Wessel Nijman

Wessel Nijman
Nijman at the 2025 World Matchplay
Personal information
Born (2000-06-26) 26 June 2000[1]
Uitgeest, Netherlands
Darts information
Playing darts since2017
Darts23g Mission Signature
LateralityRight-handed
Walk-on music"Summer of '69" by Bryan Adams
Organisation (see split in darts)
PDC2016–2020; 2023–present
(Tour Card: 2024–present)
Current world ranking(PDC) 20 4 (15 March 2026)[2]
WDF major events – best performances
World MastersLast 272: 2018
PDC premier events – best performances
World ChampionshipLast 64: 2025, 2026
World MatchplayLast 16: 2025
World Grand PrixLast 32: 2025
UK OpenLast 32: 2026
Grand SlamLast 16: 2025
European ChampionshipLast 32: 2025
PC FinalsLast 64: 2024
World Series FinalsLast 16: 2024

Wessel Nijman (born 26 June 2000) is a Dutch professional darts player who competes in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events, where he is ranked world number twenty. He has won five PDC ranking titles, including the 2026 European Darts Trophy.

Following a match-fixing scandal in 2020 that saw him banned from the sport for two-and-a-half years, Nijman returned to competitive darts in 2023. He finished third on the 2023 PDC Development Tour ranking, which led to him making his PDC World Championship debut at the 2024 edition, as well as earning a PDC Tour Card. He has since won four Players Championships and one European Tour.

In his youth career, Nijman found success in the PDC's youth system, winning twelve PDC Development Tours, topping the 2024 Development Tour rankings, and reaching the semi-finals at the 2023 PDC World Youth Championship.

Career

Early career

Nijman reached the final of the 2017 WDF World Youth Cup's boys singles event, defeating Ireland's Keane Barry and Iran's Amirali-Mirzaei Goodarzi on his way. He lost 6–3 in legs to compatriot Justin van Tergouw in the final,[3] who he partnered with to win the boys pairs event.[4] In 2018, at the age of 17, he won his first PDC Development Tour title in the second event of the year by defeating Bradley Brooks 5–4 in the final.[5]

Nijman was able to qualify for the 2019 Czech Darts Open in Prague as an Associate Member qualifier,[6] but was beaten 6–0 by Corey Cadby in the first round.[7] He also qualified for the 2019 Gibraltar Darts Trophy, where he won 6–5 against Darren Webster before losing to Mensur Suljović.[8] Nijman also won the fourth Development Tour event in 2020.[9]

Suspension

In 2020, the International Betting Integrity Association and the Darts Regulation Authority were alerted to suspicious betting patterns on matches in April and May during the Modus Live League, an online darts tournament series held amid the COVID-19 pandemic, in which Nijman was involved.[10] He was suspended from attending or participating in events sanctioned by the Darts Regulation Authority in August 2020 after admitting to match-fixing, which he called a "stupid mistake".[11] A hearing by the Darts Regulation Authority's Disciplinary Committee took place in October, where Nijman's deliberate 4–0 loss to David Evans on 14 May resulted in him being banned from the sport for five years, with two and a half years of that ban being suspended after he took part in player education and anti-corruption measures. He was also ordered to pay £2,455.74.[12] Nijman accepted the ruling, stating that although he was put under pressure by others to lose the match, he took full responsibility for his actions. His ban ended on 18 February 2023.[13]

Nijman featured in an education film released by the Professional Players Federation and the Professional Darts Players Association in June 2022, where he gave his personal testimony and discussed the repercussions of partaking in match-fixing.[14]

2023

Nijman returned to competitive darts in 2023. In March, he won a national title in the Netherlands at the Rivierenland Open in Wijchen.[15] He competed in the 2023 PDC Development Tour series, winning three titles in events 6, 12 and 19.[16][17][18] He qualified for the 2024 PDC World Darts Championship by placing third on the 2023 Development Tour Order of Merit. His ranking also secured him a two-year PDC Tour Card for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.[19]

Nijman reached the semi-finals at the 2023 PDC World Youth Championship, defeating Nathan Rafferty and Owen Bates before losing 6–5 to Gian van Veen.[20] On 19 December, Nijman made his World Championship debut,[21] but he lost to Steve Beaton 3–1 in sets.[22]

2024

In his full debut year on the PDC Pro Tour, Nijman qualified for four European Tours.[1] At the sixth European Tour event of the year, the Baltic Sea Darts Open in May, he achieved a shock 6–3 victory over Luke Littler,[23] before losing to Michael van Gerwen 6–2 in the second round.[24]

Nijman topped the 2024 PDC Development Tour series Order of Merit, which qualified him for the 2024 Grand Slam of Darts.[25] He won seven titles over the course of 24 events, including a pair of back-to-back titles: he won events 16 and 17 in July,[26] followed by events 21 and 22 in October.[27]

On 1 October, Nijman won his first senior PDC title at Players Championship 24, defeating Stephen Bunting 8–5 in the final.[28][29] Later that month, he competed at the Grand Slam and despite good performances, he finished bottom of his group after losses to Bunting, Josh Rock and Gian van Veen.[30]

2025

Nijman entered the 2025 World Championship with high expectations, becoming as high as sixth favourite to win the tournament by bookmakers due to his good form in 2024. He narrowly defeated South African qualifier Cameron Carolissen 3–2 in the first round.[31] He was eliminated in the second round following a 3–0 loss to Joe Cullen.[32] Nijman qualified for the World Matchplay for the first time and defeated former champion Nathan Aspinall 10–6 in the first round.[33] He lost 11–5 to James Wade in the second round.[34] On the 2025 PDC Pro Tour, Nijman reached back-to-back European Tour semi-finals at the Dutch Darts Championship and the European Darts Open.[35][36] He was a two-time winner in Players Championship events as he earned his second and third PDC ranking titles. He won Players Championship 30 by defeating Damon Heta 8–3 in the final,[37] followed by an 8–5 victory over Luke Woodhouse in the final of Players Championship 34.[38]

2026

At the 2026 World Championship, Nijman, the 31st seed, defeated Karel Sedláček 3–0 in the first round.[39] He was eliminated from the tournament following a 3–0 loss to Gabriel Clemens in the second round.[40] Nijman claimed his fourth PDC ranking title at Players Championship 2, defeating Gerwyn Price 8–7 in the final.[41] At the European Darts Trophy, Nijman reached his first European Tour final following wins over Gian van Veen, Josh Rock and Niels Zonneveld. In a rematch against Price, he secured his first European Tour title by winning 8–3.[42]

Personal life

Nijman grew up on the same street as fellow darts player Niels Zonneveld in Uitgeest.[43] He is a supporter of Dutch football club AZ Alkmaar.[44]

World Championship results

PDC

Performance timeline

Wessel Nijman's performance timeline is as follows:[45]

Tournament 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
PDC Ranked televised events
World Championship DNQ Suspended 1R 2R 2R
World Masters[a] DNQ Suspended DNQ Prel. 1R
UK Open DNQ Suspended DNQ 3R 3R 5R
World Matchplay DNQ Suspended DNQ 2R
World Grand Prix DNQ Suspended DNQ 1R
European Championship DNQ Suspended DNQ 1R
Grand Slam DNQ Suspended DNQ RR 2R
Players Championship Finals DNQ Suspended DNQ 1R 1R
PDC Non-ranked televised events
World Series Finals DNP Suspended 2R 1R
World Youth Championship RR 3R Suspended SF QF DNP
Career statistics
Season-end ranking (PDC) NR 157 Suspended 149 55 29

PDC European Tour

Season 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
2019 Did not participate/qualify CDO
1R 		ADC
DNP 		EDM
DNP 		IDO
DNQ 		GDT
2R
2024 Did not qualify ADO
2R 		BSD
2R 		Did not qualify HDT
QF 		SDT
3R 		CDO
DNQ
2025 BDO
2R 		EDT
3R 		IDO
QF 		GDG
1R 		ADO
3R 		EDG
2R 		DDC
SF 		EDO
SF 		BSD
3R 		FDT
1R 		CDO
QF 		HDT
1R 		SDT
1R 		GDC
3R
2026 PDO
QF 		EDT
W 		BDO
1R

PDC Players Championships

Season 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34
2019[b] Did not participate HIL
1R 		HIL
3R 		Did not participate BAR
1R 		BAR
3R
2024 WIG
2R 		WIG
2R 		LEI
1R 		LEI
3R 		HIL
1R 		HIL
1R 		LEI
2R 		LEI
1R 		HIL
3R 		HIL
2R 		HIL
3R 		HIL
3R 		MIL
4R 		MIL
1R 		MIL
F 		MIL
2R 		MIL
2R 		MIL
1R 		MIL
3R 		WIG
2R 		WIG
3R 		MIL
1R 		MIL
4R 		WIG
W 		WIG
1R 		WIG
4R 		WIG
SF 		WIG
4R 		LEI
2R 		LEI
QF
2025 WIG
4R 		WIG
4R 		ROS
4R 		ROS
4R 		LEI
2R 		LEI
2R 		HIL
1R 		HIL
1R 		LEI
4R 		LEI
1R 		LEI
4R 		LEI
3R 		ROS
QF 		ROS
3R 		HIL
1R 		HIL
1R 		LEI
4R 		LEI
1R 		LEI
SF 		LEI
2R 		LEI
2R 		HIL
1R 		HIL
SF 		MIL
2R 		MIL
QF 		HIL
QF 		HIL
4R 		LEI
4R 		LEI
SF 		LEI
W 		WIG
QF 		WIG
QF 		WIG
SF 		WIG
W
2026 HIL
QF 		HIL
W 		WIG
3R 		WIG
F 		LEI
DNP 		LEI
 LEI
 WIG
 WIG
 MIL
 MIL
 HIL
 HIL
 LEI
 LEI
 LEI
 LEI
 MIL
 MIL
 WIG
 WIG
 LEI
 LEI
 HIL
 HIL
 LEI
 LEI
 ROS
 ROS
 ROS
 ROS
 LEI
 LEI
Performance Table Legend
W Won the tournament F Finalist SF Semifinalist QF Quarterfinalist #R
RR
Prel. 		Lost in # round
Round-robin
Preliminary round 		DQ Disqualified
DNQ Did not qualify DNP Did not participate WD Withdrew NH Tournament not held NYF Not yet founded

Titles

PDC

Youth events

Notes

  1. ^ A non-ranked event until 2025
  2. ^ Not a Tour card holder

References

  1. ^ a b "Wessel Nijman". Mastercaller.
  2. ^ "Ranking Tables". PDPA. 15 March 2026. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  3. ^ "Results of WDF World Cup Youth Boys Singles 2017". Mastercaller. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  4. ^ "WDF World Cup Youth Boys Pairs 2017". World Darts Federation. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  5. ^ Allen, Dave (14 April 2018). "2018 PDC Unicorn Development Tour 1-2". PDC. Archived from the original on 15 April 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  6. ^ Allen, Dave (23 May 2019). "Harris & De Decker Amongst ET Qualifiers". Professional Darts Corporation. Archived from the original on 26 May 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  7. ^ "Corey Cadby enjoys dream European Tour debut on day one of Czech Darts Open". Sporting Life. 29 June 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  8. ^ "PDC Gibraltar Darts Trophy 27/09/2019 - 29/09/2019". Darts Database. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  9. ^ Phillips, Josh (1 March 2020). "Meikle and Nijman land Development Tour titles". PDC. Archived from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  10. ^ "Wessel Nijman and Kyle McKinstry suspended with match-fixing cases to answer". Sky Sports. 19 August 2020. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  11. ^ "Kyle McKinstry & Wessel Nijman suspended over match-fixing claims". BBC Sport. 18 August 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  12. ^ "DRA Statement on Nijman". Darts Regulation Authority. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  13. ^ "Wessel Nijman handed five-year darts ban for betting and anti-corruption breaches". BBC Sport. 28 October 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  14. ^ "PPF Betting Education Wessel Nijman". Professional Players Federation. 30 June 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  15. ^ Bus, Patrick (5 March 2023). "Wessel Nijman keert terug met nationale titel in Wijchen" [Wessel Nijman returns with a national title in Wijchen]. Darts Actueel (in Dutch). Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  16. ^ Gorton, Josh (28 April 2023). "Nijman & Bialecki prevail as latest Winmau Development Tour weekend begins". PDC. Archived from the original on 2 June 2023. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  17. ^ Gorton, Josh (9 June 2023). "Nijman secures second Development Tour crown of 2023 in Hildesheim". PDC. Archived from the original on 25 April 2024. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  18. ^ Gorton, Josh (15 July 2023). "Nijman and Rafferty celebrate Development Tour wins in Leicester". PDC. Archived from the original on 17 August 2023. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  19. ^ Gorton, Josh (19 August 2023). "Van Veen tops Development Tour Order of Merit as 2023 season concludes". PDC. Archived from the original on 20 August 2023. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  20. ^ Gorton, Josh (20 August 2023). "Van Veen & Littler to contest 2023 Winmau World Youth Championship final". Professional Darts Corporation. Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  21. ^ Wood, Kieran (19 December 2023). "They showed the evidence they had and I basically couldn't do anything Wessel Nijman candid about past match fixing suspension". Darts News. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
  22. ^ Chiu, Nigel (20 December 2023). "World Darts Championship: Michael van Gerwen cruises to victory as veteran Steve Beaton also wins ahead of retirement in 2024". Sky Sports. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  23. ^ "Luke Littler dumped out of Baltic Sea Open in shock defeat to Wessel Nijman". Sky Sports. 10 May 2024. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
  24. ^ Gorton, Josh (11 May 2024). "Van Gerwen & Humphries take centre stage on Day Two in Kiel". Professional Darts Corporation. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  25. ^ Gorton, Josh (16 October 2024). "De Decker & Nijman confirm Mr Vegas Grand Slam qualification". Professional Darts Corporation. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  26. ^ Gorton, Josh (26 July 2024). "Nijman wins back-to-back Development Tour titles in Milton Keynes". Professional Darts Corporation. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  27. ^ Wagner, Connor (12 October 2024). "Nijman wins back-to-back Development Tour titles in Wigan". Professional Darts Corporation. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  28. ^ "Darts results: Wessel Nijman claims maiden PDC title at Players Championship 24". Sporting Life. 1 October 2024. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
  29. ^ "Wessel Nijman beats Stephen Bunting 8-5 to win first Players Championship title". BBC Sport. 1 October 2024. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
  30. ^ Wood, Kieran (12 November 2024). "Gian van Veen edges Wessel Nijman in one of the greatest Grand Slam matches ever after Luke Littler completes perfect group stage". Darts News. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  31. ^ Hartman, Tim (20 December 2024). "Wát een ontlading bij Wessel Nijman, Nederlander ontsnapt aan WK-exit: 'Wat een getouwtrek'" [What a relief for Wessel Nijman, Dutchman escapes World Championship exit: 'What a tug of war']. AD (in Dutch). Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  32. ^ Stafford, Ali; Wellens, Meg (22 December 2024). "World Darts Championship: What caused Joe Cullen's post-match outburst after winning start at the Alexandra Palace?". Sky Sports. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  33. ^ Wellens, Megan (20 July 2025). "World Matchplay 2025: Reigning champion Luke Humphries suffers shock upset loss to Gian van Veen as Nathan Aspinall also loses on opening night". Sky Sports. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  34. ^ Mallows, Tom (22 July 2025). "Bunting battles past Anderson to reach last eight". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  35. ^ Wellens, Megan (25 May 2025). "Dutch Darts Championship: Jonny Clayton beats Luke Humphries on way to third Euro Tour title". Sky Sports. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  36. ^ Allen, Dave (1 June 2025). "Awesome Aspinall doubles European Tour title tally in Leverkusen thriller". Professional Darts Corporation. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  37. ^ "Wessel Nijman warms up for World Grand Prix by clinching Players Championship 30 crown". Sky Sports. 2 October 2025. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  38. ^ Gorton, Josh (30 October 2025). "Nijman rounds off 2025 ProTour season with superb PC34 success". Professional Darts Corporation. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  39. ^ Wellens, Megan (13 December 2025). "World Darts Championship 2026: Luke Humphries sets up second round showdown with 71-year-old Paul Lim". Sky Sports. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  40. ^ Cartwright, Phil (22 December 2025). "Humphries dominates Lim, 71, to reach round three". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  41. ^ Gorton, Josh (10 February 2026). "Nerveless Nijman denies heroic Price to capture PC2 glory". Professional Darts Corporation. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  42. ^ Rivers, David (15 March 2026). "European Darts Trophy: Wessel Nijman beats Gerwyn Price with brilliant 8-3 win in Germany and says he has 'no words'". Sky Sports. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  43. ^ "Topdarter Wessel Nijman (25) verslaat buurjongen na magistrale wedstrijd op de Euro Tour" [Top darts player Wessel Nijman (25) beats the boy next door after a masterful match on the Euro Tour]. sportnieuws.nl (in Dutch). 15 March 2026. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  44. ^ Hartman, Tim (20 December 2023). "AZ-fan Wessel Nijman (23) na WK-debuut over enorme aandacht na matchfixing: 'Je speelt hier geen kroegtoernooi'" [AZ fan Wessel Nijman (23) after World Championship debut on huge attention following match-fixing: 'You're not playing a pub tournament here']. BN DeStem (in Dutch). Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  45. ^ "Wessel Nijman Player Profile". Darts Databas. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
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