In one of the most dramatic matches of the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship so far, Kenyan qualifier David Munyua etched his name into darts history with a breathtaking comeback victory over 18th seed and 2024 World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker. The 30-year-old veterinarian, making his debut at the iconic Alexandra Palace, overcame a 2-0 deficit in sets to triumph 3-2, sending the packed crowd into raptures and delivering what many are calling one of the biggest shocks ever seen on the Ally Pally stage.
De Decker, the Belgian star nicknamed “The Real Deal,” entered the match as an overwhelming favorite, priced at just 1/66 by bookmakers to advance comfortably into the second round. He lived up to those expectations early on, dominating the opening exchanges to claim the first two sets and appear firmly in control. The former major winner looked poised to cruise through, building momentum with steady scoring and clinical finishing that had served him so well in his Grand Prix triumph just over a year ago.
But darts is a game of fine margins and unbreakable spirit, and Munyua embodied the latter in abundance. The Kenyan, who had never set foot in England before this tournament and qualified through the African Darts Group Championship, refused to be overawed. Despite missing opportunities to steal the second set, he found his rhythm as the match progressed. Warning signs emerged when Munyua began clawing back legs, and the tide turned decisively in the third set. De Decker squandered match darts, allowing the underdog to capitalize and pull one set back, igniting hope for an improbable turnaround.
The fourth set descended into pure chaos—a leg that will be replayed for years to come. Munyua fired six perfect darts toward a potential nine-darter, only to narrowly miss the seventh. Then came a miscount, followed by an unexpected interruption from the infamous Ally Pally wasp, which buzzed onto the stage. In a moment of quick thinking, Munyua swatted the insect and pocketed it, drawing cheers from the amused crowd. Amid the madness, he held his nerve to level the match at 2-2, with the atmosphere electric and the fans now fully behind the plucky outsider chanting his name.
Entering the deciding set, the momentum had swung dramatically. De Decker broke early, but Munyua responded with a spectacular 135 checkout—outer bull, treble 20, bullseye—to break straight back and level. The Kenyan then edged ahead, and with the crowd roaring him on, he sealed the victory on double 20 after four attempts at match darts. Wild celebrations ensued as Munyua, the first player from Kenya to grace the World Championship stage, soaked in the moment. “It is amazing. I didn’t expect it. But now it has happened and I’m happy about it,” he said afterward, highlighting the significance for his country and continent.
For De Decker, the defeat marked a painful early exit and continued his frustrating record at Alexandra Palace, where he has now failed to progress beyond the second round in six attempts despite his major pedigree. Visibly rattled during the closing stages, the Belgian shook his head in frustration as missed darts were met with loud cheers from sections of the crowd, and he faced booing and whistling during crucial throws.
In the aftermath, De Decker took to social media to express his disappointment, graciously congratulating his opponent while criticizing the crowd’s behavior. “Well done, David. But the crowd? Wow… Booing and whistling shouldn’t be normal or encouraged,” he posted. He added a pointed observation: “You’re the first to complain when it happens to British players in Europe, yet you do exactly the same when the tournament is in the United Kingdom.”
The loss capped a disastrous opening round for Belgium, with all five representatives—including De Decker—eliminated before the second round. Meanwhile, Munyua’s heroics not only secured him at least £25,000 in prize money but also advanced him to face the winner of another tie, where he could continue inspiring a new generation in Africa.
This match encapsulated everything that makes the World Darts Championship so captivating: high drama, unexpected twists, and the global growth of the sport. As debutants like Munyua and Japan’s Motomu Sakai (who earlier dazzled with an exuberant walk-on and a straight-sets win) shine on the biggest stage, darts is proving it’s no longer confined to traditional strongholds. The roar of Ally Pally may have contributed to one player’s downfall, but it also heralded the rise of a new star from halfway around the world.
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