Grand Slam of Darts 2026 Preview: Dates, Field, Format & Predictions
Grand Slam of Darts 2026 preview: dates, venue, format, prize money, qualified players and how to watch the 14-22 November event in Wolverhampton.
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This Grand Slam of Darts 2026 preview looks ahead to one of the biggest weeks on the darts calendar. The 20th staging takes place from Saturday 14 to Sunday 22 November 2026 at WV Active Aldersley in Wolverhampton, and it will be unlike any Grand Slam before it: 48 players, a £1 million prize fund, and defending champion Luke Littler chasing a third title in a row.
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The Grand Slam has always stood apart, bringing together the year’s televised finalists, ProTour form players, and women’s, youth and international qualifiers. In 2026 that mix gets bigger and harder to predict — and the final places will not be decided until a week before the first dart.
Grand Slam of Darts 2026 Preview: Dates and Venue
The 2026 Grand Slam runs for nine days, from Saturday 14 to Sunday 22 November 2026, at WV Active Aldersley in Wolverhampton. Known as the Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts, it is staged by the PDC and shown live on Sky Sports in the UK, with PDCTV streaming it worldwide.
The New 48-Player Format and Prize Money
The headline change for 2026 is the field size. The Grand Slam grows from 32 players to 48, the first such change in its history. The 48 are drawn into 16 groups of three, with one seeded player per group. Each player faces the other two once, with two points for a win, and only the group winner reaches the knockout stage.
Previously, with groups of four, the top two advanced. Now there is no second chance.
The prize money has grown to match. The total fund rises from £650,000 to £1,000,000, with £200,000 to the champion, £100,000 to the runner-up, £60,000 to each semi-finalist, £35,000 to each quarter-finalist and £20,000 to each last-16 player. Second in a group earns £12,500, third £5,000.
Who Has Qualified So Far
Defending champion Luke Littler leads the field. The two-time world champion qualified through several routes and arrives chasing a third straight Grand Slam title after beating Luke Humphries 16-11 in the 2025 final. Humphries is back, having qualified by winning the World Grand Prix, and Michael van Gerwen is also involved.
Ross Smith is one of the form players heading to Wolverhampton. He qualified by winning the World Series of Darts Finals, then added the European Championship title, beating Martin Schindler 11-8 in Dortmund. Schindler became the first German to reach an individual PDC televised final, booking a seventh Grand Slam appearance. The latest Grand Slam qualification race update also confirms Henry Coates, debuting after winning Players Championship 25 in July.
Other televised finalists include Gian van Veen, Gerwyn Price, James Wade and Nathan Aspinall. European Tour winners Josh Rock, Luke Woodhouse, Krzysztof Ratajski, Jonny Clayton and Niels Zonneveld are in, as are Players Championship winners Chris Dobey, Cameron Menzies, Ryan Searle, Rob Cross, Andrew Gilding, Gabriel Clemens, Karel Sedlacek and Kevin Doets. Beau Greaves, Lisa Ashton, Cameron Crabtree, Jan Schmidt, Sebastian Bialecki, Joe Hunt, Paolo Nebrida and Adam Sevada are in through women’s, youth, development, challenge and international routes. Our earlier Grand Slam of Darts 2026 field update tracked how the list has grown.
The Race for the Final Places
The field is still not complete. Up to 40 qualify directly, and the rest come from the Tour Card Holder Qualifier in Leicester on Friday 6 November, eight days before the tournament begins. That qualifier will award at least eight places.
Players Championship 33 and 34, at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester on 4 and 5 November, are therefore about far more than ranking points: any new winner not already qualified will earn a Grand Slam place. Our Players Championship 33 and 34 preview explains what is at stake there. Two other routes are still open: the ANZ Premier League winner, decided on 31 October, and the Nordic and Baltic champion, decided on 8 November. The most notable name still missing is two-time world champion Gary Anderson, who will need to come through the qualifier.
How to Watch the Grand Slam of Darts 2026
In the UK, the tournament is live on Sky Sports across the nine days, through to the final on Sunday 22 November. Outside the UK, PDCTV streams it worldwide. Check the Sky Sports darts schedule and PDCTV listings for session times.
Predictions: Can Anyone Stop Littler?
Littler starts as the clear favourite. He has won the last two Grand Slams and is the reigning world champion. The new group format, though, could trip him up: in a three-player group, one off night can send even the world number one home early.
Humphries is the most obvious challenger, while Ross Smith and Gerwyn Price are the form threats behind the top two. Do not overlook the debutants: the Grand Slam has a long history of qualifiers causing chaos in the groups, and with 16 groups instead of eight, a Coates, a Bialecki or a Zonneveld could announce themselves. If Littler avoids an early slip, expect him to go deep again — but this could be the most open Grand Slam in years.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Grand Slam of Darts 2026?
The Grand Slam of Darts 2026 takes place from 14 to 22 November 2026 at WV Active Aldersley in Wolverhampton, with the final on Sunday 22 November.
How many players are in the Grand Slam of Darts 2026?
The field has been expanded to 48 players, drawn into 16 groups of three. Each group has one seeded player, and only the group winner advances to the knockout stage.
What is the prize money for the Grand Slam of Darts 2026?
The total fund is £1,000,000. The winner receives £200,000 and the Eric Bristow Trophy, the runner-up £100,000, the semi-finalists £60,000 each, and the quarter-finalists £35,000 each.
Who is the defending Grand Slam of Darts champion?
Luke Littler is the defending champion. He won in 2024 and 2025, beating Luke Humphries 16-11 in the 2025 final, and chases a third straight title in 2026.
How do players qualify for the Grand Slam of Darts?
Up to 40 places go to televised finalists, additional qualifiers, and European Tour and Players Championship winners. The rest are decided at the Tour Card Holder Qualifier in Leicester on 6 November 2026.
How can I watch the Grand Slam of Darts 2026?
The tournament is live on Sky Sports in the UK and streamed worldwide on PDCTV. Check their listings for session times and the daily order of play.
Conclusion
The 2026 Grand Slam promises to be a landmark edition: the biggest field in its history, the first £1 million prize fund, a group format with no safety net for the favourites, and a defending champion chasing three titles in a row. With the final places still to be decided in Leicester, the qualifier on 6 November could yet produce one last twist.
Whether Littler completes his hat-trick, Humphries reasserts himself, or a debutant steals the headlines, nine days at WV Active Aldersley should deliver the drama this tournament is known for. Mark 14 November in the diary: where only group winners survive, the shocks could start on night one. Stay across all the darts news.
