From Friday 27 to Sunday 29 November 2026, Butlin’s Resort in Minehead will once again take centre stage in the world of darts. The Players Championship Finals will bring together 64 players over three days, with prize money increased to £750,000 and a format that gets tougher with every round. It is also the last major event on the PDC calendar before the World Championship, and it will take place without the defending champion.
Three days by the sea, from 27 to 29 November
The tournament remains true to its traditional setting: the halls of the Minehead complex in Somerset, rather than the large arenas of major championships. This choice gives the event a special atmosphere, more akin to a weekend of darts amongst Pro Tour regulars than a Premier League night out.
The schedule follows the tournament’s tradition. Friday 27 November is set aside for the first round, Saturday 28 for the second and then the third rounds, and Sunday 29 for the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final. Sunday has an extra special feel to it this year: the final of the Winmau World Youth Championship between Cam Crabtree and Jan Schmidt takes place between the semi-finals and the final of the main tournament, as has been the case for several seasons now.
The format: 64 players and legs-only matches
There are no sets at Minehead, only legs, with the distance increasing as the rounds progress. The first two rounds are played as best of 11: six legs are needed to progress. The third round and the quarter-finals move up to a best-of-19 format, meaning ten legs to win. The semi-finals and the final are contested as best-of-21, with eleven legs needed to lift the trophy.
This short format at the start leaves little room for error. In a best-of-11, a player who loses their throw in the first two legs can find themselves with their back against the wall within ten minutes or so, and high scores aren’t always enough to make up for a missed double at the wrong moment. Conversely, the best-of-21 final rewards consistency and the ability to manage the pace over the longer haul.
The draw is based on the Players Championship rankings, not the world rankings. The seeding therefore reflects the Pro Tour season, not the hierarchy of major tournaments. A specialist in floor events may thus be granted a favourable draw, whilst a star who has had a disappointing Players Championship season may have to face a tough opponent as early as Friday.
Prize money up to £750,000
The prize fund has increased significantly this year: £750,000 in total, compared with £600,000 at the previous event. The winner takes home £130,000, the runner-up £70,000. The full prize breakdown gives an idea of what’s really at stake over the weekend, even for players who are knocked out early.
- Winner: £130,000
- Runner-up: £70,000
- Semi-finalists: £40,000
- Quarter-finalists: £27,500
- Round of 16: £15,000
- Round of 32: £7,000
- First round: £4,000
A single first-round match therefore earns £4,000, which is equivalent to several good results on the tour. For players battling to retain their card or break into the world’s top 32, this weekend may carry more weight than its position in the calendar would suggest.
Who is playing at Minehead?
Qualification is simple in principle but ruthless in practice: the top 64 in the Players Championship order of merit following the season’s 34 events. In other words, the places were decided in Leicester during the double-header on 4 and 5 November, the final two stages of the Pro Tour.
The big name missing will be Luke Littler. The world number one has played in only two floor events this season, and his withdrawal from the Leicester double-header sealed his fate: the defending champion will not be defending his title. Nathan Aspinall, the 2025 runner-up, is also missing from the line-up following his withdrawal. Two such high-profile absences change the face of the field and throw the door wide open to players who would otherwise not have been in contention.
Further down the rankings, the battle for the final places was tight right to the end, with gaps of just a few thousand pounds between 58th and 65th place. Gary Anderson, Gerwyn Price and Josh Rock were among those who had to secure their places on the final day, which gives an idea of just how competitive the field was. Full details of this race for the cut are covered in our article on the final stage of the Players Championship.
Where to watch the tournament and how to get tickets
In the UK, the tournament is broadcast on ITV4, with the possibility of switching to ITV3 depending on the schedule. Elsewhere, coverage depends on the rights holders: DAZN and Viaplay broadcast part of the PDC schedule depending on the region, whilst PDC TV remains the most comprehensive option for watching full sessions live, particularly in France.
As for tickets, these are available through the Minehead complex’s weekend packages, which combine accommodation with access to the sessions. Tickets for Sunday’s programme, which includes the quarter-finals, semi-finals, the World Youth Championship final and the main final, are naturally in the highest demand. It’s wise to book early: the venues’ capacity is more limited than that of Alexandra Palace or the Winter Gardens.
And after Minehead?
The Players Championship Finals mark the final step on the road to Alexandra Palace. The 2027 World Championship begins on 11 December and ends on 3 January, with the first prize increased to one million pounds. Minehead therefore serves as the final full-scale test: three days of matches played on a leg-by-leg basis, an audience close to the players and the pressure of a knockout draw, in conditions very different from those of a floor event.
For those who have qualified, there is a twofold incentive. There is the trophy and the £130,000 prize, but also the confidence gained in the run-up to Christmas. Recent winners of the event have often gone on to perform well at Ally Pally, and a player capable of winning five matches in three days in a short format arrives at the World Championship with a whole new level of confidence. For the others, Minehead will remain the weekend on which the Pro Tour season came to an end, with the feeling of having missed a rare opportunity in a draw devoid of its favourites.
