Raymond van Barneveld has moved to clarify his earlier announcement that he would temporarily step back from darts, insisting he is not retiring. The five-time world champion caused shockwaves across the sport on Monday when he revealed his plans, sparking immediate speculation that he was on the verge of a final farewell. Speaking to NOS, the 59-year-old from The Hague stressed firmly that quitting is absolutely not on the table.
“All of England is in a frenzy,” said Van Barneveld. “They think I’m stopping, but this break basically means I won’t be playing the World Matchplay in July. It’s all dramatic at the moment.” It had long seemed likely that Van Barneveld would miss the prestigious World Matchplay. The Dutchman — a former finalist at this major — is enduring a very difficult season and has slipped far down the world rankings, leaving him well outside the qualification spots for the big TV tournament in Blackpool.
Van Barneveld didn’t spare himself in an interview with NU.nl on Monday, speaking openly about his sporting struggles and even calling 2025 “his worst year ever.” He added that he is “stuck in a cycle of suffering that just won’t stop.” Those comments sparked speculation about a potential retirement, and the reaction was huge, particularly from the United Kingdom. “My phone hasn’t stopped ringing,” said Van Barneveld. “Everyone thinks I’m quitting, but that’s absolutely not the case.”
Although Van Barneveld will skip some larger tournaments for now, he remains active on the PDC circuit. He confirmed he will keep playing Players Championship events in the coming period. On Monday he competed at a Players Championship in Leicester. He did skip the following day, but he is scheduled to return to the oche in early June at Players Championship 19 and 20. Part of his absence has nothing to do with form or mindset — he will also miss some Euro Tour qualifiers due to a planned family vacation to Disneyland with his children, meaning he will automatically skip at least one Euro Tour main event.
Van Barneveld’s brief breather was tentatively flagged last week by Vincent van der Voort on the podcast Darts Draait Door, where Van der Voort hinted that his close friend is struggling with motivation and results. For Van Barneveld, the immediate goal appears to be finding calm and joy in the game again. The Dutchman won five world titles in his illustrious career and became one of the sport’s biggest icons. “I’m absolutely not going to stop,” Van Barneveld reiterated, reassuring fans worldwide, though the question remains how quickly he can rediscover his form.
