Noa-Lynn van Leuven will make her second consecutive appearance at the PDC World Darts Championship when she takes on Peter Wright in a first-round clash on Monday afternoon.
The Dutch player returns to the iconic stage at Alexandra Palace 12 months after making her tournament debut, where she faced Kevin Doets in London. Although she was beaten 3–1 on that occasion, her performance was widely praised as a competitive and composed showing.
Now 29, van Leuven faces another tough opening test against Wright, a two-time world champion, as she looks to build on her experience at the sport’s biggest event.
Her return to the PDC World Championship comes after a period of change earlier this year, following updates to competition rules introduced by the World Darts Federation. After a membership vote, eligibility criteria for women’s events were revised, meaning van Leuven now competes in open-category tournaments within the WDF structure.
The WDF operates independently but alongside the Professional Darts Corporation, where van Leuven remains eligible to take part in women’s competitions.
Following the announcement of the updated policy, van Leuven shared her reaction on social media, acknowledging the personal impact while also recognising that the changes affect others across the sport.
“This past Monday, the WDF released a new policy regarding eligibility,” she wrote on Instagram. “I wanted to take a moment to respond. The decision does affect me personally, although at this moment it does not change everything for me.”
With her focus now firmly on the oche, van Leuven turns her attention to the challenge ahead at Ally Pally, where she will once again compete under the brightest lights in darts, aiming to make a strong impression against one of the game’s most recognisable figures. 🎯
