WDF World Masters 2026: Hayter beats Hedman, Raman into semis

Update, 16 July. The 2026 WDF World Masters has its semi-final line-up in Las Vegas: Gemma Hayter has knocked out world champion Deta Hedman, while Brian Raman survived a deciding-leg quarter-final against Paul Krohne. The event now moves towards Saturday’s Finals Stage, with both main draws still wide open.

This is no longer just a week of formats and player information. There is now a proper sporting read: Hayter has backed up her perfect start, Raman remains in the Open title race, and several established names are already out before the final sprint at the Rio Hotel and Casino.

Hayter beats Hedman to reach the World Masters semi-finals

In the women’s event, Gemma Hayter had already made a statement by winning her first 16 legs in the group stage, with a reported average of 78.33. She extended that run by beating Noelle Comyn 5-0 in the last 32, then passed the real test against Deta Hedman.

Hayter ended the world champion’s run with a 5-2 win, before being pushed all the way by Eve Watson. The Welsh player took the quarter-final to a deciding ninth leg, but Hayter closed it out 5-4. At this point, it is no longer just a strong start: she reaches the semi-finals with clear momentum and a knockout-stage average listed at 78.50.

Rhian O’Sullivan booked her place by beating Steph Clarke 5-2, with the highest reported average in the women’s knockout phase according to DartsNews. In the other half, Miyu Miyawaki defeated Maria Carli 5-2, while Aurora Fochesato did not drop a leg against Leanne Topper.

Raman stays alive in a shaken Open draw

In the Open draw, Brian Raman had to answer twice. The Belgian first beat former Lakeside finalist Jeff Smith 5-2, then edged Paul Krohne 5-4 in the quarter-finals. In that kind of passage, there is no room for drift: one poor leg and the week is over.

Raman will face Sean Fisher in the semi-finals. Fisher also survived a decider against Matt Clark, before beating Matthew Edgar 5-1 in the quarter-finals. The other semi-final pairs Chris Lim with Stefan Schroder. Lim remains the highest averaging player among the remaining Open contenders, while Schroder completed his quarter-final with a 5-3 win over Mürsel Yavuz.

The scores say one thing, but the draw tells a little more. Kevin Luke, the strongest statistical signal from day one, went out in the last 64. Scott Mitchell, Neil Duff, Boris Krcmar, Ryan O’Connor, Haupai Puha and Jeff Smith are also out before the semi-finals. In other words: this is not a closed-looking final four.

What comes next in Las Vegas

Thursday’s programme is devoted to the cricket events, before the World Open takes over on Friday. The World Masters returns on Saturday for the semi-finals and finals, with a direct qualification angle as well: the Open and women’s champions earn automatic spots at the 2026 WDF World Championships.

The results source to follow is DartConnect for the 2026 WDF World Masters. The day’s main swings are also detailed by DartsNews.

The practical framework published before the event

The WDF has published the players’ brief for the 2026 WDF World Masters, to be held from 14 to 19 July at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. This information is important now because the registration window is closing soon: eligible players have until Sunday 12 July at 11.59 pm Pacific Time to finalise their entry.

This is not merely an administrative notice. The federation sets out the full framework for the week: entry requirements for the United States, official training sessions, registration via RegConnect, DartConnect rules, formats, prize money, dress code and broadcast details. For qualified or invited French-speaking players, this is the document to read before boarding the plane.

WDF World Masters 2026: practical details confirmed

The 2026 WDF World Masters will take place in the Pavilion Suites at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The week will feature the World Masters, the World Open events, qualifiers for the WDF World Championships and several associated tournaments. The WDF has also confirmed that a training session in the Pavilion Room will be held on Monday 13 July from 3 pm to 6 pm.

The final day on Sunday 19 July must be completed by 5.30 pm local time at the latest. The WDF also states that winnings will be paid by bank transfer by 24 August at the latest.

Entry into the United States: a useful reminder for players

The most practical part of the briefing concerns arrival in the United States. The WDF advises all players and spectators to check their country’s official requirements before travelling. For the majority of visitors, the required document will be an ESTA, but the federation places particular emphasis on preparing for immigration checks.

Should they be questioned at the airport, players must be able to explain that they are coming to compete in an amateur darts event. The WDF recommends having the DartConnect registration email to hand to prove entry into the tournaments. If the subject of money comes up, the key point to remember is simple: this is not a salary, but potential prize money paid from the United Kingdom.

Registration: 12 July becomes the crucial deadline

Registrations are handled via RegConnect. The WDF reminds players that only those who have qualified for the World Masters, or those who have received an invitation from their member country, are required to register for the World Masters. Players can check their eligibility via the lists provided by the organisation.

Another important detail: a player already confirmed for the 2026 WDF World Championships will not be able to take part in the corresponding qualifier. In this case, they will be refunded. For young players, the rule is more nuanced: a player who has qualified in both the adult and youth categories may enter both World Masters, but will be withdrawn from the Youth tournament if they are eliminated from their adult group, as the relevant stages overlap.

DartConnect, check-in and discipline: the week will not tolerate delays

All tournaments will use DartConnect. Matches will not be announced over the PA system, which makes a big difference for players less accustomed to major WDF tournaments. Everyone will need to keep an eye on the screens in the hall and the ‘Board Calls’ feature to know when to play or score.

The WDF is very clear: a player who fails to report to their board at the correct time may be disqualified by the tournament director. Losers will also be required to stay and score the next match in many situations. This is where things get tricky: this sort of detail doesn’t make the headlines, but it can make or break an entire week.

The briefing also confirms several rules of play: six warm-up darts before a match, a bullseye to decide which player goes first, score queries to be raised before the next throw, and a ban on drinking alcohol or smoking in the playing area. A first offence results in a warning; a second may lead to disqualification.

Format: group stage for the World Masters, knockout for the rest

The World Masters will begin with a group stage. The number of groups and players per group will depend on the number of entrants, with seeding adapted to the number of groups. The top two from each group will progress to the knockout stage.

The World Open events and the World Championships qualifiers will be played in a knockout format, with 16 seeded players where the field allows. The pairs, cricket and pairs cricket events will not be seeded.

The broadcast will be available on the WDF’s YouTube channel. For the editorial team, the key developments to watch will now be twofold: the final list of entrants after the deadline and the initial draw once check-ins have closed. Source: official brief published by the WDF.