PDC World Darts Championship 2026: FAQ

FAQ

When and where did the PDC World Darts Championship 2026 take place?

The tournament was held from 11 December 2025 to 3 January 2026 at Alexandra Palace in London. It was the 33rd edition of the PDC World Championship and the 19th at the “Ally Pally” – for the last time in the West Hall; from the following edition onwards play moves to the larger Great Hall.

Who won the 2026 World Darts Championship?

Luke Littler won the final of the PDC World Darts Championship 2026 on 3 January 2026, beating the Dutchman Gian van Veen 7-1 in Sets. He thus defended his title and, after Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis and Gary Anderson, became only the fourth player to successfully defend the title at the PDC World Championship.

How much prize money was on offer at the 2026 World Darts Championship?

The total prize money at the PDC World Darts Championship 2026 was £5,000,000, double the previous year's figure. World champion Luke Littler received £1,000,000 – the highest payout ever in professional darts – the runner-up £400,000, the semi-finalists £200,000 each and the first-round losers £15,000 each.

How many players took part in the 2025/26 World Darts Championship?

For the first time 128 players from 34 nations took part, up from 96 before. At the PDC World Darts Championship 2026 all players entered in the first round, including the 32 seeded players from the PDC Order of Merit.

What format was played at the 2026 PDC World Championship?

Play was in Set format with Double-Out; a Set went to three Legs won. The first and second rounds were played over the Best of 5 Sets, the third and fourth rounds over the Best of 7, the quarter-finals over the Best of 9, the semi-finals over the Best of 11 and the final over the Best of 13 Sets. In the deciding Set the two-clear-Legs rule applied from 2-2 in Legs, and at 5-5 a sudden-death Leg decided it – for the first time as early as the first round.

Who reached the semi-finals and quarter-finals of the World Darts Championship 2026?

In the semi-finals Luke Littler beat Ryan Searle 6-1 and Gian van Veen beat Gary Anderson 6-3. The other quarter-finalists at the PDC World Darts Championship 2026 were Luke Humphries, Jonny Clayton, Krzysztof Ratajski and debutant Justin Hood.

Where was the 2026 World Darts Championship shown on TV and stream?

In Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy DAZN showed the matches, and in Germany Sport1 also broadcast them. In the UK and Ireland the tournament was on Sky Sports, in the Netherlands and Scandinavia on Viaplay; outside the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria and Switzerland it was also available via PDCTV.

How could you qualify for the 2026 World Darts Championship?

The field for the PDC World Darts Championship 2026 was made up of the top 40 from the PDC World Rankings compiled over two years, the 40 best players from the Pro Tour Rankings not yet qualified and 48 international qualifiers. Five of the international places were awarded on 24 November 2025 at the Tour Card Holder Qualifier; the PDC did not hand out any wildcards.