Lihao Wen books World Darts Championship debut after beating former World Cup partner Xiaochen Zong

Lihao Wen secured his first World Darts Championship appearance by beating former World Cup partner Xiaochen Zong 3–0 in the China Championship final.

Wen won all seven of his matches in Nanjing on Monday 2 November, ending defending champion Zong’s hopes of a seventh Alexandra Palace appearance.

Lihao Wen wins China Championship

Wen conceded only two legs across three group matches before progressing through the knockout rounds. He beat Pengyu Sun 2–0 in the quarter-finals and Yuanjun Liu 2–1 in the semi-finals.

In the final, he won nine of the last 11 legs to complete a straight-sets victory, according to the PDC’s tournament report.

When is the World Darts Championship?

The 2026/27 tournament runs from Friday 11 December to Sunday 3 January at Alexandra Palace in London.

This edition moves into the venue’s Great Hall for the first time, giving Wen a debut on a changed stage at the sport’s biggest tournament.

Alexandra Palace’s event listing confirms the dates and venue arrangements. Our darts calendar carries the wider tournament schedule.

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