2026 PDC World Darts Championship Launches with Record Players

The highly anticipated 2026 PDC World Darts Championship begins on December 11, 2026, at Alexandra Palace in London. Defending champion and newly crowned world number one, Luke Littler, will kick off his title defense against Darius Labanauskas. This year marks a significant milestone in the tournament’s history, with a record 128 players participating, an increase of 32 from last year. Notably, the competition includes five players from the Women’s Series, also a record.

Littler, who triumphed over Michael van Gerwen in the 2025 final, expressed confidence heading into the tournament. “I’m on top of the world, and my performances prove it. I am playing the best darts in the world and that’s why I’m number one,” Littler told BBC Sport. He emphasized the importance of maintaining his performance through December and early January.

The championship will commence with an evening session featuring four first-round matches. Following the opening night, the event will include daily afternoon and evening sessions, each consisting of four matches. There will be a three-day break for Christmas, from December 24 to 26, after which matches will continue with two sessions each day. The final is scheduled for January 3, 2026, concluding a thrilling series of matches.

The tournament features a substantial prize pool of £5 million, with the winner set to receive £1 million. Players achieving a nine-darter during the event will earn an additional £60,000. The financial breakdown for the prize money is as follows:

– Winner: £1,000,000
– Runner-up: £400,000
– Semi-final losers: £200,000
– Quarter-final losers: £100,000
– Fourth-round losers: £60,000
– Third-round losers: £35,000
– Second-round losers: £25,000
– First-round losers: £15,000

Littler, at just 18 years old, enters the tournament as the favorite, having claimed six major finals in 2025. His predecessor as world champion, Luke Humphries, currently ranked number two, and world number three Michael van Gerwen are also strong contenders. Van Gerwen, who is looking to avenge last year’s final defeat, aims to add to his three world titles, the last of which was won in 2019.

The competition highlights emerging talents, including Josh Rock and Gian van Veen, both of whom have recently broken into the world’s top 12. Additionally, Beau Greaves, who topped the Women’s Series, will face Daryl Gurney in her first match, aspiring to become only the second female player to win a match in the tournament, following Fallon Sherrock’s historic wins in 2019.

The tournament format is unique, consisting of sets rather than legs. Each set comprises the best of five legs, except for the final, which will be contested over the best of 13 sets.

The daily coverage of the championship will be available on the BBC Sport website and app, featuring live text updates on significant matches. The opening night will also see a dedicated show on BBC Radio 5 Live starting at 19:30 GMT, with interviews from key players including Littler, Humphries, and Van Gerwen.

As the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship gears up to begin, all eyes will be on Alexandra Palace as players vie for the coveted title and significant prize money, promising an exciting month of top-level darts.