Steve Lennon is on a collision course with five-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld at the 2026 World Darts Championship.
If both Lennon and ‘Barney’ win their respective first round ties, the pair will meet in Round 2 of the World Darts Championship at the Alexandra Palace.
Steve Lennon On Collision Course With Raymond van Barneveld At World Darts Championship
Steve Lennon is the fourth-highest ranked Irish darts player in the world, and could be on course to play one of the greatest players to ever pick up a dart at the 2026 World Darts Championship.
The action all gets underway at Ally Pally on Thursday, December 11 as Luke Littler aims to make a successful defence of the coveted Sid Waddell Trophy come the New Year.
A whole host of big names and darting stars will be confident of toppling ‘The Nuke’, with a total of 128 players in Round 1 action across the entire tournament.
One of those men who will have aspirations of a strong run is ‘Scuba Steve’.
The Irishman is in the first quarter of the World Darts Championship draw bracket and faces a Round 1 tie with Australia’s Damon Heta. Lennon is a sizeable underdog on paper against ‘The Heat’, who is the no.16 seed heading into the Worlds this year.
2024 is the year Steve Lennon finally dominates the sport of darts. pic.twitter.com/5GeMQCJKV5
— Till (@180Thelaw) February 19, 2024
Although he is an underdog, Lennon knows he can progress into the second round if he produces his best darts. If he does just that, then a potential meeting with the great Raymond van Barneveld likely awaits.
The Dutchman faces Swiss qualifier Stefan Bellmont in the first round and is expected to progress in routine fashion. If he does, then it will be ‘Barney’ versus ‘Scuba Steve’ in the second round at Ally Pally.
This potential Round 2 tie is colossal for the 32-year-old Carlow man, who will perhaps even fancy his chances against van Barneveld should the pair meet in the Last 64.
Lennon’s best run at ally Pally came in the 2022 World Darts Championship, where he made the last 32. His run was then cut short in emphatic fashion by Mervyn King, who thrashed Lennon 4-0.
If Lennon is to match his best run or even better it, he will have to do so the hard way. He is also in the same quarter of the draw as reigning champion Littler, so is firmly up against it.
Steve Lennon Potential World Darts Championship Opponents
Provided Steve Lennon gets through his Round 1 meeting with Australia’s Damon Heta, which is a major task in itself, he could be in for some tough battles against several darting stars should over the festive period.
If ‘Scuba Steve’ has a strong run at the 2026 World Darts Championship, he would have to get past some of the pre-tournament favourites and biggest names in the sport along the way.
Winning on the Ally Pally stage is extremely difficult, which Lennon can attest to. Should he beat Heta in the opening round, then a Round 2 meeting with Raymond van Barneveld is highly likely.
Ironically, fellow Irishman William O’Connor is on a collision course with Michael van Gerwen, another Dutchman. However, the two former World Cup of Darts finalists are on opposite sides of the draw.
If Lennon can get through Heta and ‘Barney’, then Rob Cross is his most likely opponent in the third round. Win that and a last 16 tussle with Luke Littler could be on the cards.
If the 32-year-old can somehow make it into the quarter-final, then a meeting with Chris Dobey or former world champion Gerwyn Price could await.
Stephen Bunting and Jonny Clayton are the two most likely opponents then in the semi-final should Lennon get that far.
A final meeting with Luke Humphries, Gian van Veen or even World Championship hopeful Josh Rock could be on the cards.
Firstly though, Steve Lennon mustn’t get carried away and has to get past his tricky Round 1 draw against Damon Heta.
Steve Lennon Most Likely Route To World Darts Championship Final
Round
Possible Opponent
Round 2
Raymond van Barneveld
Round 3
Cross/White/King
Round 4
Littler/Cullen
Quarter-Final
Price/Dobey/Joyce
Semi-Final
Smith/Bunting/Clayton
Final
Humphries/van Veen/Rock
