Fan favourite Motomu Sakai has qualified for the 2027 PDC World Darts Championship.Japan’s Sakai made his World Championship debut at the 2026 tournament and captured the hearts of the Alexandra Palace crowd with his eccentric walk-on.Sakai has one of the liveliest walk-ons in dartsGettySakai leaves his mark on Worlds debutEntering to the sound of ‘Ojamajo Carnival’, the theme song from anime series Ojamajo Doremi, Sakai posed with fans and signed autographs on his way to the oche.And he got his maiden World Championship campaign off to a flyer, beating Thibaut Tricole 3-0 in the first round.He was knocked out in the second round by Andreas Harrysson, but he’ll back at the Ally Pally this December.As well as World Championship exploits, Sakai has represented Japan at the World Cup of Darts.He played alongside Haruki Murumatsu at the 2026 World Cup in Frankfurt in June.Sakai helped Japan to victory in their opening match against Croatia, but they were ultimately eliminated in the group stage.The 28-year-old from Tokyo, who uses the nickname ‘the Creature’, initially made a name for himself in soft-tip darts, having taken up the sport to ‘become popular with girls’.Having emerged as one of the top talents on the PDC Asian Tour, he made his World Series of Darts debut at this year’s Bahrain Darts Masters, where he was beaten by 2021 world champion Gerwyn Price in the first round.The biggest World Championship yetThe 2027 PDC World Darts Championship gets runs from December 11, 2026 to January 3, 2027.For the first time, the competition will take place in the Ally Pally’s Great Hall, expanding the total audience capacity across the tournament by 70,000.The Alexandra Palace has hosted the World Championship since 2007GettyThe iconic north London venue will remain home to the World Championship until at least 2031 after a new five-year deal was signed in December last year.At the time, PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter said: “Alexandra Palace has become synonymous with the World Darts Championship, and we are thrilled to extend our partnership through to at least 2031.“Ally Pally at Christmas is the identity of the tournament – its atmosphere is unmatched anywhere in sport.“Demand for tickets has never been higher, and moving into the Great Hall from 2026/27 will allow more fans than ever to enjoy this incredible event.“Previous obstacles to using the Great Hall have now been resolved, and this move represents a landmark moment for the sport.”World No.1 Luke Littler is the two-time reigning world champion.‘The Nuke’ has enjoyed a superb 2026 so far, winning all four major titles on offer.By retaining his World Matchplay crown in July, he became the first player in darts history to reach £3million in prize money.