2025 IDF Youth Championship

2025 IDF Youth World Championship
Tournament information
Dates	6–14 December 2025
Venue	Alexandra Palace
Location	London, England
Organisation(s)	International Darts Federation (IDF)
Format	Legs
Prize fund	$500,000
Winner's share	$100,000
High checkout	170 Theo Bartlett
Champion(s)
Theo Bartlett
2026»

The 2025 IDF Youth World Championship was a professional youth darts tournament organised by the International Darts Federation (IDF). It was held from 6 to 14 December 2025 at Alexandra Palace in London, England. The tournament was the inaugural edition of the IDF Youth World Championship and was introduced as the IDF's premier under-25 world title.

Unlike the senior IDF World Darts Championship, which was contested in sets, the Youth World Championship was played entirely in a legs format. The tournament featured 64 players, with qualification places awarded through the IDF Next Gen Tour, IDF Development Series, regional youth orders of merit, international affiliate qualifiers and youth wildcards.

Theo Bartlett won the inaugural title, defeating Noah Draven 11–8 in the final. Bartlett became the first IDF Youth World Champion. Draven reached the final after finishing top of the 2025 IDF Next Gen Tour Order of Merit, while Zachary Moorcroft and Jaxon Flint were the losing semi-finalists.

The tournament was treated as one of the most prestigious titles in the IDF calendar despite being restricted to youth players. The winner received $100,000, automatic entry into the 2026 IDF World Darts Championship, and two-year priority status for senior IDF Pro Tour qualifying events.

Overview

Background

The IDF Youth World Championship was created as part of the organisation's wider expansion of youth and development darts. Prior to 2025, the IDF's youth structure centred on the IDF Youth Championship, the IDF Next Gen Tour and the IDF Development Series. The introduction of a full Youth World Championship gave the system a single season-ending title comparable in status to the senior World Championship.

The IDF positioned the event as the highest honour available to under-25 players. Although the tournament shared the Alexandra Palace venue with the senior World Championship, it used a different match format. The senior championship remained a set-play event, while the youth championship was designed around long-form leg play to reward consistency, scoring power and endurance over extended matches.

The inaugural edition took place in December 2025, immediately before the opening stages of the 2026 IDF World Darts Championship. This scheduling allowed the youth champion and finalists to be promoted directly into the senior championship storyline.

Venue

The tournament was staged at Alexandra Palace in London, England. The venue was selected to link the Youth World Championship with the senior IDF World Championship and to establish the event as a major title rather than a secondary development competition.

The earlier rounds were played across two stages inside the venue, while the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final were played on the main stage.

Eligibility

Players were eligible to compete if they were under the age of 25 at the start of the 2025 IDF season. Players who had already competed in senior IDF televised events remained eligible, provided they met the age requirement. The IDF confirmed before the event that senior tournament wins would not prevent eligible players from entering, as the championship was intended to determine the strongest youth player regardless of senior experience.

Format

The tournament featured 64 players in a straight knockout format. All matches were played over legs, with match length increasing as the tournament progressed.

Round	Match format
First round	Best of 11 legs
Second round	Best of 13 legs
Third round	Best of 15 legs
Quarter-finals	Best of 17 legs
Semi-finals	Best of 19 legs
Final	Best of 21 legs

Players were drawn into a 64-player bracket. The top 16 players based on youth ranking and senior youth-eligible ranking status were seeded. Seeded players were drawn against unseeded qualifiers in the first round.

Prize money

The tournament had a total prize fund of $500,000, making it the largest youth darts event in IDF history.

Position	Number of players	Prize money
Winner	1	$100,000
Runner-up	1	$50,000
Semi-finalists	2	$25,000
Quarter-finalists	4	$15,000
Third round losers	8	$8,000
Second round losers	16	$4,000
First round losers	32	$2,000

Qualification

The 64-player field was assembled through youth ranking positions, tour performance, regional qualifying and affiliate invitations.

Seeded players

1. Theo Bartlett (champion)
2. Noah Draven (runner-up)
3. Zachary Moorcroft (semi-finals)
4. Jaxon Flint (semi-finals)
5. Finn Hargreaves (quarter-finals)
6. Ryder Callan (quarter-finals)
7. Cooper Maddox (third round)
8. Tyler Keane (quarter-finals)
9. Jai McCormack (third round)
10. Reece Mallory (third round)
11. Bradley Soren (quarter-finals)
12. Declan Fry (second round)
13. Evan Trudeau (second round)
14. Owen Blackwell (third round)
15. Jaxon Flint (semi-finals)
16. Nathan Reeves (second round)

Next Gen and Development qualifiers

• Tyler Finch (second round)
• Joel Merrick (first round)
• Patrick Richards (second round)
• Colton Rivers (first round)
• Aaron Knight (first round)
• Bradley Soren (quarter-finals)
• Evan Trudeau (second round)
• Finn Hargreaves (quarter-finals)
• Jai McCormack (third round)
• Leon Fisher (first round)
• Reece Mallory (third round)
• Ryder Callan (quarter-finals)
• Tyler Keane (quarter-finals)
• Hunter James (second round)
• Zack Porter (first round)
• Caleb Ford (second round)

Regional and affiliate qualifiers

• Kieran Holt (first round)
• Bailey Cross (second round)
• Lewis Grant (first round)
• Corey Wallace (first round)
• Brandon Shaw (second round)
• Mitchell Kane (first round)
• Connor Blake (first round)
• Jake Morrison (second round)
• Luke Brennan (first round)
• Sam Whitaker (first round)
• Curtis Dale (first round)
• Aaron Fletcher (first round)
• Ben Harlow (second round)
• Scott Ramsey (first round)
• Oliver Nash (first round)
• Josh Kincaid (first round)

Summary

First round

The first round was played across 6 and 7 December. Bartlett opened the tournament with a 6–2 victory over Josh Kincaid, averaging 96.44 and hitting four maximums. Draven began his campaign with a 6–3 win over Oliver Nash, while Moorcroft defeated Scott Ramsey by the same scoreline.

The first major upset came when Bailey Cross defeated thirteenth seed Evan Trudeau 6–5 after Trudeau missed three match darts. Jake Morrison also advanced with a 6–4 win over Declan Fry, while Caleb Ford defeated Nathan Reeves 6–3. Flint, Hargreaves, Callan and Keane all progressed comfortably.

Second round

The second round was played on 8 and 9 December. Bartlett defeated Ben Harlow 7–3, while Draven edged past Caleb Ford 7–5 in a match that included eight maximums. Moorcroft beat Brandon Shaw 7–2, and Flint defeated Jake Morrison 7–4.

Hargreaves survived a deciding leg against Tyler Finch, winning 7–6 after Finch missed double 12 for a 141 checkout. Bradley Soren defeated Patrick Richards 7–4, while Keane and Callan both advanced with 7–5 victories. Owen Blackwell reached the third round after beating Bailey Cross 7–3.

Third round

The third round was played on 10 December. Bartlett produced the highest average of the tournament to that point, averaging 101.76 in an 8–4 win over Reece Mallory. Draven defeated Owen Blackwell 8–5, while Moorcroft beat Jai McCormack 8–6.

Flint defeated Cooper Maddox 8–3 in one of the most one-sided matches of the round. Hargreaves defeated Ryder Callan 8–7 after a deciding leg, while Keane defeated Soren 8–6. Bartlett's win over Mallory was also notable for a 170 checkout, which remained the highest checkout of the tournament.

Quarter-finals

The quarter-finals were played on 12 December. Bartlett defeated Hargreaves 9–6, recovering from 4–2 down by winning seven of the final eleven legs. Draven defeated Keane 9–7 in a high-quality match in which both players averaged above 97.

Moorcroft defeated Callan 9–5 to reach the semi-finals, while Flint defeated Soren 9–8 in the closest match of the round. Soren led 8–6 but missed two darts to win the match before Flint completed the comeback.

Semi-finals

The semi-finals were played on 13 December. Bartlett defeated Flint 10–6, averaging 100.42 and producing a 136 checkout in the fifteenth leg. The result sent Bartlett into his second major youth final of the season.

Draven defeated Moorcroft 10–8 in the second semi-final. Moorcroft recovered from 7–3 down to level the match at 8–8, but Draven won the final two legs to reach the final. The result also repeated their rivalry from the Next Gen Tour, where both players had finished inside the top two.

Final

The final was played on 14 December between Bartlett and Draven. Bartlett began strongly and led 4–1, but Draven responded by winning four of the next five legs to level the match at 5–5. Bartlett regained control after the second interval, moving 8–6 ahead with a 12-dart leg.

Draven reduced the deficit to 9–8, but Bartlett held throw with a 101 checkout before breaking in the nineteenth leg to win 11–8. Bartlett finished with a 99.86 average and eight maximums, while Draven averaged 97.91 in defeat.

Draw

Numbers to the left of a player's name show the seeded players. Figures to the right show the player's three-dart average in that match.

	First round Best of 11 legs					Second round Best of 13 legs					Third round Best of 15 legs					Quarter-finals Best of 17 legs					Semi-finals Best of 19 legs					Final Best of 21 legs
	1	Theo Bartlett 96.44	6
		Josh Kincaid 83.20	2
						1	Theo Bartlett 98.12	7
							Ben Harlow 89.40	3
	Ben Harlow 89.62		6
	Aaron Fletcher 85.91		4
											1	Theo Bartlett 101.76	8
											10	Reece Mallory 94.88	4
	8	Tyler Keane 93.14	6
		Curtis Dale 84.33	1
						8	Tyler Keane 95.21	7
							Patrick Richards 91.12	4
	Patrick Richards 90.40		6
	Sam Whitaker 88.02		5
																1	Theo Bartlett 99.84	9
																5	Finn Hargreaves 96.55	6
	5	Finn Hargreaves 94.28	6
		Luke Brennan 86.77	3
						5	Finn Hargreaves 94.90	7
							Tyler Finch 93.01	6
	Tyler Finch 91.55		6
	Connor Blake 87.36		4
											5	Finn Hargreaves 96.02	8
											6	Ryder Callan 95.63	7
	12	Declan Fry 88.91	4
		Jake Morrison 91.04	6
						Jake Morrison 91.85		4
						Reece Mallory 95.10		7
	Reece Mallory 95.66		6
	Mitchell Kane 84.19		2
																					1	Theo Bartlett 100.42	10
																					4	Jaxon Flint 97.80	6
	4	Jaxon Flint 97.05	6
		Brandon Shaw 86.25	3
						4	Jaxon Flint 97.88	7
							Cooper Maddox 91.74	3
	Cooper Maddox 92.40		6
	Corey Wallace 85.17		2
											4	Jaxon Flint 98.77	8
											7	Cooper Maddox 93.40	3
	13	Evan Trudeau 90.01	5
		Bailey Cross 91.23	6
							Bailey Cross 90.22	3
						9	Jai McCormack 93.92	7
	Jai McCormack 93.52		6
	Kieran Holt 84.66		1
																4	Jaxon Flint 98.90	9
																11	Bradley Soren 97.61	8
	3	Zachary Moorcroft 95.43	6
		Scott Ramsey 86.31	3
						3	Zachary Moorcroft 96.77	7
							Brandon Shaw 88.45	2
	Brandon Shaw 89.75		6
	Lewis Grant 84.80		2
											3	Zachary Moorcroft 97.44	8
											9	Jai McCormack 94.33	6
	6	Ryder Callan 94.19	6
		Corey Wallace 85.43	3
						6	Ryder Callan 95.11	7
						14	Owen Blackwell 92.36	5
	14	Owen Blackwell 91.88	6
		Aaron Knight 86.72	4
																										1	Theo Bartlett 99.86	11
																										2	Noah Draven 97.91	8
	2	Noah Draven 95.77	6
		Oliver Nash 87.33	3
						2	Noah Draven 96.83	7
							Caleb Ford 92.44	5
		Caleb Ford 90.91	6
	16	Nathan Reeves 88.43	3
											2	Noah Draven 97.95	8
											14	Owen Blackwell 93.61	5
	7	Cooper Maddox 92.74	6
		Joel Merrick 87.62	2
						7	Cooper Maddox 93.71	7
						10	Reece Mallory 92.88	4
	10	Reece Mallory 93.01	6
		Leon Fisher 85.95	1
																2	Noah Draven 98.33	9
																8	Tyler Keane 97.18	7
	11	Bradley Soren 94.32	6
		Zack Porter 86.60	2
						11	Bradley Soren 95.32	7
							Hunter James 91.00	4
	Hunter James 90.55		6
	Colton Rivers 87.78		4
											11	Bradley Soren 96.44	8
												Patrick Richards 92.12	3
	9	Jai McCormack 93.20	6
		Lewis Grant 84.91	3
						9	Jai McCormack 93.74	7
							Owen Blackwell 92.14	6
	Owen Blackwell 91.02		6
	Corey Wallace 85.42		4
																					2	Noah Draven 98.72	10
																					3	Zachary Moorcroft 97.91	8
	15	Jaxon Flint 96.66	6
		Mitchell Kane 84.23	2
						15	Jaxon Flint 98.30	7
							Jake Morrison 91.43	4
	Jake Morrison 91.50		6
	Ben Harlow 89.88		5
											8	Tyler Keane 96.21	8
												Caleb Ford 92.66	4
	Bailey Cross 90.74		6
	Kieran Holt 86.29		3
						Bailey Cross 90.80		3
						Caleb Ford 92.31		7
	Caleb Ford 91.33		6
	Scott Ramsey 86.20		2
																3	Zachary Moorcroft 98.01	9
																6	Ryder Callan 95.76	5
	Tyler Finch 91.91		6
	Aaron Knight 87.14		3
						Tyler Finch 91.72		6
						Patrick Richards 91.44		7
	Patrick Richards 90.89		6
	Josh Kincaid 85.64		4
											15	Jaxon Flint 98.11	8
												Brandon Shaw 91.95	5
	Brandon Shaw 89.96		6
	Oliver Nash 86.77		3
						Brandon Shaw 91.23		7
						Ben Harlow 90.66		5
	Ben Harlow 90.40		6
	Luke Brennan 86.13		2

Final

Best of 21 legs Referee: Huw Ware Alexandra Palace, London, England, 14 December 2025
Theo Bartlett	11–8	Noah Draven
99.86	Average	97.91
8	180s	6
142	Highest checkout	121
11/29	Checkout summary	8/24

Highest averages

Player	Round	Average	Opponent	Result
Theo Bartlett	Third round	101.76	Reece Mallory	Won
Theo Bartlett (2)	Semi-finals	100.42	Jaxon Flint	Won
Theo Bartlett (3)	Quarter-finals	99.84	Finn Hargreaves	Won
Theo Bartlett (4)	Final	99.86	Noah Draven	Won
Jaxon Flint	Quarter-finals	98.90	Bradley Soren	Won
Noah Draven	Semi-finals	98.72	Zachary Moorcroft	Won
Noah Draven (2)	Quarter-finals	98.33	Tyler Keane	Won
Jaxon Flint (2)	Second round	98.30	Jake Morrison	Won
Zachary Moorcroft	Quarter-finals	98.01	Ryder Callan	Won
Noah Draven (3)	Final	97.91	Theo Bartlett	Lost

Records and statistics

Finalist appearances

Rank	Player	Winner	Runner-up	Finals
1	Theo Bartlett	1	0	1
2	Noah Draven	0	1	1

Semi-finalists

Player	Result
Theo Bartlett	Champion
Noah Draven	Runner-up
Zachary Moorcroft	Semi-finals
Jaxon Flint	Semi-finals

Champions by country

Country	Players	Total	First title	Last title
England	1	1	2025	2025

Aftermath

Bartlett's victory confirmed him as the leading youth player of the 2025 IDF season. His Youth World Championship title, combined with his earlier Youth Championship success and senior-level performances, earned him direct entry into selected 2026 senior ranking events.

Draven's runner-up finish capped a breakout season in which he won the 2025 IDF Next Gen Tour Order of Merit. Moorcroft and Flint also secured upgraded senior qualification status after reaching the semi-finals. The IDF later confirmed that all four semi-finalists would receive invitations to the preliminary rounds of the 2026 IDF World Darts Championship.