Darts Star Banned From Using Nickname During 2026 World Championship

A darts star has been banned from using his nickname when competing at the 2026 World Darts Championship.

The first round draw for the tournament at Alexandra Palace, which gets underway on December 11, took place on Monday afternoon.

Reigning champion Luke Littler will take on Darius Labanauskas, while world number two Luke Humphries faces Ted Evetts.

Other high-profile matches see world youth finalist Beau Greaves take on Daryl Gurney, while Fallon Sherrock is up against Dave Chisnall.

There are a number of debutants in this year's World Championship, with Japan's Mitsuhiko Tatsunami given the toughest test with a draw against Michael van Gerwen.

Elsewhere, Australia's Tim Pusey secured his maiden Alexandra Palace appearance by finishing in top spot on the Australian Darts Association (ADA) Tour.

His reward is a first round match against Ireland's Keane Barry, who won the 2020 BDO World Youth Championship but has yet to hit consistent top form in the PDC.

Pusey had to put out a public appeal to fans long before the draw took place - as he is unable to use his darting nickname during the World Championship.

He stated that his nickname, 'The Magnet', is frowned upon for obvious reasons by the PDC, meaning he has to go by a different moniker when he arrives in London.

Pusey told Tungsten Tales: "No [I can't use it]. So that's why I don't have any of that on my shirt.

"I'll have to find a new one. We might have to put it to a poll. It's hard, because everything can be turned... at the moment, I don't have any, and the chants can be colourful."

Players from Oceania and Asia are often less well-known to some darts fans as most choose not to play on the PDC circuit, primarily due to financial reasons.

Since Simon Whitlock dropped down the rankings and ultimately lost his Tour Card - though he has qualified for the World Championship - Australia's Damon Heta is the only non-European player in the top 64 of the Order of Merit.

Whitlock won the inaugural ANZ Premier League - comprising of players from Australia and New Zealand - to make it to Ally Pally, with Pusey explaining: "It [the tournament] has been great.

"We chat with some of the people in the crowd, and they've flown over to watch. If we can build on this and have it every year, it would be instrumental in making more players make the jump across. Then you might see more Australians play professionally.

"I think if non-darts players are watching this, they can think, 'Ah, that's a career option'. In Australia, these guys are playing for money. Before, it was kind of like a pub sport in Australia still.

"It's not like it is in Europe and the UK, where it's big and the top players can walk through the street and they get recognised. We can go anywhere and nobody can... it's not well-known. We can build from grassroots."