African darts trailblazer Devon Petersen has suggested that the prospect of a World Series of Darts event being staged on home soil may no longer be a distant aspiration, with the Cape Town-born star believing such a landmark occasion could materialise within the next few years
The former UK Open quarter-finalist disclosed that substantive discussions are already taking place as the Professional Darts Corporation continues its inexorable expansion into new territories.
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Having recently established events in destinations such as Bahrain, Poland and Saudi Arabia, the governing body has shown no reluctance to broaden its geographical footprint, particularly amid the extraordinary surge in popularity brought about by Luke Littler’s meteoric emergence.
Speaking to the Weekly Dartscast, Petersen revealed:
“I feel as though it’s not long now. I think that discussions are happening behind the scenes. I’ll tell you that. The challenge is the popularity of the sport and the compact calendar that currently exists.
“So, we would have to squeeze in somewhere, and we would have to lose out. So, we’d have to make a real case for it. Areas that could host events like this, I think that South Africa, obviously my hometown, they are begging for it.
“I do think that Kenya as well, a big part are playing it. Egypt as well. Egypt are hosting the World Darts Federation World Cup in 2027. So, we know that they can stage major events.
“It’s nice for everybody to travel in and around Europe, as well as West Asia, which is Saudi and all of those areas, and then obviously also Africa as well. So yeah, I think that there’s multiple countries sticking up their hand, and I think the popularity of the sport helps that.”
Devon Acknowledges Difficulties for African Darts
Despite his optimism, Petersen acknowledged that accommodating another destination within an already congested and labyrinthine schedule presents a considerable challenge. Nevertheless, he confirmed that meaningful dialogue is ongoing and believes the continent possesses both the infrastructure and enthusiasm necessary to justify serious consideration.
He continued:
“For me itself, it’s just building a proposal strong enough for the PDC to even consider. We are actually having the conversations, but I think that the numbers currently now for the sport are astronomical, which is fantastic for players and the sport itself.
“Hosting it is a small bit of a challenge, but I think we could be about two or three years away from it. And it will be fantastic because then Africa will be welcoming the world’s best to see some of Africa’s best and compete.
“Who knows? We could be lifting trophies anyway.”
Petersen remains one of the most recognisable figures to emerge from the African continent. The charismatic former world number 32 enjoyed the most illustrious period of his professional career in 2020, capturing the German Darts Championship title and later advancing to the semi-finals of the European Championship.
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Nicknamed The African Warrior, Petersen will once again don the colours of South Africa at this year’s World Cup of Darts, where he is set to partner Graham Filby in the hope of spearheading another memorable chapter for darts on the continent.
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Images: PDC
