The 2026 PDC World Darts Championship will run from Thursday 11 December 2025 to Saturday 3 January 2026 at the Alexandra Palace in London. This edition launches the new 128-player format, alongside a record £5,000,000 prize fund.
This guide brings together the key pre-tournament information: dates, draw, schedule, TV coverage, prize money and ticketing. For daily fixtures and results once the event starts, use our live darts matches page.
2026 World Darts Championship: dates and venue
As usual, the tournament spans two calendar years, but it is officially tracked as the 2026 edition. Play starts on 11 December 2025 and ends with the final on 3 January 2026 at the Alexandra Palace.
| Period | Stage | Format |
|---|---|---|
| 11 to 19 December | First round | Best of 5 sets |
| 20 to 23 December | Second round | Best of 5 sets |
| 24 to 26 December | Christmas break | - |
| 27 to 29 December | Third round | Best of 7 sets |
| 29 to 30 December | Fourth round | Best of 7 sets |
| 1 January | Quarter-finals | Best of 9 sets |
| 2 January | Semi-finals | Best of 11 sets |
| 3 January | Final | Best of 13 sets |
2026 format and qualification path
The main change for this edition is the expansion to 128 qualifiers. Players from the Order of Merit, ProTour and international pathways will feed into a deeper field designed to open the World Championship to more nations and more profiles than before.
Draw and tournament schedule
The 2026 World Darts Championship draw will be refreshed as the PDC confirms the bracket and the order of play. The tournament skeleton is already clear: opening night on 11 December, Christmas and New Year breaks, then quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final across the last three match days.
- 11 December: opening night in London
- 12 to 23 December: first and second round sessions
- 24 to 26 December: Christmas break
- 27 to 30 December: third round and last 16
- 1 to 3 January: quarter-finals, semi-finals and final
TV coverage for the 2026 World Darts Championship
Sky Sports remains the key broadcaster in the UK, while the official streaming option is usually available through PDCTV. Other territories may use local rightsholders such as DAZN or Viaplay depending on market and licence cycle. We will tighten this section once the full 2026 broadcast map is confirmed.
2026 PDC World Darts Championship prize money
The 2026 edition carries a total purse of £5,000,000, including a landmark seven-figure top prize for the champion.
| Result | Prize money |
|---|---|
| Winner | £1,000,000 |
| Runner-up | £500,000 |
| Semi-finalists | £200,000 |
| Quarter-finalists | £100,000 |
| Last 16 / fourth round | £75,000 |
| Third round | £50,000 |
| Second round | £25,000 |
| First round | £12,500 |
| Total | £5,000,000 |
2026 World Darts Championship tickets
Ticket-sale windows, price bands and hospitality details will be added here as official updates land closer to the event.
Who won the previous edition?
The 2025 edition ended with Luke Littler beating Michael van Gerwen in the final. That makes the defending champion one of the central storylines heading into the expanded 2026 event.
