With Luke Littler defending his crown and a record 128 players involved this winter, the 2026 edition promises considerable drama for fans following every leg live on Flashscore.
When and where is the Paddy Power World Darts Championship?
The tournament begins on Thursday, December 11th and concludes on Saturday, January 3rd. The schedule retains the traditional split of afternoon and evening sessions, with the usual pauses on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. Afternoon sessions commence at 13:30 CET, while evening sessions are set for 20:00 CET.
Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace in North London remains the spiritual home of the tournament. Its amphitheatre-like main hall, distinctive sloped seating and carnival-like atmosphere continue to define darts' most recognisable stage. Since 2008, the iconic venue has hosted every PDC World Championship.
PDC World Darts Championship full draw
The draw was confirmed on November 24th, 2025, and as we reported in a previous article, reigning world champion Luke Littler will begin his title defence against 95-ranked Darius Labanauskas, while Luke Humphries, the 2024 champion, will face Ted Evetts.
Other eye-catching match-ups from the first round draw include World Cup winner Daryl Gurney facing a tricky test against dominant women's champion Beau Greaves, while Nathan Aspinall faces Lourence Ilagan and Stephen Bunting - impressive this season - takes on Poland's former UK Open quarter-finalist Sebastian Bialecki.
Full schedule of PDC World Darts Championship 2026
The full tournament schedule is shaped by the expanded field and the requirement to complete a substantial number of first-round matches. The opening two days will be dominated by the earliest ties, including returning Tour Card holders, debutants from emerging darts nations, and high-profile names entering in round one due to the newly levelled draw structure.
As the event progresses toward the post-Christmas phase, the schedule transitions into longer set formats and marquee evening sessions, culminating in the semi-finals and final in early January.
The annual highlight of the darts season will begin on Thursday, December 11th, with four first-round matches scheduled for the evening session, which starts at 19:00 GMT.
In the following days, all matches of the first, second, third, and fourth rounds will be played in the form of an afternoon session starting at 13:30 CET and an evening session, as per the schedule, beginning at 19:00 GMT.
At the turn of the year, the tournament will enter the stage where players fight for the big bucks.
The quarter-final matches are scheduled for January 1st, 2026, with the semi-finals taking place the following day. The new world champion will be crowned on January 3rd, 2026, with the final kicking off at 21:00 CET.
First four rounds: December 11th every day until December 30th - afternoon session (13:30 CET), evening session (20:00 CET)
Two quarter-finals: January 1st at 13:30 CET and 20:00 CET
Semi-finals: January 2nd at 20:30 CET
Final: January 3rd at 21:00 CET
Get the full PDC World Darts Championship schedule here.
Who are the favourites at the PDC World Darts Championship?
The market places Luke Littler as the clear frontrunner at 1/1, reflecting his exceptional 2025 scoring levels and the consistency he has shown in long-format matches.
Luke Humphries is next at 4/1, supported by his proven record on the Ally Pally stage and a season of sustained high averages.
A cluster sits at 14/1, featuring Josh Rock, Gian van Veen and Gerwyn Price. Rock and van Veen arrive with rising statistical profiles but limited deep-run experience, while Price retains pedigree without the week-to-week reliability he once displayed.
Michael van Gerwen is priced at 20/1, a sign of his diminished dominance. He remains dangerous, although no longer viewed as the inevitable force he was at his peak.
All odds accurate at time of publishing.
Prize money
An enhanced, star-studded field of 128 players from around the world will take part in this edition of the PDC World Darts Championship in London, all competing for a slice of a huge prize pot worth £5 million, double that of last year.
An incredible £1 million prize will be awarded to the winner, with the runner-up earning £400,000.
Beaten semi-finalists take home £200,000 each, and quarter-finalists will receive £100,000.
Qualification routes
The 2026 World Darts Championship marks a significant structural change, with the field increasing from 96 to 128 players.
Qualification is split across the PDC Order of Merit, the ProTour, regional and international routes, plus a range of national and continental qualifiers.
While the top 32 in the Order of Merit secure seeded status, they no longer receive byes, unlike previous years. Tour Card qualifiers again delivered several recognisable names, including Jose de Sousa, Haupai Puha, Adam Hunt, Tavis Dudeney and Stephen Burton.
Format of PDC World Darts Championships
Matches follow the 501, straight-in, double-out model.
The early rounds utilise shorter set lengths that reward accuracy and nerve, while the latter stages extend into the multi-set endurance contests synonymous with the PDC World Championship.
Round one and round two are shorter affairs, built as the best-of-five sets, while rounds three and four move up to best-of-seven sets.
The quarter-finals are played as best-of-nine sets, the semi-finals are best-of-11, and the final is best-of-13.
Past winners
The modern history of the PDC World Darts Championship is dominated by Phil Taylor, whose 16 titles (two BDO, 14 PDC) remain the sport's benchmark.
Raymond van Barneveld has five world titles (four BDO, one PDC), while Eric Bristow won five BDO titles before the formation of the PDC.
Michael van Gerwen boasts three victories in 2014, 2017 and 2019, and Canadian legend John Part holds two PDC and one BDO title.
Peter Wright, Gary Anderson and Adrian Lewis each have two PDC World Championship triumphs to their names.
The last two editions have signalled a generational shift. Luke Humphries lifted the trophy in 2024, before Luke Littler captured the 2025 crown aged just 17.
Littler's defence this winter will be one of the most scrutinised storylines of the entire sporting calendar, not least because of the statistical surge he demonstrated across 2025, where he elevated his seasonal three-dart average, checkout rate and major final consistency at a rare trajectory.
