By Jamie Eccles
The expanded number of players competing in the 2026 edition of the PDC World Championship has opened the door for a host of debutants to make an impact at the sport’s premier tournament. Among these names, one man has stood out as someone who could go under the radar and have a surprising run.
This year’s PDC World Championship will boast a 128-participant field for the first time in the event’s history, expanding from the previous 96-player format. Within these 128 professionals, 28 of the players competing will be making their debut on the PDC’s grandest stage.
Among these debutants are a list of names you may recognise, maybe the most notable of which being German Lukas Wenig who recently reached the quarterfinals at the Grand Slam. However, one name stands out to me as a man who could surprise people and make a name for themselves on the big stage as the shock of the tournament.
That man is Andy Baetens. The 36-year-old Belgian will be making his debut at the PDC World Championships after three appearances at the WDF (formerly BDO) World Championships, which included him winning the title in 2023.
Baetens became the fifth Belgian to earn a spot at Ally Pally this year by winning a qualifying tournament in Den Bosch in November. He overcame Jimmy van Schie in the final, averaging over 100 in doing so.
But what is it about ‘The Beast from the East’ that makes him one to keep your eye on this winter?
Baetens is a consistently solid operator on the dart board. His last appearance on the Euro Tour saw him overcome two former world champions in Raymond van Barneveld and Rob Cross, putting on an exceptional performance in the latter in which he averaged 98.48 in a 6-2 triumph over Voltage.
An element of the competition which could fall on the side of the Belgian is the draw. Whilst finding an outright easy draw is a near-impossibility with the standard of modern-day darts, I believe there is fair reason to assume that Baetens could cause problems with the hand he has been dealt.
In the first round of the tournament Baetens will face a strong test in No. 29 ranked Dirk Van Duijvenbode. Dirk has enjoyed a solid year which has included a semi-final run at the European Darts Grand Prix, and a perfect leg against Karel Sedláček in Hildesheim
However, the Dutchman has fallen at the first hurdle in both of his last outings at the World Championships as a seeded player taking on an unseeded opponent, and the possibility of this happening for a third time is on the cards.
In the second round, Baetens will find himself up against either James Hurrell or Stowe Buntz, competent opposition yet undoubtedly beatable.
Next up would most likely be another big test in the form of World no. 4 Stephen Bunting. Despite his undeniable quality, The Bullet has struggled on big stages over the course of the year and gone through a wave of inconsistent performances, the most noticeable slump coming in his disappointing Premier League campaign.
Should Baetens be able to find an upset here then he would most likely face either Martin Schindler or Ryan Searle. Neither of these men have been able to make it past this stage in their respective careers and, whilst it would be another great challenge, could be bypassed by an on-form Baetens.
Finding an ‘easy opportunity’ to progress past this point is extremely unlikely, yet upsets remain on the cards when momentum comes into play. This was seen as recently as 2024, when Scott Williams overcame Michael van Gerwen in the quarterfinals of the competition.
Whilst it would take a great effort, I believe that Andy Baetens has an opportunity to stamp his mark on this year’s edition of the World Championships. Baetens holds an experience advantage in long-form set-play over most other debutants and when paired with his draw, has an opportunity in my eyes to cause a shock at Ally Pally this year.
EDITORS PICKS:
- “Still got it” – 10 Oldest Players to have played at the PDC World Darts Championships
- The 5 biggest shocks in World Championship Darts History
- Why Jermaine Wattimena will be the shock of the 2026 World Championships
- The 10 greatest darts players of all-time (Ranked 10-1)
- Luke Littler finally speaks out on being accused of ‘cheating’
- World Darts Championship 2025/26 Draw Confirmed: Luke Littler faces tough First Round test at Ally Pally