Fans have been taking to social media to share their reactions following the opening day of the 2026 Bahrain Darts Masters, with the tournament already sparking plenty of discussion.
Just weeks after Luke Littler successfully defended his PDC World Darts Championship title with a dominant 7–1 victory over Gian van Veen at Alexandra Palace, the new 2026 season is now up and running.
The Bahrain Darts Masters got underway on Thursday, with Stephen Bunting beginning his defence of the title. The Englishman is aiming for back-to-back victories and opens his campaign against Japanese star Ryusei Azemoto.
A host of the sport’s biggest names are also in action in Bahrain, including Littler, Van Veen, Gerwyn Price, Nathan Aspinall, Luke Humphries, Danny Noppert and Michael van Gerwen.
The tournament’s opening match saw Welshman Gerwyn Price take on Japan’s Motomu Sakai, who caught the attention of fans during the recent World Championship thanks to his eye-catching walk-on routine. However, while the darts itself drew interest, many viewers were left confused — and frustrated — by the on-screen scoreboard used during the live broadcast.
Fans quickly voiced their displeasure online. One wrote: “Please get rid of this scoreboard @ITV on the Bahrain darts.” Another labelled it “the worst scoreboard ever,” while a third complained: “Very poor scoreboard, very poor commentary at the Bahrain Darts Masters — let’s hope the darts make up for it.” Others were even more blunt, questioning how the graphic had made it onto the broadcast at all.
Not everyone was critical, though. One viewer offered a more positive take, saying: “Loving those scoreboard graphics on the Bahrain Darts Masters — looks very F1 themed.”
Speaking ahead of his own match, Littler remained relaxed about his preparation. “I’ve been chilling out, throwing a few darts and I’ll be ready for tomorrow,” he said. “When I came here two years ago, it was after losing to Luke [Humphries], and people were wondering if that run was a fluke, so that was a big moment for me.
“I couldn’t defend my title last year, but hopefully I can start the new 2026 season with a win.”
