Christmas must be around the corner as the World Darts Championship starts at Alexandra Palace on Sunday.

Two-and-a-half weeks of darting action awaits before the champion is crowned on January 3.

Here, the PA news agency looks at five competitors to keep an eye on during the tournament.

Luke Littler

The 17-year-old returns to the scene of his big breakthrough, where his spectacular debut run to the final saw him become a global star.

Littler has proved he is the real deal amid a stunning 2024 which saw him win 10 titles including the Premier League and Grand Slam of Darts.

While he was an outsider on his first visit to Alexandra Palace, he is the bookmakers’ favourite to win the first of what will surely be many World Championships.

Luke Humphries

It is sometimes difficult to remember that it was actually Humphries who won the 2024 tournament given all the attention has been on beaten finalist Littler.

Humphries and Littler are the two standout players and have already forged an enduring rivalry. But the 29-year-old is the defending champion and has been there and done it.

He is capable of scoring with huge numbers and it will take a brave person to back against him winning a second crown.

Michael van Gerwen

For so long the Dutchman was the face of the sport as he dominated in the wake of Phil Taylor’s exit. But his star has waned this year and his failure to win a major televised title represents his worst performance for some time.

Confidence is not an issue though and Van Gerwen has stated the “cream comes to the top” ahead of the tournament as he chases what would be a fourth world title.

For that to happen, he would have to improve his level but this is Van Gerwen.

Gary Anderson

Many thought Anderson’s days at the top were over, but the two-time world champion has enjoyed a resurgence in 2024, playing some of his best darts for many years.

Whether the motivation and durability to win several matches over a short period of time is there remains to be seen, but 53-year-old Anderson is throwing some of his best darts for a long time and when he is at his best, few can match his scoring power.

Gian van Veen

After Littler bulldozed his way to the final after coming into the 2024 tournament as the World Youth champion, this year’s junior winner Van Veen will not have the luxury of going under the radar.

The 22-year-old is far from a rookie and knows his way around the circuit, having reached the quarter-finals of the Grand Slam of Darts.

It will take a big effort to win it, but he is a player no one will want to face.