Well, its not often that you we get a bit of information that surprises everyone at Darts World. But the news that Raymond Van Barneveld will join the field for the World Senior Darts Champion of Champions did just that!
The five-time World Champion, a legend of our sport, will make an unlikely appearance as he tries to add a World Senior Darts title to the many from the WDF/BDO and PDC that he has already worn.
World Seniors Darts can confirm that the final wildcard invite for the 2025 BetGoodwin Champion of Champions has been accepted by Raymond van Barneveld.
The five-time World Champion will be part of the 12-player field on Sunday 29th June at the MODUS Live Lounge in Portsmouth.
World Senior Darts
The 58-year-old Dutchman claimed his five world titles between 1998 and 2007 and won his last major championship when he claimed the 2014 Premier League. Following an aborted retirement around 2020 he has claimed Pro Tour titles as recently as 2024 and certainly still has the ability to produce top level performances.
“I am looking forward to playing in this event” said van Barneveld.
“The sport has always loved big characters, and World Seniors Darts have brought them back, with most still playing to a high standard. They have a loyal crowd, and the popularity for the Seniors seems to grow and grow. I’m looking forward to catching up with the old faces of the sport, especially from my BDO era”.
“I’m not coming over to Portsmouth thinking this will be easy. I will be giving my full respect to all of the players involved, and I will be preparing hard for this tournament”
Raymond van Barneveld
The 2026 World Seniors Events have seen a plethora of legendary darting talent attempt the over 45’s scene
Steve Beaton, Simon Whitlock, Meryn King, and many other champions with legendary status and those, such as Richie Howson, who have thrived on the senior circuit.
But, asked who he would like to play at the BetGoodwin Champion of Champions, the Dutchman was taken back to classic BDO World Championship finals. He would lose his first final at Lakeside to 1995 World Champion Richie Burnett, but would win his fourth and final BDO World crown in 2004, where he defeated Martin Adams. Both Adams and Burnett will be part of the Champion of Champions field:
“I can’t wait for the draw. Richie can still play to a high standard, and Martin is rock-solid too. They would be two special games, but anyone in this field will be a good test for me. They are all world-class dart players”.
Could the Den Haag native be the titan needed to add that final boost to the fourth of the World Senior Darts ‘major’ events
“The fire still burns for me. I’m used to winning tournaments wherever I have played, and it would be very special for me if I could lift a Seniors TV title too”.
All of the action will be shown live and free on Pluto TV via the MODUS Super Series Darts channel.
We are sure that organisers, sponsors, TV and media partners (inc. Darts World) and most of all fans and players will be delighted to see Raymond van Barneveld back on their terrestrial TV screens once more.
—–ENDS—–
Tickets for the 2025 BetGoodwin Champion of Champions are on sale at DARTSHOP.TV. They can be found here:
