Poland Darts Masters 2025: Preview, Draw & Players to Watch
- Darts Central
- Jul 3
- 4 min read
The World Series of Darts returns just a week after Luke Humphries claimed his maiden US Darts Masters title at the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York. From Friday 4th to Saturday 5th July, eight of the PDC’s elite stars take on eight of Eastern Europe’s top darting talents in Gliwice, as the fifth World Series event of the year gets underway. World No.1 Humphries has opted to sit this one out due to family reasons.
This marks the third edition of the Poland Darts Masters, with Michael van Gerwen lifting the trophy in 2023 and Luke Littler capturing the title on debut in 2024. Across the opening two years, just two qualifiers have managed to win their first-round matches: Krzysztof Ratajski defeated Rob Cross in 2023, while Boris Krcmar overcame Nathan Aspinall in 2024.
With a best-of-11 legs format in the opening round, there’s little room for error. The PDC stars will need to be sharp from the outset to avoid early upsets and build momentum ahead of the longer-format semi-finals (best of 13) and final (best of 15).
Prize Money
Stage | Prize Money |
Winner | £30,000 |
Runner-Up | £16,000 |
Semi-Finalists | £10,000 |
Quarter-Finalists | £5,000 |
First Round Losers | £1,750 |
Last 16 Draw
The top four seeds for the 2025 Poland Darts Masters were determined by performances across the first four World Series events of the year — held in Bahrain, Copenhagen, New York, and the Netherlands. The remaining four PDC representatives were then drawn at random, with all 8 to face an Eastern European qualifier.
Here’s how the Last 16 line-up looks:
(1) Stephen Bunting vs Tytus Kanik
Jonny Clayton vs Krzysztof Ratajski
(4) Nathan Aspinall vs Radek Szagański
Luke Littler vs Karel Sedláček
(2) Gerwyn Price vs Sebastian Białecki
Chris Dobey vs György Jehirszki
(3) Rob Cross vs Krzysztof Kciuk
Michael van Gerwen vs Pero Ljubić
Each match features a PDC World Series invitee facing off against an Eastern European representative. The format is straight knockout; win three matches, and you’ll be playing in Saturday night’s final.
Key Players to Watch
Luke Littler
The reigning World Champion and World No.2 returns to Gliwice aiming to defend the title he won on debut 12 months ago. ‘The Nuke’ is still searching for his first World Series crown of the year and was left frustrated after a quarter-final exit to Nathan Aspinall last week in New York, despite producing a high-level performance. He’ll be eager to bounce back in style.
Nathan Aspinall
‘The Asp’ has had a standout 2025, claiming two European Tour titles and reaching the Premier League Play-Offs. He was runner-up at the US Darts Masters in New York last week, narrowly missing out on the title after an impressive all-round display. Aspinall is hunting his first World Series title since 2019 and looks in the form to do it.
Gerwyn Price
The Iceman has quietly built momentum as the season has progressed. He’s won three Players Championship titles in 2025, made the Premier League Top 4, and currently ranks as the second-best performer on the World Series circuit this year. Price is eyeing a first Poland Darts Masters crown and what would be the fourth World Series title of his career.
Eastern European Challengers: Can They Cause an Upset?
The Eastern European representatives may enter as underdogs, but they’ll relish the chance to test themselves against PDC’s elite, especially with home support behind them in Gliwice.
While history favours the invited stars, the short format leaves little margin for error. With a passionate crowd cheering them on, don’t be surprised if one or two local heroes turn up and put on a show.
Eastern European Players to Watch:
🇵🇱 Krzysztof Ratajski
Poland’s top darting talent and World No.33, Ratajski, remains the most recognisable name from the region. An 11-time PDC title winner, he added another Players Championship victory earlier this season. He’s a serious threat, especially against Jonny Clayton, who hasn’t made much impact on the World Series stage in recent times.
🇨🇿 Karel Sedláček
The Czech No.1 is enjoying his most consistent season on the Pro Tour, reaching three quarter-finals and ranking inside the top 45 for prize money earned this year. With improved form and growing confidence, Sedláček could cause major problems for reigning World Champion Luke Littler, particularly if the teenage sensation isn’t at his sharpest.
Potential Routes & Talking Points
If the seeds hold firm, fans could be treated to some blockbuster ties:
For the third consecutive World Series event, ‘The Asp’ and ‘The Nuke’ could collide in the quarters. Littler will be out for revenge after losing the last two encounters, while Aspinall is looking to build momentum on the back of his European Tour successes.
Should both navigate their openers, Rob Cross and Michael van Gerwen, each craving a deep run to arrest recent dips in form, could meet in the quarters. Cross is seeking consistency after an uneven season, while van Gerwen will be desperate to bounce back and reassert himself at the top.
Every match win here carries valuable World Series points, with the end‑of‑year Finals qualification picture taking shape.
Final Thoughts
The Poland Darts Masters serves as a unique clash between global heavyweights and rising Eastern European contenders. With a raucous crowd in Gliwice, a growing local darting presence, and short-format matches throughout the weekend, upsets and drama feel inevitable.
Stephen Bunting, Rob Cross, and Luke Humphries have each claimed World Series titles already this year, while favourites like Luke Littler and Gerwyn Price will be hungry to add their names to that list. With in-form threats like Nathan Aspinall also in the mix, the field looks wide open.
Expect fireworks on stage and a passionate Polish crowd off it as the World Series rolls on in one of its most unpredictable stops of the year.
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