When Does Grand Prix of Darts Start? 2027 Dates and Venue
When does Grand Prix of darts start? The short answer is Monday 27 September 2027, when the first darts of the BoyleSports World Grand Prix fly at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester. The tournament runs for seven days and ends with the final on Sunday 3 October 2027.
On this page
- Table of Contents
- When Does Grand Prix of Darts Start in 2027?
- What Is the World Grand Prix? The Double-Start Major
- The 2026 Grand Prix: Humphries’ Comeback in Leicester
- Mattioli Arena, Leicester: The Grand Prix Home
- How to Watch the Grand Prix: TV and Streaming
- Grand Prix 2027: What to Expect
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
The Grand Prix is the one PDC major that tests players in a way no other event does: every leg must start with a double and end with one. That single rule is why it produces more shocks than any other big tournament.
This guide has the confirmed 2027 dates and venue, a look back at Luke Humphries’ comeback win in the 2026 final, and what you need to know about the format, the prize money and how to watch.
Table of Contents
When Does Grand Prix of Darts Start in 2027?
When does Grand Prix of darts start in 2027? The PDC confirmed the dates in its 2027 calendar, published on 25 September 2026, and the Grand Prix keeps its familiar autumn slot. Play begins on Monday 27 September 2027 at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester, running through to the final on Sunday 3 October 2027.
The dates line up with the 2026 edition, which ran from Monday 28 September to Sunday 4 October 2026. Keeping the same week matters for fans planning a trip: evening sessions through the week, the field cut down round by round, and the final under the lights on the Sunday.
- First round: Monday 27 September 2027, Mattioli Arena, Leicester
- Final: Sunday 3 October 2027, the closing day
- Field: 32 players, double-start format
What Is the World Grand Prix? The Double-Start Major
The World Grand Prix is one of the PDC’s biggest events, and it is unlike anything else in darts. In every other major, a player can open a leg with any score they like. At the Grand Prix, the first dart of every leg must land in a double. Miss it, and the leg has not started: the darts do not count until a double is hit. It is a rule that turns the simplest part of the game into a nerve test.
The format runs to 32 players, with matches played over sets rather than legs alone. Every leg inside those sets is double-in and double-out, so a player who cannot find a starting double can be stuck on 501 while their opponent races away. That is exactly how upsets happen here, and why the question of when does Grand Prix of darts start gets asked earlier every year: a favourite can lose a leg before they have scored a single point.
For the fans, that tension is the whole point. The Grand Prix is the major where the first dart of the night matters as much as the last, and where a qualifier can suddenly look unbeatable. It is darts with the safety net taken away.
The 2026 Grand Prix: Humphries’ Comeback in Leicester
The 2026 World Grand Prix ran from Monday 28 September to Sunday 4 October at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester, and it ended with one of the great finals in the tournament’s history. Luke Humphries beat Gerwyn Price 6–4 in a best-of-11-sets final, coming back from 0–3 down in sets to win his second Grand Prix title. At 0–3 down, the match looked done: Price was scoring freely and Humphries was struggling to find his starting doubles. Then Humphries found his game, and the final turned on its head.
Humphries won six of the next seven sets to take the title 6–4, a comeback that summed up everything the Grand Prix is about. The double-start format had punished him early, and then it punished Price, whose doubles deserted him at the decisive moment. Humphries lifted the trophy for the second time, with the £150,000 winner’s cheque from a £750,000 prize fund and £80,000 for Price as runner-up. You can read the full story in the PDC’s report on the final.
The 2026 tournament had one more shock worth remembering. Luke Littler, the world number one, lost in the first round to Luke Woodhouse. It was the kind of result the Grand Prix produces more than any other major: a player who dominates everywhere else can be undone in Leicester by a format that gives nobody a free leg.
Mattioli Arena, Leicester: The Grand Prix Home
Knowing when does Grand Prix of darts start is only half the planning: you also need to know where it is. The World Grand Prix is played at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester, a venue that has become the tournament’s home. The 2026 edition ran there from 28 September to 4 October, and the 2027 edition returns to the same arena from 27 September to 3 October.
Leicester in late September is an easy trip for most UK fans, with the arena a short walk from the city centre. Tickets for 2027 have not gone on general sale yet, and the PDC will announce sale dates closer to the event. If you are planning to go, book early: the final on Sunday 3 October sells first.
How to Watch the Grand Prix: TV and Streaming
Once you know when does Grand Prix of darts start, the next question is where to watch it. In the UK, the 2026 Grand Prix was shown live on Sky Sports, which remains the home of PDC darts. Sky Sports is the usual home for the Grand Prix, and fans should expect the 2027 edition to be shown there too — but the broadcaster for 2027 has not been separately confirmed yet, so check the listings closer to the event.
Outside the UK, PDCTV is the usual route for fans in countries without a local TV deal, and our TV guide has the full picture by country. Session times for 2027 have not been confirmed either. The Grand Prix usually plays evening sessions through the week, but until the PDC publishes the order of play, treat any time you see as the usual pattern rather than a promise.
Grand Prix 2027: What to Expect
The question of when does Grand Prix of darts start is settled — Monday 27 September 2027 — but plenty about the 2027 edition is still to be decided. The 32-player field will be set by the PDC Order of Merit and the ProTour rankings, and the draw will be made closer to the event. Humphries arrives as defending champion, and Littler will be out to make up for his first-round exit in 2026. Our full 2027 darts schedule has every confirmed date and venue for the season.
One thing is certain: the double-start format will produce shocks again. A favourite can be beaten before they have scored, a qualifier can find a double with their first dart and never look back, and the final on Sunday 3 October will be played by two players who have survived the strangest test in darts. That is why the Grand Prix is worth the wait. For the full run-in, see when the darts starts again after the summer.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Grand Prix of darts start in 2027?
When does Grand Prix of darts start in 2027? Play begins on Monday 27 September 2027 at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester, and the tournament ends with the final on Sunday 3 October 2027.
Where is the World Grand Prix played?
At the Mattioli Arena in Leicester. The 2026 edition was played there from 28 September to 4 October, and the 2027 edition returns to the same arena.
What makes the World Grand Prix different from other darts majors?
Every leg must start with a double and end with a double. It is the only PDC major played this way, and that is why it produces so many upsets.
Who won the 2026 World Grand Prix?
Luke Humphries. He beat Gerwyn Price 6–4 in the final on Sunday 4 October 2026, coming back from 0–3 down in sets to win his second Grand Prix title.
What channel is the Grand Prix on?
In the UK, the 2026 Grand Prix was live on Sky Sports. The broadcaster for 2027 has not been separately confirmed yet, so check the listings closer to the event.
How many players are in the World Grand Prix?
Thirty-two. The field is set by the PDC Order of Merit and the ProTour rankings, and every match is played over sets with the double-in, double-out rule.
Conclusion
So, when does Grand Prix of darts start? Monday 27 September 2027, at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester, with the final on Sunday 3 October. The 2026 final showed why this major is different: Humphries came back from 0–3 down to beat Price 6–4, and Littler went out in round one. Nobody is safe at the Grand Prix.
Put the dates in the diary, check the listings closer to the event for TV and session times, and expect the unexpected. The double-start format guarantees it, and Leicester in late September is where darts is at its most unpredictable.
