As the 2026 PDC World Championship exhales and slips gently into its Christmas slumber, it affords us a rare pause – a moment to step back from the glare of the lights and survey what has already unfolded. And what we have witnessed so far is a tournament drenched in theatre: drama layered upon drama, shocks piled high, and controversy simmering just beneath the surface. In short, it has been gloriously Ally Pally.
Unusually most of the biggest names have not truly featured in the biggest stories so far. The Lukes: Littler and Humphries together with Michael Van Gerwen are all still in the event and have remained so without fuss. But the tales that have been written didn’t need any extra hype
Here, then, are Darts World’s five most memorable moments so far – not always for the right reasons, but unforgettable all the same.
MENZIES – A MOMENT OF MADNESS
It cannot be ignored. It would be dishonest to try. The jaw-dropping scenes involving Cameron Menzies following his defeat to Charlie Manby will linger long in the collective memory. Seconds after the Huddersfield youngster pinned the winning dart – sealing what should have been remembered solely as a breakthrough Ally Pally triumph – chaos erupted.
Menzies, somewhat questionably attempted to extinguish a pyrotechnic device with his bare hand, before dropping to his knees and repeatedly upper-cutting his drinks table with frightening force. The result: a deep cut, blood visibly dripping onto the stage. A scene jarring, unsettling, and deeply uncomfortable for the PDC, for Sky, and for the sport as a whole.
MENZIES MELTDOWN: Scot vents anger on Ally Pally furniture
The context matters. Not as an excuse – but as explanation. The Scot has endured a brutal year both on and off the oche. A highly publicised split from long-term partner Fallon Sherrock, persistent struggles for form, and the very recent loss of his uncle, to whom he was extremely close. These pressures do not justify the actions – but they help explain how the dam finally burst.
The response has been mixed. Many offered sympathy and concern, recognising a moment of mental distress far removed from missing a few doubles. Others demanded punishment and precedent. The DRA ruling is still pending, but a significant fine feels inevitable, with any suspension likely to be suspended. For Manby, it is a cruel irony. His debut World Championship victory will forever be remembered not just for what he achieved – but for what followed seconds later. Still, harder to be forgotten.
THE SINGAPORE SLINGER STILL STANDING AT SEVENTY
There are moments in sport that feel almost sacrilegious to omit. Paul Lim – still qualifying, still competing, still winning at the World Championship beyond his seventieth year – is one such miracle. This time, it was Jeffrey de Graaf who had the honour (and burden) of sharing the stage with a man who had already contested eight World Championships before De Graaf had even drawn breath.
Lim has felled giants before – Mark Webster, Luke Humphries – and De Graaf was desperate not to be the next name etched into that list. He was. Once again, the Singapore Slinger delivered a Christmas fairytale, thrilling the Ally Pally faithful and reminding the sport that age, when paired with genius, is merely a footnote. The run was abruptly halted by the aforementioned Humphries who would dearly love to see his hero return again next year – just not playing against him.
ANGLO–DUTCH THRILLER FOR THE AGES
If you are searching for the match of the tournament so far, most roads lead here. Debutant Justin Hood versus former UK Open champion Danny Noppert – a pre-Christmas epic that had everything darts can offer. Quality. Drama. Nerve. Theatre. Hood stormed into a scarcely believable 2–0 set lead before Noppert, the sixth seed, dragged himself back into contention. From there, it became pure tungsten opera – every leg greeted with gasps, groans and roars in equal measure.
SUDDEN DEATH DRAMA: Watch Ally Pally classic
In the final act, it was Hood who crossed the line, sealing the biggest victory of his career. Both men averaged north of the ton. Neither deserved to lose. But sport is cruel, and history demands a winner. It took two to tango – and on this evidence, these two could have lifted the Strictly Come Dancing trophy as well.
THE ICEMAN THAWED
Few moments sent a sharper jolt through Alexandra Palace. Former World Champion Gerwyn Price was not merely eliminated – he was whitewashed by Wesley Plaisier. After his opening-round win, Price had confidently declared that he would not be beaten and that a second world crown was his destiny.
Destiny had other ideas.
GERWYN PRICE VS WESLEY PLAISIER: Highlights of the Dutchman’s fantastic effort
Plaisier is no mug – a dangerous operator capable of unsettling the elite – but while an upset was plausible, a straight-sets demolition bordered on unthinkable. Few, perhaps not even his own family, would have predicted such an emphatic scoreline. Price exits to regroup and recalibrate. It has been a curious few years since the Iceman last tasted individual glory, but a man of his calibre rarely stays quiet for long. Expect retaliation in 2026 and probably a revisit to a major winners’ circle.
DOM TAYLOR – DOPE TEST DEVASTATION
Finally, the darkest chapter so far – and that’s in a fortnight which included Cameron Menzies going full Mike Tyson on a piece of furniture. Mid-tournament eviction is rare. Dom Taylor endured exactly that fate after returning a positive doping test following his opening-round victory over Oskar Lukasiak. The echoes were immediate. Memories of the COVID-era shock removal of Michael van Gerwen resurfaced – though that case involved ineligibility rather than illicit substances. Taylor’s situation is far more severe.
Worse still, this is not new ground. Just a year ago, Taylor failed a test that ruled him out of the Players Championship Finals and the subsequent World Championship. Groundhog Day, by his own admission. Responsibility accepted. Consequences looming. The fallout saw Jonny Clayton handed an early Christmas gift – a direct passage into round three. For Taylor, the outlook is bleak: a ban likely stretching to at least two years. Yet at 27, time remains his ally. Recovery is possible. Redemption is not impossible. But the road back will be steep, lonely, and unforgiving.
And so, the stage darkens – for now. But if the opening chapters are any indication, the second act promises even more upheaval, heartbreak, and heroics when the players return after Christmas. Ally Pally is merely catching its breath.
—–ENDS—–
Images: PDC
