Darts World Championship Schedule – 2025/26 Dates Draw TV Guide

The 2025/26 Paddy Power PDC World Darts Championship brought together 128 players at Alexandra Palace in London for three weeks of high-stakes competition spanning December 11, 2025, to January 3, 2026. The tournament featured a record prize fund of £5 million, with the winner claiming £1 million.

This year’s championship marked a significant milestone, as all 128 competitors entered the tournament from the first round for the first time in its history. Defending champion Luke Littler returned to the oche seeking to retain his title against a field that included former winners and rising talents from across the globe.

Below is a comprehensive guide covering the schedule, venue details, participant information, broadcast options, and everything fans need to know about this prestigious event.

What is the 2025/26 PDC World Darts Championship Schedule?

Key Insights

• The tournament ran for 24 days with daily sessions at 12:30pm and 7pm GMT
• All 128 players began their campaigns from the first round
• The top 32 PDC Order of Merit seeds entered from round two
• Qualifiers came through ProTour Order of Merit, PDCNB ProTour, Japan Tour, DPA ProTour, and CDC Main Tour
• The final took place on January 3, 2026
• This was Alexandra Palace’s 18th hosting of the championship

Tournament Snapshot

Where and When is the PDC World Darts Championship Held?

Venue Details

Alexandra Palace in north London has been the home of the PDC World Darts Championship since 1994. The venue offers excellent sightlines from all angles, with the stage positioned to allow clear views of the oche from the seated arena and standing areas alike. The electric atmosphere during big finishes has made it a favourite destination for darting enthusiasts worldwide.

Getting There and Tickets

Alexandra Palace is accessible via rail services to Alexandra Palace station and Wood Green on the Piccadilly line. Official tickets were available through the Alexandra Palace website and PDC’s ticketing platform. Given the popularity of the event, early booking was recommended for those seeking specific seating options.

Who Has Qualified and How Does the Draw Work?

Qualification Pathways

Players earned their places through multiple routes. The top 32 in the PDC Order of Merit secured automatic seeding into round two. An additional 32 spots went to players from the ProTour Order of Merit. International qualifiers came through the PDCNB ProTour (February–August 2025), Japan Tour (April–September), DPA ProTour (February–September), and CDC Main Tour (May onward).

Among those who qualified were Noa-Lynn van Leuven, Lisa Ashton, and Nitin Kumar, representing the diverse international field that characterised this year’s championship.

Top Seeds and Draw Highlights

The draw placed defending champion Luke Littler against Darius Labanauskas in round one. Other top-seeded players included Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen (a three-time winner), Gary Anderson, Damon Heta, Rob Cross, and Jonny Clayton. Projected later-round matchups included potential encounters between Gerwyn Price and Wesley Plaisier, as well as an anticipated clash between Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson.

How to Watch the World Darts Championship on TV and Stream?

Broadcast Information

UK viewers could watch live coverage through Sky Sports, which provided comprehensive programming including afternoon and evening sessions. The broadcaster offered multiple channels for simultaneous coverage during key stages of the tournament.

Online and International Access

For audiences outside the UK, PDC.tv served as the primary platform for live streaming. This service provided global access to all matches throughout the championship. Fans were encouraged to check local listings and streaming availability in their respective regions.

Free-to-Air Options

The championship was not broadcast on free-to-air television in the UK. Those without a Sky Sports subscription could access coverage through PDC.tv’s streaming services or by attending sessions at Alexandra Palace in person.

What is the Format, Prize Money, and Favourites?

Prize Fund

The 2025/26 championship offered a record total prize fund of £5 million. The winner received £1 million, with subsequent placings earning progressively smaller amounts down through the rounds. This represented a significant increase from previous editions, reflecting the growing popularity of professional darts.

Format Explained

Matches were contested using the best-of-sets system. The number of sets increased as the tournament progressed, from best of 5 in round one through to best of 13 in the final. Each set required a player to win three legs, with no sudden-death tiebreak in the deciding set.

Favourites and Contenders

Luke Littler entered as the defending champion, having won the previous edition. Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen, and Gary Anderson represented the most experienced title contenders. Damon Heta, Rob Cross, Jonny Clayton, Stephen Bunting, and Gerwyn Price were also highlighted among the leading seeds based on their performances throughout the year.

Full Tournament Timeline

The championship unfolded across several distinct phases, with daily sessions ensuring continuous action from mid-December through early January.

1. Thursday, December 11 (7pm) – Opening night featured Kim Huybrechts v Arno Merk, Michael Smith v Lisa Ashton, Luke Littler v Darius Labanauskas, and Madars Razma v Jamai van den Herik.
2. Friday, December 12 – Morning and evening sessions with matches including Ian White v Mervyn King, Ryan Searle v Chris Landman, and Rob Cross v Cor Dekker.
3. Saturday, December 13 – Gary Anderson faced Adam Hunt while Luke Humphries took on Ted Evetts in the evening session.
4. December 14-19 – Round one continued daily with 12:30pm and 7pm sessions.
5. December 20-23 – Round two commenced with seeded players entering the draw.
6. December 27-30 – Rounds three and four reduced the field to the quarter-finalists.
7. January 1-2 – Quarter-final matches determined the final four.
8. January 2-3 – Semi-finals and the final concluded the championship on January 3.

What We Know and What Remains Uncertain

Tournament Background and Significance

The PDC World Darts Championship has grown from a modest gathering of professional players into one of the most-watched sporting events in the winter calendar. The decision to include all 128 players from round one marked a significant format change that provided more opportunities for international qualifiers and emerging talents to compete on the sport’s biggest stage.

Alexandra Palace has hosted the event for 18 editions, creating its own traditions including the iconic walk-on moments and the distinctive atmosphere that the venue generates during decisive moments. The combination of historical significance and modern production values has helped establish the championship as a premier sporting spectacle.

The record prize fund reflected the commercial growth of professional darts, with increased sponsorship, broadcasting rights, and global audience engagement contributing to higher earnings for competitors at all levels of the tournament.

Sources and Official Statements

Official information regarding the championship schedule, draw, and format was published through PDC’s official channels and Alexandra Palace’s dedicated tournament pages. These sources confirmed dates, session times, match lineups, and ticket availability throughout the championship.

Encyclopedic references from Wikipedia provided historical context and format details, while sports broadcasters including Sky Sports and BBC Sport offered coverage timelines and broadcast information.

Summary

The 2025/26 Paddy Power PDC World Darts Championship delivered three weeks of elite competition at Alexandra Palace from December 11, 2025, through January 3, 2026. With 128 players competing from round one, a record £5 million prize fund, and comprehensive broadcast coverage through Sky Sports and PDC.tv, the event continued its position as the premier competition in professional darts. For those seeking additional coverage, the Darts World Championship Schedule – 2025 Fixtures Dates TV Guide provides further resources for following the championship calendar.

Frequently Asked Questions