WDF World Darts Championship 2026

27 November – 6 December 2026 · Lakeside Country Club, Frimley Green

The WDF World Darts Championship 2026 takes place from 27 November to 6 December 2026 at the Lakeside Country Club in Frimley Green. The defending champion in the Open competition is Jimmy van Schie, who beat Mitchell Lawrie 6:3 in the 2025 final.

The 2026 WDF World Darts Championship will once again be held from 27 November to 6 December 2026 at the Lakeside Country Club in Frimley Green, Surrey. The Lakeside has been the permanent home of the tournament organised by the World Darts Federation (WDF) since the first edition in 2022; before that, the venue hosted the BDO World Darts Championship from 1986 to 2019. The tournament is played in set format, and since 2024 it has been scheduled between late November and early December. The WDF World Championship was created as the successor to the BDO World Championship after the British Darts Organisation was liquidated in September 2020 following financial problems. Alongside the PDC World Darts Championship, it is one of two world championships in darts. Four titles are awarded under the tournament's umbrella: Open, Women's, Youth and Girls – the former “Men's” and “Boys'” categories were renamed “Open” and “Youth” in 2025. The Open competition features 48 players, the Women's 24, the Youth field 12 and the Girls 6. The defending champion in the Open competition is Jimmy van Schie, who beat the then 15-year-old Mitchell Lawrie 6-3 in the 2025 final. Scotland's Lawrie, still under 16 at the time of the draw, tops the seeding list for 2026; he has announced that he wants to move to the PDC in January, which could make the Lakeside his last chance for now at the WDF title. His rivals include Dutch Open winner Paul Krohne, Leonard Gates, Matthew Edgar, Ross Montgomery, World Masters champion Chris Lim and former world champion Neil Duff. The other reigning world champions are Deta Hedman (Women's), Mitchell Lawrie (Youth) and Zehra Gemi (Girls); the Open title was previously won by Neil Duff (2022), Andy Baetens (2023) and Shane McGuirk (2024). £146,000 is on offer in the Open competition, £50,000 of it for the world champion; in the Women's event it is £63,000 with £25,000 for the winner. The field is made up of ranking and race places plus two qualifying tournaments: at the first qualifier in July in Las Vegas during World Masters week, Berry Pater, Liam Maendl-Lawrance and Sophie McKinlay were among those to book their tickets, and the last six spots were awarded on 1 November at the Lakeside itself. From a German point of view, Paul Krohne, Carsten Hoffmann and Liam Maendl-Lawrance (Open), Irina Armstrong (Women's) and Mika Donnevert and Benjamin Dopfer (youth) are taking part, while Franko Giuliani and Celina Glaser represent Austria. The draw is scheduled for 3 November 2026 and will be streamed on the WDF's YouTube channel, conducted by WDF general secretary Nick Rolls, presenter Sioned Dafydd and former Lakeside world champion Scott Mitchell; the final schedule is due by 9 November 2026 at the latest. The tournament will be shown in full on the WDF's YouTube channel; in German-speaking countries, Sport1 will broadcast the last three days live on linear television.

At a glance

  • Organiser: World Darts Federation (WDF)
  • Venue: Lakeside Country Club, Frimley Green, Surrey, England
  • 2026 dates: 27 November to 6 December 2026
  • First edition: 2022
  • Format: Set format (Sets), Open final Best of 11 Sets
  • Competitions: Open, Women, Youth and Girls
  • Field: 48 (Open), 24 (Women), 12 (Youth), 6 (Girls)
  • Prize money: £146,000 (Open), £63,000 (Women)
  • Defending champion Open: Jimmy van Schie (6-3 against Mitchell Lawrie in the 2025 final)
  • Number 1 seed: Mitchell Lawrie (Open and Open Youth)
  • Draw and schedule: Draw on 3 November 2026 on the WDF's YouTube channel, final schedule by 9 November 2026 at the latest
  • Broadcast: In full on the WDF YouTube channel; in German-speaking countries the last three days live on Sport1
  • Predecessor tournament: BDO World Darts Championship (1978–2020), also at the Lakeside from 1986 to 2019

FAQ

When and where is the 2026 WDF World Championship taking place?

The 2026 WDF World Darts Championship runs from 27 November to 6 December 2026 at the Lakeside Country Club in Frimley Green, Surrey. It opens on Friday evening with round 1 of the Open category; the four finals take place on 6 December in the final session from 14:00 CET.

Who is the defending champion at the 2026 WDF World Darts Championship?

The defending champion in the Open competition is Jimmy van Schie. He won the 2025 final 6-3 against the then 15-year-old Mitchell Lawrie, who is seeded number 1 in 2026. The other defending champions are Deta Hedman (Women's), Mitchell Lawrie (Youth) and Zehra Gemi (Girls).

How much prize money is on offer at the Lakeside World Championship 2026?

A total of £146,000 is paid out in the Open category, with the world champion receiving £50,000. In the women's event the prize money is £63,000 with £25,000 for the winner; according to the World Darts Federation it remains the highest outside the PDC.

What format is played at the WDF World Championship 2026?

The tournament is played in set format. In the Open category the first three rounds are best of 5 sets, the quarter-finals best of 7, the semi-finals best of 9 and the final best of 11 sets. In the Women's event the first two rounds are played over best of 3 sets, the quarter-finals and semi-finals over best of 5 and the final over best of 7 sets.

Where can you watch the WDF Darts World Championship 2026 on TV and stream?

The tournament is shown in full on the WDF's YouTube channel. For German-speaking countries, Sport1 has bought the TV rights and shows the last three days of the tournament live on linear television.

How do you qualify for the WDF World Championship 2026?

Most of the places are awarded via the WDF world ranking and the Lakeside Race; in the Open, ranking positions 1 to 16 are seeded. On top of that came two qualifying tournaments: in July in Las Vegas during World Masters week and on 1 November at the Lakeside, where the last six places were awarded.

Who is taking part in the WDF World Championship 2026?

48 players start in the Open category of the WDF World Darts Championship, 24 in the Women's, twelve in the Open Youth and six in the Girls. The top seeds are Mitchell Lawrie (Open and Youth), Deta Hedman (Women's) and Paige Pauling (Girls). From Germany, Paul Krohne, Carsten Hoffmann, Liam Maendl-Lawrance, Irina Armstrong, Mika Donnevert and Benjamin Dopfer are taking part, and from Austria Franko Giuliani and Celina Glaser.

When will the draw and schedule for the 2026 Lakeside World Championship be announced?

The draw is scheduled for Tuesday 3 November 2026 and will be streamed on the WDF's official YouTube channel; it will be conducted by WDF general secretary Nick Rolls, presenter Sioned Dafydd and former Lakeside world champion Scott Mitchell. The final schedule is due to be published by Monday 9 November 2026 at the latest.

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