The PDC has now confirmed the real route into 2026/27 World Championship tickets: for the first time, sales will be handled through a ballot. That changes the ticketing picture for Alexandra Palace. This is no longer just a registration alert. Fans now need to target the right ballot window, with PDCTV Annual Members getting the first priority period.
The tournament will run from 11 December 2026 to 3 January 2027, with the 2026/27 edition moving into the Great Hall at Alexandra Palace for the first time. The PDC has announced a record capacity of 180,000 tickets, but it is also warning that demand may still exceed supply. In plain terms: more tickets, yes, but not a guaranteed open sale for everyone.
The 2026/27 Paddy Power World Darts Championship will be allocated through a ballot for the first time, with a record 180,000 tickets available.
Two ballot windows for the PDC World Championship
The process set out in the PDC’s official announcement is straightforward: the ballot will be split into two stages. PDCTV Annual Members will get a priority window first, before the General Ballot opens to all fans.
| Competition | 2026/27 PDC World Championship |
| Tournament dates | 11 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 |
| Venue | Alexandra Palace, London |
| Announced capacity | 180,000 tickets |
| New detail | Tickets allocated by ballot for the first time |
The dates fans need to know
The first key point concerns PDCTV subscribers. To be eligible for the priority ballot, fans must have an active PDCTV Annual subscription before 23:59 BST on Sunday 30 August. A subscription purchased after that cut-off will only be eligible for the General Ballot.
| PDCTV member deadline | Sunday 30 August, 23:59 BST |
| PDCTV Annual Members Ballot | Tuesday 1 September at 12:00 to Monday 7 September at 23:59 BST |
| General Ballot | Tuesday 8 September at 12:00 to Monday 14 September at 23:59 BST |
| Ballot outcome | Applicants notified by email during September |
That timetable gives fans a practical planning point, especially those travelling to London from outside the UK. The most in-demand World Championship sessions, particularly around the festive period and the closing stages, remain the ones to watch. Entering the ballot does not guarantee tickets: it allows fans to apply, then wait for confirmation by email.
Why the change matters
The PDC is not simply increasing capacity. It is also changing how demand is handled. For an event of this size, a standard sale can quickly become a jammed waiting room, with prime sessions disappearing in minutes. The ballot gives the process a clearer structure, even if it does not make tickets easy to secure.
For us, that is the useful takeaway today: fans should stop watching only for one sale date and start thinking in ballot windows. PDCTV members have a clear advantage, but the general public also has a dedicated period. The mistake would be waiting until mid-September and assuming a normal open sale will follow.
A bigger World Championship, but still a tight ticket
The move to 180,000 tickets underlines the PDC’s ambition for the World Championship. Alexandra Palace remains the setting, but the Great Hall expansion gives the tournament more room after several seasons of rapid growth.
The sporting context adds to the pull around this edition. The race for places at Ally Pally is still moving across the international circuits, with qualification stories dropping week after week. That was clear again with Ryuta Arihara’s Asian Tour hat-trick, which pushed the Japanese player back into the provisional World Championship qualification picture.
What to do now
The action is simple enough: register for the official ticket alerts, check your PDCTV status if you want to try the priority window, then decide which sessions you would target before the ballot opens. The full terms and conditions are still due to be published on the PDC website before 1 September.
In short: the 2026/27 PDC World Championship will have more tickets, but access starts earlier than a last-minute sale. For fans who want Ally Pally this winter, the ticket race has already begun.
