WDF Slammed for ‘Embarrassing’ Coverage During World Championship

The WDF have come under heavy criticism from darts fans for their 'embarrassing' coverage of the ongoing World Championship at the Lakeside Country Club.

The backlash centred on their coverage of the last-16 match between Tracy Feiertag and Priscilla Steenbergensm.

In footage that has gone viral on social media, Feiertag can be seen walking to the oche needing double five to check out the leg.

As she throws, the camera pans away from her and onto the dartboard.

But instead of following the action and zooming in on the double, it focuses on the bullseye with the treble ring the furthest out that can be seen.

A couple of seconds later, the camera zooms out and it becomes clear that Feiertag has successfully checked out 10 to take the leg.

However, viewers missed the decisive throw entirely, with the camera focused on the wrong section of the board.

Fans were quick to criticise the coverage on social media.

On X, one user wrote: "An absolutely embarrassing level of production.

"The board camera angle, the spotting, was none of this tested before the event started? Have the WDF just gave up?

"This is supposed to be a world championship."

Another fan added: "It's an absolute joke, imagine winning this and going around thinking you're a world champion."

A third fan joked: "Zoom in on the bull when she’s on double 5."

Steenbergensm went on to win the match, defeating the American by two sets to nil.

That victory puts her into the quarter-finals of the Lakeside WDF World Championship Women's event, where she will face Scotland's Lorraine Hyde in a best of five set match.

The semi-finals follow the same format, while the final is played as a best of seven.

The event, which is held in Surrey, United Kingdom, has a total prize fund of £63,000, with the winner set to pocket £25,000.

The WDF World Championship features a range of categories, with 48 men, 24 women, eight boys and four goals competing for titles and a combined prize pot of £221,000.

This year marks the fourth staging of the event, which effectively replaced the BDO World Darts Championship that has not been held since 2020.

Since 2023, the WDF World Championship has been held at the start of December, with this year's tournament scheduled to conclude on Sunday, December 7.

Fans will hope the coverage improves as the competition reaches the later rounds.