Peter Wright left red-faced as Scotsman crashed out of World Championship after claiming ‘I’m going to win’

Peter Wright was left red-faced at the World Darts Championship after crashing out early — just days after boldly declaring he was going to win the tournament.

The two-time world champion arrived at Alexandra Palace full of confidence and had spoken openly about his belief that he could lift the Sid Waddell Trophy once again. However, those claims quickly came back to haunt him as his campaign came to an abrupt and disappointing end.

Wright was beaten in a shock defeat that stunned fans inside Ally Pally, with the Scot never fully settling into his rhythm. Despite flashes of his trademark scoring power, inconsistency on the doubles proved costly as his opponent capitalised on missed opportunities to seize control of the match.

The loss marked another frustrating chapter in a difficult period for Wright, whose form has fluctuated sharply over the past year. His pre-tournament confidence only intensified the reaction to the defeat, with the early exit standing in stark contrast to his bold prediction of world-title glory.

Speaking prior to the tournament, Wright had insisted he felt ready to challenge again at the very top, but the reality on the night told a different story. As the match slipped away, the 54-year-old cut a frustrated figure, knowing his words would now be replayed in the aftermath.

The defeat means Wright will see his ranking take another hit and raises fresh questions about his future consistency on the sport’s biggest stage. For now, his confident declaration has been replaced by a sobering reminder of how unforgiving the World Championship can be — where belief alone is never enough.