Thibault Tricole vs Motomu Sakai Prediction & Betting Tips - World Darts Championship
PDC World Darts Championship - World Darts Championship
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by Devesh Jaganath | in PDC World Darts Championship Predictions
Thibault Tricole and Motomu Sakai face off on Day 8 at the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship on Thursday afternoon. The winner of this match between The French Touch and Notchi will meet Andreas Harrysson in the second round. Let’s get into the match prediction.
France’s sole representative at the World Championship, Thibault Tricole, returns to the Ally Pally for a fourth year in succession. He has got to the second round in the last two tournaments.
The French Touch became the first Frenchman to win a match on the European Tour this year, beating Michael Smith 6-3. He featured in the Grand Slam and UK Open but suffered early exits.
Tricole reached the quarter-final of the PC 33 event last month and has a record of five wins and five losses in his last 10 ProTour matches.
Meanwhile, Motomu Sakai qualified for this tournament via the 2025 PDC Asian Tour, and he will be making his World Championship debut this year.
Notchi has competed almost exclusively on the Asian Tour this year, with his highlight being winning back-to-back events and finishing in the top-five Asian Tour placings.
Despite his limited exposure in international events, Sakai is considered one of Japan’s best players and could spring a surprise in this match.
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Thibault Tricole - Motomu Sakai Key Points
- Thibault Tricole is ranked 61st in the PDC Order of Merit.
- Thibault Tricole is the number-one-ranked French player in the world.
- Thibault Tricole has made it to the second round in the last two World Championships.
- Motomu Sakai has not featured in a ProTour event.
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Our Thibault Tricole vs Motomu Sakai Prediction
Motomu Sakai has emerged as one of Japan’s rising stars this year, but it’s difficult to envision how he may fare here, given his limited experience on the international circuit.
Thibault Tricole, on the other hand, has continued his rise this year and is now France’s clear number one. The Frenchman is carrying decent form into the competition after reaching the quarter-final at PC 33 last month, and we feel he will progress to the second round. Our Thibault Tricole vs Motomu Sakai prediction is Thibault Tricole wins.
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All tips are fully researched and given in good faith, but profits cannot be guaranteed.
