Phil Taylor has officially announced his full retirement from darts – seven years after his last professional match.
Widely considered the best to ever do it, the 16-time world champion stepped away from PDC events in 2018, but has since continued to feature on the World Seniors Tour and in exhibitions.
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Taylor’s last professional outing ended in a 7-2 defeat to Rob Cross in the 2018 World Championship final.
He then made a U-turn four years later to play in the Seniors tour, although injuries and health issues have seen him forced to withdraw from a number of events.
The 64-year-old’s last appearance came at the 2024 World Seniors Championship, where he was beaten 3-2 by debutant Manfred Bilderl in the first round.
And ‘The Power’ has now revealed he will be hanging up his arrows for good on his official website.
In a video message he confirmed his retirement and joked: “If anybody wants to come and see me, I won’t be playing darts now.
“You can meet me, great me, have a picture with me, have a chat with me, but I won’t be playing darts anymore.”
A longer statement from Taylor then read: “After a long and fantastic career over the last 40 years, I announce that from today I am retiring from playing darts.
“It has been a privilege to be part of such a vibrant and passionate community.
“I would like to thank each and everyone for your support through this incredible journey. Your encouragement and enthusiasm have been the driving force behind my success. A journey which has enabled me to achieve more than I could have ever imagined.
“I am grateful for the friendships I’ve formed and the experiences I’ve shared.”
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Despite announcing he would no longer be active in a playing capacity, Taylor hinted at future involvement in darts.
He ended: “As one chapter closes, another one opens. This transition opens up new opportunities for me to explore and engage with the sport in different ways.
“I look forward to meeting fans old and new around the country and I will continue to update this website with future announcements. Please stay tuned for upcoming events, appearances, and projects that I am excited to undertake.
“Thank you once again for all the wonderful memories.”
Taylor’s news was met with an outpouring of support online, as fans flocked to the comments section to hail his legendary career.
However, others were left confused by the announcement, with some followers of the sport pointing out this wasn’t the first time the darts great had claimed he was bowing out from the game.
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In an interview with talkSPORT in October, Taylor revealed his body would no longer allow him to compete, having undergone hip surgery earlier in 2024.
He said: “I’m retired now, properly retired.”
And fans were quick to point out his past comments after his latest retirement announcement.
Replying to his newly-released statement on X, one fan simply wrote: “Again?!”
Another said: “You retired years ago didn’t you?”
One more jokingly compared his antics to Australian cricketer David Warner, who has also been flexible on his retirement stance from the international game.
They quipped: “Swear he’s on his 8th retirement now. Almost as many as David Warner.”
