Every thing it’s essential to know forward of the World Darts Championship 2026 together with the important thing dates, format, prize cash, and who can problem Luke Littler…
When is the World Darts Championship 2026?
The thirty third PDC World Darts Championship takes place from Thursday December 11 to Saturday January 3, stay on Sky Sports activities.
There’s motion day-after-day from Alexandra Palace aside from Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Yr’s Eve.
The place is the World Darts Championship 2026?
The World Darts Championship is held at Alexandra Palace in London, which has been the case since 2008.
Beforehand, Circus Tavern in Essex hosted the largest darts occasion of the 12 months from 1994 to 2007.
Easy methods to watch the World Darts Championship
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Littler revealed he watched his 2024 World Darts Championship defeat to Humphries forward of his win over Van Gerwen
You will not miss an arrow within the World Championship on the devoted Sky Sports activities Darts channel, with Sky Sports activities F1 altering to Sky Sports activities Darts on channel 407 from December 10 to January 5, with the very best of the motion additionally on Sky Sports activities Principal Occasion.
Protection begins on Thursday December 11 at 7pm, with afternoon periods at 12.30pm and night periods at 7pm happening for the remainder of the event as much as the quarter-finals on Thursday January 1.
The semi-finals are on Friday January 2 from 7.30pm and the ultimate is on Saturday January 3 at 8pm.
World Darts Championship format
A format change forward of this 12 months’s contest sees all gamers coming into the event on the first-round stage, whereas seeded gamers have beforehand been given a bye by way of to the following spherical.
The World Championship makes use of the units format, with every set being the primary to a few legs. The deciding set have to be gained by no less than two legs, so if it is 2-2 within the ultimate set, a participant should win 4-2 or 5-3. If it is 5-5, a sudden-death leg will happen with no throw for the bull, so the alteration of whoever throws first merely continues.
Who’s the defending champion?
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Have a look as Littler secured the Gamers Championship Finals title in fashion towards Nathan Aspinall in Minehead
Luke Littler enters the Worlds because the defending champion after his 7-3 victory over Michael van Gerwen in 2025.
‘The Nuke’ enters darts’ largest competitors on a exceptional run of type and because the high seed, having gained World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, Grand Slam and Gamers Championship Finals.
The newly-crowned world No 1 enters because the pre-tournament favorite as he appears to be like to grow to be the primary back-to-back winner since Gary Anderson, with many unable to see previous the 18-year-old – particularly because the format will get longer.
Who can problem Littler?
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Highlights of the Grand Slam of Darts ultimate between Littler and Humphries
That’s the large query on everybody’s lips! The primary place to look is these round him within the rankings and that begins along with his rival Luke Humphries.
2024 Humphries can return to world No 1 by successful the worlds for a second time in three years, with ‘Cool Hand’ seeking to avenge runner-up defeats to Littler of their final three TV finals.
Three-time champion Van Gerwen is available in as No 3 seed and beat Littler on the World Sequence Finals in September, whereas Gian van Veen will chase one other TV title after successful the European Championship in October.
Nathan Aspinall, James Wade and Jonny Clayton have all reached TV main finals this 12 months, whereas fourth seed Stephen Bunting and former world champion Gerwyn Value are among the many others seeking to impress.
Beau Greaves headlines the sturdy girls’s contingent within the line-up, having secured her PDC ProTour card for the following two years and in addition beating Littler on her technique to the World Youth Championship ultimate. May she be the primary lady since Fallon Sherrock to win on the Alexandra Palace stage?
PDC World Darts Championship winners
Who’s collaborating?
There’s an prolonged 128-player subject on the Worlds this 12 months, showcasing an entire new breadth of darting expertise from the world over.
The gamers qualify as follows:
- High 40 from PDC’s Werner Rankings Ladder
- 40 qualifiers from one-year ProTour Rating
- 48 Worldwide Qualifiers from PDC Secondary & Affiliate Excursions and Qualifying Occasions
The highest 32 on the planet would be the seeds for the World Darts Championship 2026. Gamers 33-64 will then be drawn at random to left-hand facet of the draw, with gamers 65-128 to be drawn at random to the right-hand facet of the draw.
What’s the prize cash?
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Talking on Love The Darts, Abigail Davies and Chris Murphy talk about Litter’s rise to world No 1 and who can problem him on the World Championship
Properly, you should have heard by now that there’s an almighty prize pot on supply for the World Darts Championship this time round, with the winner taking residence a stonking £1m.
The runner-up takes residence £400,000, with the semi-finalists incomes £200,000 and quarter-finalists £100,000.
Should you exit in spherical 4, then it’s a £60,000 payday, with spherical three bringing you £35,000, spherical two £25,000, and spherical one £15,000.
That could be a whole of £5m.
Prize Fund
Winner: £1,000,000
Runner-Up: £400,000
Semi-Finalists: £200,000
Quarter-Finalists: £100,000
Spherical 4 Losers: £60,000
Spherical Three Losers: £35,000
Spherical Two Losers: £25,000
Spherical One Losers: £15,000
Who will win the Ballon d’Artwork for many 180s?
The Ballon d’Artwork trophy may even as soon as once more be up for grabs for the participant who throws probably the most 180s within the event.
Littler comfortably gained the Ballon D’Artwork for probably the most 180s on the World Darts Championship in 2025
World champion Littler is the present holder after touchdown 76 final 12 months, with Luke Humphries out to regain the distinctive prize after his win with 73 within the inaugural 2024 model.
There have been an a file 914 maximums registered throughout 2023/24 – beating the earlier file of 901 in 2022/23, whereas final 12 months’s contest noticed 907 made. That file is prone to be overwhelmed on this 12 months’s contest, with extra matches than ever earlier than.
What number of nine-darters have there been?
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Van Gerwen was one dart away from a nine-darter earlier than Michael Smith accomplished the achievement within the 2023 World Championship ultimate
It is honest to say nine-darters have grow to be extra widespread within the sport however there have solely been 16 within the historical past of the PDC World Championship.
The primary solely got here in 2009 when Raymond van Barneveld nailed the proper leg. Barney did it once more a 12 months later, then Adrian Lewis made the primary nine-darter in a ultimate in 2011.
Two nines had been completed in 2013 due to Dean Winstanley and Van Gerwen. Terry Jenkins and Kyle Anderson joined the illustrious nine-dart listing in 2014, with Lewis making a second 9 in 2015.
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Watch how, in 2023, Wayne Mardle and Stuart Pyke reacted to the sensational leg between Van Gerwen and Smith within the World Championship ultimate that culminated in a nine-darter for Bully Boy
In 2016, Gary Anderson made a 9 within the semi-finals and there was a five-year hole till the following good leg.
The participant who has confronted so many nine-darters towards him, James Wade, turned the eighth participant to do a 9, then there have been three in 2022 from William Borland, Darius Labanauskas and Gerwyn Value.
And, after all, Michael Smith’s nine-darter within the 2023 ultimate towards Van Gerwen has been etched in darting folklore in what must be the very best leg of darts ever.
We noticed two extra through the 2025 contest, as Christian Kist hit one towards Madars Razma in spherical one and Damon Heta discovered perfection towards Luke Woodhouse in spherical three.
What is the tune they play on the darts in between breaks?
Ever had that annoying feeling when you understand how a tune goes however do not know what it is known as? You could suppose that in regards to the tune which is performed throughout breaks within the match on the finish of a set through the World Championship.
It is known as Chase the Solar by Planet Funk and also you simply have to affix in when it comes on.
Full schedule at Alexandra Palace from December 11 – January 3
- Thursday December 11 – 4 x Spherical One at 7pm
- Friday December 12 – 4 x Spherical One at 12.30pm
- Friday December 12 – 4 x Spherical One at 7pm
- Saturday December 13 – 4 x Spherical One at 12.30pm
- Saturday December 13 – 4 x Spherical One at 7pm
- Sunday December 14 – 4 x Spherical One at 12.30pm
- Sunday December 14 – 4 x Spherical One at 7pm
- Monday December 15 – 4 x Spherical One at 12.30pm
- Monday December 15 – 4 x Spherical One at 7pm
- Tuesday December 16 – 4 x Spherical One at 12.30pm
- Tuesday December 16 – 4 x Spherical One at 7pm
- Wednesday December 17 – 4 x Spherical One at 12.30pm
- Wednesday December 17 – 4 x Spherical One at 7pm
- Thursday December 18 – 4 x Spherical One at 12.30pm
- Thursday December 18 – 4 x Spherical One at 7pm
- Friday December 19 – 4 x Spherical One at 12.30pm
- Friday December 19 – 4 x Spherical One at 7pm
- Saturday December 20 – 4 x Spherical Two at 12.30pm
- Saturday December 20 – 4 x Spherical Two at 7pm
- Sunday December 21 – 4 x Spherical Two at 12.30pm
- Sunday December 21 – 4 x Spherical Two at 7pm
- Monday December 22 – 4 x Spherical Two at 12.30pm
- Monday December 22 – 4 x Spherical Two at 7pm
- Tuesday December 23 – 4 x Spherical Two at 12.30pm
- Tuesday December 23 – 4 x Spherical Two at 7pm
- Saturday December 27 – 3 x Spherical Three at 12.30pm
- Saturday December 27 – 3 x Spherical Three at 7pm
- Sunday December 28 – 3 x Spherical Three at 12.30pm
- Sunday December 28 – 3 x Spherical Three at 7pm
- Monday December 29 – 3 x Spherical Three at 12.30pm
- Monday December 29 – 1 x Spherical Three and a pair of x Spherical 4 at 7pm
- Tuesday December 30 – 3 x Spherical 4 at 12.30pm
- Tuesday December 30 – 3 x Spherical 4 at 7pm
- Thursday January 1 – 2 x Quarter-Finals at 12.30pm
- Thursday January 1 – 2 x Quarter-Finals at 7pm
- Friday January 2 – Semi-Finals at 7.30pm
- Saturday January 3 – Last at 8pm
Who will win the Paddy Energy World Darts Championship? Watch each match completely stay from December 11 to January 3 on Sky Sports activities’ devoted darts channel (Sky channel 407 from December 10). Stream darts and extra high sport with NOW.
