers of entries in a tournament. Therefore, the WDF World Rankings give a better reflection on BDO player world ranking. The leading players gain points in different levels of categorised events and prize money and at the end of the season the leading players receive monetary bonus rewards from the WDF.

In 2025, in response to a motion put forth by England and seconded by Scotland and Wales, the WDF voted to implement an immediate ban on transgender women from competing as women. In accordance with the change in policy, the WDF renamed its "Men's" and "Boys'" events to "Open" and "Open Youth" events.

WDF World No1 men's and women's players (1976–current)

The rankings show Deta Hedman and Trina Gulliver as consistently being the leading women's player's, having been number one on a record ten or more occasions each. No male player has held the number one position as many years Gulliver and Hedman, although Eric Bristow has held the top position for a record six times. The rankings for the men has become even more complex since the inception of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) formerly the World Darts Council (WDC). The leading ranked players in 1993/94 split from the BDO and they have their own world ranking system known as the Order of Merit. The players from the PDC are not included in the rankings because the BDO, the former British governing body of amateur darts, was the one recognised by the WDF.

WDF tournaments

Main article: List of WDF tournaments

References

Sources

References

1. (10 October 2012). "Ultimate Book of Sports: The Essential Collection of Rules, Stats, and Trivia for Over 250 Sports". Chronicle Books, September 14, 2012.
2. (2012). "Sports Around the World: History, Culture, and Practice". ABC-CLIO.
3. (15 September 2020). "Development of World Rankings Criteria For 2021 – WDF".
4. (15 December 2021). "Lakeside WDF World Championships 2022 - Rescheduled".
5. "Member Countries".
6. "World Ranking Systems Criteria Seniors 38th ed.". World Darts Federation.
7. "WDF Rules".
8. "WDF Rules".
9. (13 December 2015). "WDF Ranking Systems: 2015 Monetary Awards". WDF.
10. Russell, John. (30 July 2025). "Trans darts player vows not to let new anti-trans ban ruin her love of the sport".
11. (28 July 2025). "WDF eligibility criteria announcement".
12. [http://www.dartswdf.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/RollOfHonor1984-2008.pdf WDF Roll of Honour (previous world number ones)]