World Darts Championship 2026/27 Schedule: Dates, Session Times, Format and Prize Money

The PDC World Darts Championship 2026/27 runs from Friday 11 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027 at Alexandra Palace in London. It is the biggest edition yet in one obvious way: for the first time the tournament moves into the Great Hall, which holds more than 5,200 fans per session compared with roughly 3,200 in the old room. That is why a record 180,000 tickets went on sale, through a new ballot system.

On this page

1. World Darts Championship 2026/27 dates by round
2. Session times (in your time zone)
3. World Darts Championship 2026/27 format: 128 players and a flat draw
4. World Darts Championship 2026/27 prize money
5. Who is the favourite?
6. Where to watch the World Darts Championship 2026/27
7. Tickets
8. World Darts Championship FAQ

Dates and venue are confirmed on the official PDC tournament calendar.

World Darts Championship 2026/27 dates by round

The PDC publishes the full session-by-session order of play after the draw, which has traditionally taken place shortly after the Players Championship Finals in late November. Until then, only the dates below are confirmed:

We will replace the expected dates with the confirmed order of play as soon as the PDC releases it.

Session times (in your time zone)

At last year’s tournament, afternoon sessions began at 12:30 UK time and evening sessions at 19:00 UK time. The UK is on GMT throughout December, so the conversion is simple. If the PDC keeps the same pattern, this is when play starts around the world:

Opening night, in your own time:

Start times are converted to your time zone automatically: UK time

World Darts Championship 2026/27 format: 128 players and a flat draw

The field expanded from 96 to 128 players for the 2025/26 edition, and that format carries into 2026/27. The 32 highest-ranked players on the PDC Order of Merit are seeded, but — unlike the old format — they no longer get a bye. Everyone plays in round one. PDC chief executive Matt Porter put it bluntly when the change was announced: if you want to win a million pounds, it will not be handed to you.

Matches are played in sets. The early rounds are best of five sets, the length grows as the tournament goes on, and the final is first to seven sets (best of 13). For the champion, that means seven wins from seven matches.

World Darts Championship 2026/27 prize money

The 2025/26 tournament doubled the prize fund to £5 million, with £1 million for the winner — the largest single prize ever paid in darts. Players knocked out in the first round still took home £15,000. The PDC has not announced any change for 2026/27, so expect the same breakdown.

Who is the favourite?

It is hard to look past Luke Littler. He beat Michael van Gerwen 7-3 to win his first title in January 2025, then retained it in January 2026 by beating Gian van Veen in a one-sided final. He has also added the World Masters, UK Open, World Cup, World Matchplay and Premier League to his collection in 2026.

The obvious challengers are Luke Humphries, who won the title in 2024, and last year’s runner-up Gian van Veen. But a 128-player flat draw also means more chances for an early upset than ever before.

Where to watch the World Darts Championship 2026/27

In the UK, every session is live on Sky Sports, and can be streamed through NOW without a long contract. Outside the UK, coverage depends on your country — see our darts on TV guide for the options, including Pakistan and India.

Tickets

Official tickets were released through a ballot, so check the PDC’s official ticketing page first for any returns. Resale prices for the later rounds are steep: listings for the final night are running into the hundreds of pounds. If you are buying second-hand, stick to recognised resale sites and check the session (afternoon or evening) and seating area carefully before paying.

For every other event between now and Ally Pally, see the full darts schedule 2026–27.

World Darts Championship FAQ