In recent years, the Masters has established itself as the opening event of the new PDC season, but significant changes are on the horizon. Starting in 2025, the tournament will be rebranded as the Winmau World Masters, a name that stirs nostalgia among long-time darts enthusiasts.
Originally launched under the BDO banner in 1974, the tournament was renamed the Winmau World Masters in 1975. The BDO organized it until 2019, after which the WDF took over, bringing it back in 2022 and 2024 without the familiar sponsor name. Now, the PDC has adopted the Winmau World Masters, retaining many elements of the original format. Unlike other PDC set tournaments, this one will use a best-of-three legs format instead of the usual best-of-five per set.
The tournament is scheduled to run from Wednesday, January 29, to Sunday, February 2. The top 24 players in the world rankings will automatically advance to the last 32, which begins on Thursday, January 30. The remaining eight spots will be filled through a preliminary round on January 29.
This round is open to all PDC Tour Card holders, along with the top eight from various tours, including the Challenge Tour, Development Tour, Women’s Series, Nordic & Baltic Tour, Asian Tour, CDC Tour, DPA Tour, and DPNZ Tour, as well as four delegates from the Junior Darts Corporation. This setup allows for a potential 180 players to compete in the preliminary round.
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The preliminary round will feature a group stage, with 32 group winners moving on to the knockout stage, ultimately narrowing the field to eight players. These eight will then join the top 24 ranked players for the second stage of the World Masters. PDC Administrator Matt Porter expressed pride in the plans for the tournament.
“We are excited to unveil our plans for reintroducing the Winmau World Masters to the darts calendar, which we believe will thrill fans and players alike,” he stated. “Since we began our partnership with Winmau, we have aimed to revive this historic event, which was once one of the most prestigious in the sport.
We’ve collaborated closely with Winmau to incorporate many features of the original format while adapting to its global nature. The Preliminary Rounds will offer players worldwide the chance to compete on a major stage. This event’s expansion to a ranked status is another positive development for PDC players, and with tickets selling out quickly, they can look forward to showcasing their skills in front of a packed crowd at the Marshall Arena next year.”
