Arno Merk is a German darts player who made a name for himself at a young age as one of the country’s most promising talents. After a surprising appearance at the BDO World Championship in 2011 followed by a downturn in his career, he made an unexpected return in 2023 by qualifying for the PDC Europe Super League, proving that his journey in professional darts was far from over.

In 2010, at the age of 17, Arno Merk became German Youth Champion and rose to the top of the national junior rankings. This marked the beginning of a promising career that reached its early peak in 2011 when he qualified, against all expectations, for the BDO World Championship. There, he faced Garry Thompson in the first round but lost 1–3 and exited the tournament early. In the years that followed, Merk focused on national and international PDC Players Championships, but struggled to achieve notable success.

After withdrawing from international darts in 2017 and taking several years away from the sport, Merk made a surprising comeback in 2023. He qualified for the PDC Europe Super League and reached the last 16, although he lost decisively to Pascal Rupprecht. Further solid performances followed at Q-School 2024, along with his first Challenge Tour achievements. In 2024, he made his debut on the European Tour at the European Darts Grand Prix, where he suffered a clear defeat against Luke Littler.

In 2025, Merk achieved the biggest triumph of his career to date: he won the Super League 2025, earning himself a spot at the 2026 World Darts Championship. There, he made headlines. In the opening match, he secured a confident victory over Kim Huybrechts and went on to defeat two-time world champion Peter Wright in the second round. This performance made him the German sensation of the 2026 World Darts Championship and brought him firmly into the international spotlight.

This is Arno Merk.
A former youth champion. An unexpected returnee. A tireless fighter.