Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — Luke Humphries has openly addressed the controversy surrounding darts’ debut in Saudi Arabia, expressing his enthusiasm for the historic event while acknowledging the ongoing debate about international sports in the Gulf kingdom.
Breaking New Ground
The former world champion is among eight PDC stars heading to Riyadh this week for the inaugural Saudi Arabia Masters, which takes place Monday and Tuesday at the Global Theater. The tournament marks a significant milestone as professional darts becomes one of the latest major sports to establish a presence in Saudi Arabia.
Humphries, world number two and reigning Premier League champion, has made his position clear: he’s looking forward to the challenge and believes the event was always destined to happen.
“It Was Just Inevitable”
When asked about darts following other major sports to Saudi Arabia, Humphries didn’t shy away from the topic. He pointed out that the kingdom has become a central hub for global sporting events across multiple disciplines.
“For sure because Saudi has become this new hotspot of all the sports,” Humphries explained. “They just want to see different sports. They want tourism there and want to just experience all these different sports. It was just inevitable that it was going to happen that darts went there as well.”
His pragmatic view reflects the reality that boxing, Formula 1, football, golf, snooker, and numerous other sports have already established tournaments in Saudi Arabia, making darts’ arrival more a matter of when rather than if.
The Alcohol Question
Perhaps the most unique aspect of the Saudi Arabia Masters is that it will be the first major professional darts event held in an alcohol-free environment. For a sport traditionally associated with pub culture and where both fans and players often consume alcohol, this represents uncharted territory.
Far from being concerned, Humphries embraced the different atmosphere. “It’s going to be a very respectful atmosphere, it’s going to be good,” he stated confidently.
The 29-year-old emphasized that quality entertainment doesn’t require alcohol. “I think the key thing to understand is it doesn’t take alcohol to have a good night,” he said. “I think a lot of people think if you don’t drink then you can’t have a good night.”
Expecting a Different Crowd
Humphries acknowledged that the Saudi audience will likely behave differently from the boisterous crowds typically seen at European darts events. Rather than viewing this as a negative, he framed it as an opportunity to showcase the sport to a new type of audience.
“I think that the Saudi people are very respectful and they will really be looking forward to seeing the great talents of what we produce,” he explained. “I don’t think that [with] there being no alcohol [means] it’s going to be a terrible atmosphere.”
Drawing comparisons to other countries where darts has found success, Humphries noted: “What we need to understand is when you go to places like Saudi or Japan, these countries are respectful people. They don’t cheer out, they don’t jump out of their seats. They’re just going to be really satisfied to sit back and enjoy a great sport and get to see what we do.”
His expectation is that fans will appreciate the high-quality darts on display, even if they express it differently than crowds in Britain or the Netherlands.
The Elephant in the Room
While Humphries focused his comments on the sporting aspects and atmosphere, the presence of major international sports in Saudi Arabia continues to generate significant discussion due to the country’s human rights record.
Critics have raised concerns about “sportswashing”—the practice of using high-profile sporting events to enhance a nation’s international image while human rights issues remain unaddressed. Saudi Arabia’s treatment of women, LGBTQ+ individuals, political dissidents, journalists, and migrant workers has drawn sustained criticism from human rights organizations.
The kingdom’s controversial involvement in the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and its military campaign in Yemen have kept Saudi Arabia under international scrutiny, making sports partnerships politically sensitive.
Van Gerwen’s Straightforward Stance
Michael van Gerwen, who recently won the Bahrain Masters and will also compete in Riyadh, offered a more direct take on the situation. The Dutch star noted that virtually every major sport now competes in Saudi Arabia.
“Every sport in the world is competing there. So why not darts?” van Gerwen said. “The organisation decides if they put on a tournament wherever in the world, I just book a plane ticket and I go. That’s the way it is.”
He added: “Every sport in the world goes there. Darts is probably one of the last sports in the world who are going there. So who am I to judge?”
Van Gerwen’s perspective reflects the position of many professional athletes who see tournament participation as separate from broader political questions about host nations.
Substantial Financial Incentives
The Saudi Arabia Masters offers significant prize opportunities that underscore the kingdom’s financial commitment to attracting top sporting talent. Players who achieve a nine-dart finish during the event can win $100,000 (approximately £74,700).
The prize structure includes a unique twist: after hitting a nine-darter, the player receives one additional dart to attempt a “golden bullseye.” Successfully hitting it would double the prize to $200,000, creating one of the most lucrative single-dart opportunities in professional darts.
These substantial prize pools are characteristic of Saudi sporting events, which have consistently offered above-market rates to secure participation from elite international athletes across various sports.
The Tournament Lineup
Joining Humphries in Riyadh will be newly crowned two-time world champion Luke Littler, making his Saudi Arabia debut. The 18-year-old sensation headlines a strong PDC contingent that also includes:
- Gian van Veen (World Championship runner-up and provisional world No. 3)
- Michael van Gerwen (most successful World Series player in history)
- Stephen Bunting
- Danny Noppert
- Gerwyn Price
- Nathan Aspinall
They’ll face eight representatives from the PDC Asian Tour, including notable competitors Alexis Toylo, Lourence Ilagan, Motomu Sakai, Ryusei Azemoto, Paul Lim, Man Lok Leung, Paolo Nebrida, and Tomoya Goto.
A Bounce-Back Opportunity
For Humphries personally, the Saudi Arabia Masters represents an opportunity to claim his first title of 2026. The former world champion suffered a disappointing quarterfinal exit at the recent World Championship, losing 5-1 to Gian van Veen despite entering as the second seed and defending champion.
The Middle Eastern double-header—following last week’s Bahrain Masters—gives Humphries a chance to regain momentum before the Premier League Darts season begins in February, where he’ll defend his title.
The Broader Context
Darts’ arrival in Saudi Arabia is part of the kingdom’s Vision 2030 initiative, an ambitious economic and social reform program aimed at diversifying Saudi Arabia’s economy beyond oil and positioning the nation as a global destination for business, tourism, and entertainment.
Sports and entertainment form a central pillar of this strategy, with billions of dollars invested in securing major sporting events, purchasing football clubs, establishing golf tours, and hosting boxing championships.
For the PDC, Saudi Arabia represents a lucrative new market with potential for growth. The organization has steadily expanded its global footprint through World Series events, and the Middle East offers both financial rewards and access to new audiences.
What Happens Next
The Saudi Arabia Masters begins Monday, January 19, and continues through Tuesday, January 20. The tournament will be streamed globally, providing the first glimpse of how professional darts translates to a Saudi audience and alcohol-free environment.
Humphries’ comments suggest he’s approaching the event with optimism and an open mind, viewing it as an opportunity to showcase elite-level darts to a new audience rather than a controversial obligation.
Whether his prediction of a “respectful” and appreciative atmosphere proves accurate will become clear over the next two days. What’s certain is that darts’ Saudi debut represents another step in the sport’s globalization and the kingdom’s ongoing efforts to position itself at the center of international sporting culture.
For Humphries and his fellow competitors, the focus remains on the competition, the prize money, and putting on a show—leaving the broader questions about sports, geopolitics, and ethics to be debated by others.
