What Channel Is the World Darts Championship On?
On this page
- What Channel Is the World Darts Championship On? The Short Answer
- UK and Ireland: Sky Sports
- USA: ESPN, ESPN+ and Peacock
- Germany, Austria and Switzerland: DAZN and Sport1
- Europe and the Rest of the World
- Listen on the Radio: talkSPORT 2
- Session Times and Key Dates
- How to Watch Without Cable or Satellite
- What to Watch For at Ally Pally
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
If you are asking what channel is the world darts championship on, the short answer depends on where you live. In the UK and Ireland every session is live on Sky Sports, in the United States it is ESPN, ESPN+ and Peacock, in Germany it is DAZN and Sport1, and almost everywhere else it is either a local rights holder or the PDC’s own streaming service, PDCTV. The 2027 PDC World Darts Championship runs from Friday 11 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027 at Alexandra Palace in London, and this guide covers every broadcaster, streaming option and session time, so you never miss a dart.
What Channel Is the World Darts Championship On? The Short Answer
The World Darts Championship has a broadcaster in almost every country where darts has a following. Here is the quick answer by region:
| Where you are | Channel or service |
|---|---|
| UK and Ireland | Sky Sports Darts and Sky Sports Main Event, streamed on NOW and Sky Go |
| United States | ESPN, ESPN+ and Peacock |
| Germany, Austria, Switzerland | DAZN (every match) and Sport1 (free-to-air) |
| Netherlands, Poland, Nordics, Baltics | Viaplay |
| Australia | Fox Sports |
| New Zealand | Sky |
| Everywhere else | PDCTV, the PDC’s own streaming service |
All 28 sessions are shown live: afternoons at 12:30 GMT, evenings at 19:00 GMT, semi-finals at 19:30 GMT and the final on Sunday 3 January 2027 at around 20:00 GMT. There is a Christmas break with no play from 24 to 27 December, and no session on New Year’s Eve. The full day-by-day running order is in our World Darts Championship 2026/27 schedule guide.
UK and Ireland: Sky Sports
In the UK and Ireland, the World Darts Championship is on Sky Sports, which has held the rights for years and has signed a deal running until 2030. Sky creates a dedicated Sky Sports Darts channel just for this tournament, and it shows every session live, while the biggest sessions, including the final, also go out on Sky Sports Main Event.
There are three ways to watch in the UK and Ireland:
- Sky Sports on TV. The full Sky Sports package carries the dedicated darts channel and Main Event on satellite and cable. If you already have Sky Sports, you are covered.
- NOW. NOW sells contract-free sports passes with no dish or long contract. Indicative rates in November 2026 were around £14.99 for a day pass and around £34.99 for a month, but prices can change, so check the current rate before you buy.
- Sky Go. Sky Sports subscribers can stream every session on the Sky Go app on a phone, tablet or laptop.
Sky shows every match live, with build-up before each session and analysis between matches. The final on Sunday 3 January 2027 will be on Sky Sports Main Event as well as Sky Sports Darts, with coverage starting at 19:00 GMT. If you are going to Ally Pally in person instead, our World Darts Championship 2027 tickets guide explains the ballot, the prices and the official resale route.
USA: ESPN, ESPN+ and Peacock
In the United States, the World Darts Championship is shown across ESPN, ESPN+ and Peacock. That is a change from recent years: DAZN USA no longer holds the live rights for the tournament, so American fans should not expect to find it there.
The sessions fall in convenient daytime hours: afternoon sessions start at around 7:30 AM Eastern Time and evening sessions at around 2:00 PM Eastern Time, so the whole tournament can be followed over breakfast and lunch.
ESPN+ carries the streaming coverage, while Peacock also streams the action. Some sessions may also appear on ESPN’s linear channels, so check the listings on the day. If you are outside the United States and your country has no local broadcaster, PDCTV is the fallback, and it is covered later in this guide.
Germany, Austria and Switzerland: DAZN and Sport1
German-speaking fans have two ways to watch. DAZN holds the master PDC rights in Germany, Austria and Switzerland through at least 2031, and it streams every match of the World Championship live on the DAZN app. Sport1 shows selected coverage free-to-air on linear television and through its online stream, which makes the tournament available to anyone in Germany without a subscription.
December 2026 is Sport1’s final World Championship broadcast: from 2027/28 the free-to-air sub-licence moves to ProSiebenSat.1, while Sport1 keeps selected other PDC events. For this year the arrangement is unchanged: DAZN for every match, Sport1 free-to-air for the headline sessions.
Germany has become one of darts’ biggest markets, and Gabriel Clemens and Martin Schindler give German fans their own heroes to follow.
Europe and the Rest of the World
Outside the big markets, the World Championship is carried by a set of regional rights holders. Here is the full list:
| Country or region | Broadcaster |
|---|---|
| Netherlands, Poland, Norway, Denmark, Bulgaria, Baltic States | Viaplay |
| Czech Republic and Slovakia | Nova |
| Hungary | Prago Sport |
| Belgium | VTM |
| Australia | Fox Sports |
| New Zealand | Sky |
Viaplay is the biggest of these, covering the Netherlands, Poland, Norway, Denmark, Bulgaria and the Baltic States, with Dutch-language presentation for its home audience.
In Australia, Fox Sports carries the tournament, and in New Zealand it is Sky. Both show the sessions live, which means late-night and early-morning viewing down under, since a 19:00 GMT evening session in London starts at 06:00 the next morning in Sydney and 08:00 in Auckland.
If your country is not on the list above, the answer is PDCTV. The PDC’s own streaming service shows every major TV tournament live online outside the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands, with highlights for subscribers worldwide, on any device.
Listen on the Radio: talkSPORT 2
If you cannot watch, you can still follow every dart on the radio. talkSPORT 2 carries live commentary of the World Championship, with updates on talkSPORT itself, from Ian Danter, Mark Wilson, Paul Nicholson and Chris Mason, a team whose coverage has won awards for live event broadcasting.
You can listen on DAB digital radio, through a smart speaker, on 1089 or 1053 AM, through the talkSPORT website or through the talkSPORT app. It is the best option for drivers, for fans at work, and for anyone who wants the atmosphere of Ally Pally without a screen.
Session Times and Key Dates
Knowing what channel the World Darts Championship is on is only half the job. You also need to know when to tune in. The tournament has 28 sessions across 24 days, with most days carrying two sessions:
| What | When (GMT) |
|---|---|
| Afternoon session | 12:30 |
| Evening session | 19:00 |
| Semi-finals | 19:30 |
| Final | Around 20:00, Sunday 3 January 2027 |
| Christmas break | No play 24–27 December 2026 |
| New Year’s Eve | No session on 31 December 2026 |
The tournament opens on Friday 11 December 2026 with the first round, and the 128-player field is cut down round by round until the final on Sunday 3 January 2027. All 128 players enter in the first round, including the 32 seeds, and the format grows as the tournament goes on, from best of five sets in the early rounds to best of 13 in the final. The exact Sky Sports channel for each individual session is confirmed in the listings nearer the time, so check the programme on the day rather than assuming every session sits on the same channel number.
How to Watch Without Cable or Satellite
You do not need a traditional TV package. In the UK and Ireland, NOW sells day and month sports passes with no contract, and Sky Go works for existing Sky Sports subscribers. In the United States, ESPN+ and Peacock are streaming services. In Germany, DAZN is app-based and Sport1 is free-to-air. Almost everywhere else, PDCTV streams the tournament to any device.
A few practical tips. Check your subscription before the tournament starts, not five minutes before the first session, and download the broadcaster’s app in advance if you are watching on a phone or tablet. Beware of unofficial streams. The PDC and its broadcast partners warn against illegal sites, which can expose you to malware and cut out mid-match, and none of them is listed in this guide. Stick to the rights holders above and you will see every session in full quality.
For the full picture of darts on television beyond the World Championship, see our darts on TV guide, and for the dates of every session, see our guide to when the World Darts Championship starts.
What to Watch For at Ally Pally
This year’s tournament is bigger than ever: the Great Hall holds more than 5,000 fans per session, a record 180,000 tickets were sold, the prize fund is £5,000,000 with £1,000,000 for the winner, and the field has expanded to 128 players.
The headline story is Luke Littler, the defending champion, going for a third world title in a row after beating Michael van Gerwen 7-3 in the 2025 final and Gian van Veen 7-1 in the 2026 final. Our Luke Littler World Darts Championship 2027 guide covers his route, his record and his rivals in full. Behind him, Gian van Veen, Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen and Gerwyn Price all have genuine claims, and the first round always produces a shock.
Frequently Asked Questions
What channel is the World Darts Championship on in the UK?
Sky Sports. Every session is live on the dedicated Sky Sports Darts channel, with the biggest sessions, including the final, also on Sky Sports Main Event. You can stream it on NOW with a day or month sports pass, or on Sky Go if you already subscribe to Sky Sports.
What channel is the World Darts Championship on in the USA?
ESPN, ESPN+ and Peacock. Afternoon sessions start at around 7:30 AM Eastern Time and evening sessions at around 2:00 PM Eastern Time. DAZN USA no longer holds the rights, so American fans should use ESPN+ or Peacock.
Can I watch the World Darts Championship for free?
In Germany, Sport1 shows selected coverage free-to-air, which is its final World Championship broadcast before the free-to-air rights move to ProSiebenSat.1. In the UK and Ireland there is no free-to-air television coverage, but talkSPORT 2 carries free live radio commentary on DAB, on 1089 or 1053 AM, and through the talkSPORT app.
What time do the World Darts Championship sessions start?
Afternoon sessions start at 12:30 GMT and evening sessions at 19:00 GMT. The semi-finals start at 19:30 GMT and the final on Sunday 3 January 2027 gets under way at around 20:00 GMT. There is no play from 24 to 27 December and no session on New Year’s Eve.
Can I watch the World Darts Championship on PDCTV?
Yes, if you are outside the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands. PDCTV is the PDC’s own streaming service and shows every major TV tournament live online for international fans, with highlights available to subscribers worldwide.
Is the World Darts Championship on talkSPORT?
Yes, on the radio. talkSPORT 2 carries live commentary of the whole tournament, with Ian Danter, Mark Wilson, Paul Nicholson and Chris Mason on the microphone, and updates on talkSPORT itself. Listen on DAB, on 1089 or 1053 AM, through a smart speaker, on the talkSPORT website or in the talkSPORT app.
Conclusion
The what channel is the world darts championship on question has a different answer in every country, but the coverage is near-universal: Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland, ESPN, ESPN+ and Peacock in the United States, DAZN and Sport1 in Germany, Viaplay across northern Europe, Fox Sports in Australia, Sky in New Zealand, PDCTV everywhere else, and talkSPORT 2 on the radio.
The tournament runs from 11 December 2026 to 3 January 2027, with 28 sessions, 128 players and a £1,000,000 prize for the winner. Set your reminders for 12:30 GMT in the afternoons and 19:00 GMT in the evenings, and keep an eye on our darts schedule hub for the draw, the session times and the results as the tournament unfolds.
