Grand Slam of Darts 2026 Groups: Littler v Greaves

The grand slam of darts 2026 groups are finally set, and the draw has delivered the tie every darts fan wanted on opening night. Defending champion Luke Littler will face Beau Greaves in Group A on Saturday 14 November, in the headline match of a bumper double session at WV Active Aldersley in Wolverhampton. The draw, made on Monday 9 November, split the 48-player field into sixteen groups of three — only the group winner reaches the last 16.

On this page

1. Littler v Greaves: The Group A Headliner
2. Grand Slam of Darts 2026 Groups in Full
3. The Toughest Groups in the Draw
4. Opening Night: Saturday 14 November
5. Group Stage Schedule: Sunday to Tuesday
6. Knockout Stage: Last 16 to the Final
7. How the New 48-Player Format Works
8. Who Are the Favourites?
9. How to Watch the Grand Slam of Darts 2026
10. Frequently Asked Questions
11. Conclusion

This is the biggest Grand Slam ever staged: the field has grown from 32 players to 48, the prize fund has risen to a record £1 million, and the winner will take home £200,000 along with the Eric Bristow Trophy. Littler arrives as the two-time defending champion, unbeaten in the event and chasing a third straight title. But the new format is brutally unforgiving: two group matches each, and no second chance for the runner-up.

Littler v Greaves: The Group A Headliner

Group A is the draw’s box-office group, and the opening-night meeting between Luke Littler and Beau Greaves is the match the whole tournament will be judged by. Littler, the world number one, has never lost a match at the Grand Slam of Darts. Greaves, the three-time Women’s World Matchplay champion, is one of the few players who has beaten him on a big stage — she edged out Littler 6-5 in a classic World Youth Championship semi-final last year. Littler levelled it with a 6-5 win at Players Championship 24 in August, so Saturday night is the decider — their first meeting on a televised PDC stage. Read more in our Beau Greaves World Darts Championship 2027 guide.

Greaves arrives for her fourth Grand Slam appearance with nothing to lose, while Littler carries the weight of being the man everyone wants to beat. A win for Greaves would be one of the biggest results in the event’s history — and it would leave the defending champion needing to win his last group match just to stay alive. Group A is completed by Niels Zonneveld, the Dutch Darts Championship winner, who faces both rivals on Sunday and Monday. Zonneveld is no makeweight: he won a European Tour title this season and can punish either rival if they slip.

Grand Slam of Darts 2026 Groups in Full

Here are all sixteen groups, with the seeded player listed first in each.

The final ten places were decided at the Tour Card Holder Qualifier in Leicester on 6 November, and Anton Ostlund won the PDC Nordic and Baltic Championship on 8 November to take the last spot. Our Grand Slam of Darts 2026 draw preview explained the seedings and pots, and our Grand Slam of Darts 2026 qualifiers guide covers how all 48 players earned their places.

The Toughest Groups in the Draw

Group A takes the headlines, but other seeds are in danger too — the toughest groups are the ones where all three players can win the group.

Group G is the most dangerous group for its seed: Jonny Clayton, the world number five, faces Rob Cross, the 2023 runner-up, and Anton Ostlund, the newly crowned PDC Nordic and Baltic champion. James Wade faces a tough Group K with Ricky Evans and Cam Crabtree, Michael van Gerwen’s Group L includes Henry Coates, and Josh Rock’s Group C includes Players Championship 34 winner Tommy Morris.

Opening Night: Saturday 14 November

The tournament opens with a double session on Saturday 14 November: sixteen group matches, afternoon from 1pm GMT and evening from 7pm GMT. Every group plays its first match on the opening day, with the seeded player facing the third player in each group.

Afternoon session (1pm GMT):

• Luke Woodhouse v Tom Sykes (Group J)
• Jermaine Wattimena v Lisa Ashton (Group B)
• Stephen Bunting v Raymond Smith (Group D)
• Ryan Searle v Charlie Manby (Group F)
• Josh Rock v Tommy Morris (Group C)
• Wessel Nijman v Adam Sevada (Group H)
• Nathan Aspinall v Maik Kuivenhoven (Group P)
• Jonny Clayton v Anton Ostlund (Group G)

Evening session (7pm GMT):

• Gerwyn Price v Joe Hunt (Group E)
• James Wade v Cam Crabtree (Group K)
• Ross Smith v Rusty-Jake Rodriguez (Group O)
• Michael van Gerwen v Henry Coates (Group L)
• Luke Humphries v Paolo Nebrida (Group I)
• Luke Littler v Beau Greaves (Group A)
• Gian van Veen v Carl Sneyd (Group M)
• Chris Dobey v Jan Schmidt (Group N)

Alongside Littler against Greaves, the evening session features Humphries against Nebrida, van Gerwen against Coates, and Price against Joe Hunt. By the end of Saturday, eight players will be one win from the last 16 — and eight will be one defeat from elimination.

Group Stage Schedule: Sunday to Tuesday

The group stage continues across Sunday 15, Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 November, with each player completing their two round-robin matches before the knockouts begin on Wednesday. The full Grand Slam of Darts 2026 schedule has the dates and format for the nine days.

Sunday 15 November has two sessions — afternoon from 1pm GMT and evening from 7.30pm GMT — with eight group matches each. Monday 16 November has one evening session from 7pm GMT for Groups A to H, and Tuesday 17 November follows the same pattern for Groups I to P. By Tuesday night, all sixteen group winners are known.

Knockout Stage: Last 16 to the Final

The knockout stage begins on Wednesday 18 November, and the format changes completely: group matches are best of nine legs, the last 16 is best of 19, and the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final are all best of 31. The longer formats reward the best players — but only if they survive the group stage.

Wednesday 18 November (7pm GMT) features four last-16 ties — A winner v B winner, C v D, E v F, G v H — and Thursday 19 November completes the last 16. The quarter-finals are split across Friday 20 and Saturday 21 November, both from 7pm GMT. Sunday 22 November is finals day: semi-finals from 1pm GMT, then the final from 7.30pm GMT, when the champion lifts the Eric Bristow Trophy and collects the £200,000 winner’s cheque from the £1 million Grand Slam prize fund.

How the New 48-Player Format Works

The 2026 Grand Slam is the first with 48 players, built around sixteen groups of three. The top 16 qualifiers were seeded one per group, the next 16 formed the second pot, and the rest formed the third pot, with seeds allocated in bracket order.

Each player plays the other two in their group once, with two points for a win. Only the group winner advances — the runner-up goes home, however well they played — so one defeat leaves no room for a second slip.

If players finish level on points, the tie is broken by leg difference, legs won, legs won against the throw, tournament average, and finally a nine-dart shoot-out, in which each player throws nine darts and the highest scorer wins the group.

Who Are the Favourites?

Luke Littler starts as the favourite. The world number one is the defending champion, has won the World Championship, Premier League, World Matchplay, World Masters and UK Open this year, and is chasing a third straight Grand Slam title. He is unbeaten in the event and beat Luke Humphries 16-11 in last year’s final — but two short group matches leave no time to find form. See his road to Ally Pally in our Luke Littler World Darts Championship 2027 guide.

Luke Humphries is the other obvious contender. The 2023 champion and last year’s runner-up won the World Grand Prix this year and reached the Players Championship 34 final last week, and his Group I draw looks kind on paper. Gian van Veen, the world number three, heads Group M in form after beating Humphries 6-2 in an exhibition in Dundee. Ross Smith, the European champion, is the form player of the autumn and heads Group O. Gerwyn Price and Michael van Gerwen, both three-time winners, can never be written off here. The dark horse is Stephen Bunting, who averaged over 100 three times at the Leicester qualifier — if he tops Group D, a deep run is well within reach.

How to Watch the Grand Slam of Darts 2026

Every session will be shown live on Sky Sports in the UK, from Saturday 14 November to the final on Sunday 22 November. Viewers outside the UK can follow the action through the PDC’s worldwide broadcast partners, including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV. Our what channel is the Grand Slam of Darts on guide has the TV and streaming details for every region. For the full history of the event, see our Grand Slam of Darts winners list.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Grand Slam of Darts 2026 groups?

Sixteen groups of three. Group A is Luke Littler, Niels Zonneveld and Beau Greaves; Group I is Luke Humphries, Joe Cullen and Paolo Nebrida; Group L is Michael van Gerwen, Jeffrey de Graaf and Henry Coates. Only each group winner reaches the last 16.

When does Luke Littler play Beau Greaves?

On the opening night, Saturday 14 November, in the evening session at WV Active Aldersley. It is their first meeting on a televised PDC stage: Greaves beat Littler 6-5 in last year’s World Youth Championship semi-final, and Littler won 6-5 at Players Championship 24 in August.

When is the Grand Slam of Darts 2026?

Saturday 14 to Sunday 22 November 2026 at WV Active Aldersley in Wolverhampton. Group stage 14–17 November, last 16 on 18–19 November, quarter-finals on 20–21 November, and the semi-finals and final on Sunday 22 November.

How does the Grand Slam of Darts 2026 group stage work?

Each player plays the other two in their group once, over the best of nine legs. Two points are awarded for a win, and only the group winner advances to the last 16. Ties are broken by leg difference, legs won, legs won against the throw, tournament average, and finally a nine-dart shoot-out.

How much prize money is on offer at the Grand Slam of Darts 2026?

£1 million, up from £650,000 in 2025. The winner receives £200,000, the runner-up £100,000, and every player is guaranteed at least £5,000 for finishing third in their group.

Who is the defending Grand Slam of Darts champion?

Luke Littler. He beat Luke Humphries 16-11 in the 2025 final to win his second title, and he is chasing a third straight crown in Wolverhampton, having never lost a match at the event.

Conclusion

The grand slam of darts 2026 groups have set up a tournament full of danger for the favourites and opportunity for the underdogs. Littler against Greaves on opening night is the tie that will define the first weekend, but the drama will not stop there: sixteen groups, sixteen winners, and no second chances. Whether Littler extends his unbeaten run or a qualifier produces the shock of the week, Wolverhampton is set for nine days of unmissable darts.

The first darts are thrown at 1pm GMT on Saturday 14 November. Check back for full results and reaction from every session.