2026 PDC Darts World Championship: Draw, schedule, format and prize money

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2026 PDC Darts World Championship: Draw, schedule, format and prize money originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The holiday season is here, which means the World Darts Championship is back at the Alexandra Palace.

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Almost three weeks of darts action will take place in London, with 128 players looking to make a run at the coveted Sid Waddell Trophy.

What to know about the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship

Let's take a look at some of the specifics of the tournament.

MORE: Every darts player who's qualified for the 2026 PDC World Championship

Bracket/draw

Here is the bracket for the first round.

Quarter #1

(1) Luke Littler vs. Darius Labanauskas

Mario Vandenbogaerde vs. David Davies

(32) Joe Cullen vs. Bradley Brooks

Mensur Suljovic vs. David Cameron

(16) Damon Heta vs. Steve Lennon

Raymond van Barneveld vs. Stefan Bellmont

(17) Rob Cross vs. Cor Dekker

Ian White vs. Mervyn King

(8) Chris Dobey vs. Xiaochen Zong

Andrew Gilding vs. Cam Crabtree

(25) Luke Woodhouse vs. Boris Krcmar

Martin Lukeman vs. Max Hopp

(9) Gerwyn Price vs. Adam Gawlas

Lukas Wenig vs. Wesley Plaisier

(24) Ryan Joyce vs. Owen Bates

Krzysztof Ratajski vs. Alexis Toylo

Quarter #2

(4) Stephen Bunting vs. Sebastian Bialecki

Richard Veenstra vs. Nitin Kumar

(29) Dirk van Duijvenbode vs. Andy Baetens

James Hurrell vs. Stowe Buntz

(13) Martin Schindler vs. Stephen Burton

Keane Barry vs. Tim Pusey

(20) Ryan Searle vs. Chris Landman

Brendan Dolan vs. Tavis Dudeney

(5) Jonny Clayton vs. Adam Lipscombe

Dom Taylor vs. Oskar Lukasiak

(28) Michael Smith vs. Lisa Ashton

Niels Zonneveld vs. Haupai Puha

(12) Ross Smith vs. Andreas Harrysson

Thibault Tricole vs. Motomu Sakai

(21) Dave Chisnall vs. Fallon Sherrock

Ricardo Pietreczko vs. Jose de Sousa

Quarter #3

(2) Luke Humphries vs. Ted Evetts

Jeffrey de Graaf vs. Paul Lim

(31) Wessel Nijman vs. Karel Sedlacek

Gabriel Clemens vs. Alex Spellman

(15) Nathan Aspinall vs. Lourence Illagan

Mickey Mansell vs. Leonard Gates

(18) Mike De Decker vs. David Munyua

Kevin Doets vs. Matthew Dennant

(7) James Wade vs. Ryusei Azemoto

Ricky Evans vs. Man Lok Leung

(26) Cameron Menzies vs. Charlie Manby

Matt Campbell vs. Adam Sevada

(10) Gian van Veen vs. Cristo Reyes

Alan Soutar vs. Teemu Harju

(23) Dimitri Van den Bergh vs. Darren Beveridge

Madars Razma vs. Jamai van den Herik

Quarter #4

(3) Michael van Gerwen vs. Mitsuhiko Tatsunami

William O'Connor vs. Krzysztof Kciuk

(30) Peter Wright vs. Noa-Lynn van Leuven

Kim Huybrechts vs. Arno Merk

(14) Gary Anderson vs. Adam Hunt

Connor Scutt vs. Simon Whitlock

(19) Jermaine Wattimena vs. Dominik Grullich

Scott Williams vs. Paolo Nebrida

(6) Danny Noppert vs. Jurjen van der Velde

Nick Kenny vs. Justin Hood

(27) Ritchie Edhouse vs. Jonny Tata

Ryan Meikle vs. Jesus Salate

(11) Josh Rock vs. Gemma Hayter

Niko Springer vs. Joe Comito

(22) Daryl Gurney vs. Beau Greaves

Callan Rydz vs. Patrik Kovacs

Here is the bracket for the second round.

Quarter #1

Littler vs. Davies

Cullen vs. Suljovic

Heta vs. Bellmont

Cross vs. White

Dobey vs. Gilding

Woodhouse vs. Hopp

Price vs. Plaisier

Joyce vs. Ratajski

Quarter #2

Bunting vs. Kumar

van Duijvenbode vs. Hurrell

Schindler vs. Barry

Searle vs. Dolan

Clayton vs. Taylor

M. Smith vs. Zonneveld

Harrysson vs. Sakai

Chisnall vs. Pietreczko

Quarter #3

Humphries vs. Lim

Nijman vs. Clemens

Aspinall vs. Gates

Munyua vs. Doets

Wade vs. Evans

Manby vs. Sevada

van Veen vs. Soutar

Beveridge vs. Razma

Quarter #4

van Gerwen vs. O'Connor

Wright vs. Merk

Anderson vs. Scutt

Wattimena vs. Williams

Noppert vs. Hood

Tata vs. Meikle

Rock vs. Comito

Gurney vs. Rydz

Here is the bracket for the third round.

Quarter #1

Littler vs. Suljovic

Heta vs. Cross

Gilding vs. Woodhouse

Plaisier vs. Ratajski

Quarter #2

Bunting vs. Hurrell

Schindler vs. Searle

Clayton vs. Zonneveld

Harrysson vs. Pietreczko

Quarter #3

Humphries vs. Clemens

Aspinall vs. Doets

Evans vs. Manby

van Veen vs. Razma

Quarter #4

van Gerwen vs. Wright

Anderson vs. Wattimena

Hood vs. Meikle

Rock vs. Rydz

Here is the bracket for the fourth round.

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Quarter #1

Littler vs. Cross

Woodhouse vs. Ratajski

Quarter #2

Hurrell vs. Searle

Clayton vs. Harrysson

Quarter #3

Humphries vs. Doets

Manby vs. van Veen

Quarter #4

van Gerwen vs. Anderson

Hood vs. Rock/Rydz

Here is the bracket for the quarterfinals.

Quarter #1

Littler vs.Woodhouse/Ratajski

Quarter #2

Searle vs. Clayton/Harrysson

Quarter #3

Humphries/Doets vs. Manby/van Veen

Quarter #4

van Gerwen/Anderson vs. Hood/Rock

2026 PDC WC schedule

Here is the schedule for the first round.

MORE: World Darts Championship 2025/26 prize money: How much winner will earn, total prize fund for PDC event

Day 1 (evening session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Kim Huybrechts vs. Arno Merk

Thurs., Dec. 11

7:00 p.m.

Michael Smith vs. Lisa Ashton

Thurs., Dec. 11

8:00 p.m.

Luke Littler vs. Darius Labanauskas

Thurs., Dec. 11

9:00 p.m.

Madars Razma vs. Jamai Van Den Herik

Thurs., Dec. 11

10:00 p.m.

Day 2 (afternoon session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Niels Zonneveld vs. Haupai Puha

Fri., Dec. 12

12:30 p.m.

Ian White vs. Mervyn King

Fri., Dec. 12

1:30 p.m.

Ryan Searle vs. Chris Landman

Fri., Dec. 12

2:30 p.m.

Rob Cross vs. Cor Dekker

Fri., Dec. 12

3:30 p.m.

Day 2 (evening session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Ross Smith vs. Andreas Harrysson

Fri., Dec. 12

7:00 p.m.

Ricky Evans vs. Man Lok Leung

Fri., Dec. 12

8:00 p.m.

Gian van Veen vs. Cristo Reyes

Fri., Dec. 12

9:00 p.m.

Damon Heta vs. Steve Lennon

Fri., Dec. 12

10:00 p.m.

Day 3 (afternoon session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Mario Vandenbogaerde vs. David Davies

Sat., Dec. 13

12:30 p.m.

Andrew Gilding vs. Cam Crabtree

Sat., Dec. 13

1:30 p.m.

Luke Woodhouse vs. Boris Krcmar

Sat., Dec. 13

2:30 p.m.

Gary Anderson vs. Adam Hunt

Sat., Dec. 13

3:30 p.m.

Day 3 (evening session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Jeffrey De Graaf vs. Paul Lim

Sat., Dec. 13

7:00 p.m.

Wessel Nijman vs. Karel Sedlacek

Sat., Dec. 13

8:00 p.m.

Luke Humphries vs. Ted Evetts

Sat., Dec. 13

9:00 p.m.

Gabriel Clemens vs. Alex Spellman

Sat., Dec. 13

10:00 p.m.

Day 4 (afternoon session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Ritchie Edhouse vs. Jonny Tata

Sun., Dec. 14

12:30 p.m.

Dom Taylor vs. Oskar Lukasiak

Sun., Dec. 14

1:30 p.m.

Richard Veenstra vs. Nitin Kumar

Sun., Dec. 14

2:30 p.m.

Joe Cullen vs. Bradley Brooks

Sun., Dec. 14

3:30 p.m.

Day 4 (evening session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Lukas Wenig vs. Wesley Plaiser

Sun., Dec. 14

7:00 p.m.

Dimitri van den Bergh vs. Darren Beveridge

Sun., Dec. 14

8:00 p.m.

Stephen Bunting vs. Sebastian Bialecki

Sun., Dec. 14

9:00 p.m.

James Hurrell vs. Stowe Buntz

Sun., Dec. 14

10:00 p.m.

Day 5 (afternoon session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Brendan Dolan vs. Tavis Dudeney

Mon., Dec. 15

12:30 p.m.

Cameron Menzies vs. Charlie Manby

Mon., Dec. 15

1:30 p.m.

Mensur Suljovic vs. David Cameron

Mon., Dec. 15

2:30 p.m.

Peter Wright vs. Noa-Lynn van Leuven

Mon., Dec. 15

3:30 p.m.

Day 5 (evening session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Martin Lukeman vs. Max Hopp

Mon., Dec. 15

7:00 p.m.

Dirk van Duijvenbode vs. Andy Baetens

Mon., Dec. 15

8:00 p.m.

Jonny Clayton vs. Adam Lipscombe

Mon., Dec. 15

9:00 p.m.

Connor Scutt vs. Simon Whitlock

Mon., Dec. 15

10:00 p.m.

Day 6 (afternoon session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Alan Soutar vs. Teemu Harju

Tue., Dec. 16

12:30 p.m.

Nick Kenny vs. Justin Hood

Tue., Dec. 16

1:30 p.m.

Scott Williams vs. Paolo Nebrida

Tue., Dec. 16

2:30 p.m.

Chris Dobey vs. Xiaochen Zong

Tue., Dec. 16

3:30 p.m.

Day 6 (evening session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Ricardo Pietreczko vs. Jose De Sousa

Tue., Dec. 16

7:00 p.m.

Danny Noppert vs. Jurjen van der Velde

Tue., Dec. 16

8:00 p.m.

Gerwyn Price vs. Adam Gawlas

Tue., Dec. 16

9:00 p.m.

Niko Springer vs. Joe Comito

Tue., Dec. 16

10:00 p.m.

Day 7 (evening session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Matt Campbell vs. Adam Sevada

Wed., Dec. 17

7:00 p.m.

Raymond van Barneveld vs. Stefan Bellmont

Wed., Dec. 17

8:00 p.m.

James Wade vs. Ryusei Azemoto

Wed., Dec. 17

9:00 p.m.

Martin Schindler vs. Stephen Burton

Wed., Dec. 17

10:00 p.m.

Day 8 (afternoon session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Callan Rydz vs. Patrik Kovacs

Thurs., Dec. 18

12:30 p.m.

Thibault Tricole vs. Motomu Sakai

Thurs., Dec. 18

1:30 p.m.

Ryan Joyce vs. Owen Bates

Thurs., Dec. 18

2:30 p.m.

Mike De Decker vs. David Munyua

Thurs., Dec. 18

3:30 p.m.

Day 8 (evening session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Jermaine Wattimena vs. Dominik Gruellich

Thurs., Dec. 18

7:00 p.m.

Dave Chisnall vs. Fallon Sherrock

Thurs., Dec. 18

8:00 p.m.

Michael van Gerwen vs. Mitsuhiko Tatsunami

Thurs., Dec. 18

9:00 p.m.

Krzysztof Ratajski vs. Alexis Toylo

Thurs., Dec. 18

10:00 p.m.

Day 9 (afternoon session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Kevin Doets vs. Matthew Dennant

Fri., Dec. 19

12:30 p.m.

Ryan Meikle vs. Jesus Salate

Fri., Dec. 19

1:30 p.m.

Mickey Mansell vs. Leonard Gates

Fri., Dec. 19

2:30 p.m.

Josh Rock vs. Gemma Hayter

Fri., Dec. 19

3:30 p.m.

Day 9 (evening session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

William O'Connor vs. Krzysztof Kciuk

Fri., Dec. 19

7:00 p.m.

Daryl Gurney vs. Beau Greaves

Fri., Dec. 19

8:00 p.m.

Nathan Aspinall vs. Lourence Ilagan

Fri., Dec. 19

9:00 p.m.

Keane Barry vs. Tim Pusey

Fri., Dec. 19

10:00 p.m.

Here is the schedule for the second round.

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Day 10 (afternoon session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Ryan Searle vs. Brendan Dolan

Sat., Dec. 20

12:45 p.m.

Andreas Harrysson vs. Motomu Sakai

Sat., Dec. 20

1:30 p.m.

Dirk van Duijvenbode vs. James Hurrell

Sat., Dec. 20

2:30 p.m.

Dave Chisnall vs. Ricardo Pietreczko

Sat., Dec. 20

3:30 p.m.

Day 10 (evening session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Michael Smith vs. Niels Zonneveld

Sat., Dec. 20

7:15 p.m.

Chris Dobey vs. Andrew Gilding

Sat., Dec. 20

8:00 p.m.

Stephen Bunting vs. Nitin Kumar

Sat., Dec. 20

9:00 p.m.

Jonny Clayton vs. Dom Taylor (Clayton advances after Taylor fails drug test)

Sat., Dec. 20

10:00 p.m.

Day 11 (afternoon session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Ryan Joyce vs. Krzysztof Ratajski

Sun., Dec. 21

12:45 p.m.

Joe Cullen vs. Mensur Suljovic

Sun., Dec. 21

1:30 p.m.

Luke Woodhouse vs. Max Hopp

Sun., Dec. 21

2:30 p.m.

Rob Cross vs. Ian White

Sun., Dec. 21

3:30 p.m.

Day 11 (evening session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Martin Schindler vs. Keane Barry

Sun., Dec. 21

7:15 p.m.

Gerwyn Price vs. Wesley Plaisier

Sun., Dec. 21

8:00 p.m.

Luke Littler vs. David Davies

Sun., Dec. 21

9:00 p.m.

Damon Heta vs. Stefan Bellmont

Sun., Dec. 21

10:00 p.m.

Day 12 (afternoon session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Darren Beveridge vs. Madars Razma

Mon., Dec. 22

12:45 p.m.

Wessel Nijman vs. Gabriel Clemens

Mon., Dec. 22

1:30 p.m.

David Munyua vs. Kevin Doets

Mon., Dec. 22

2:30 p.m.

James Wade vs. Ricky Evans

Mon., Dec. 22

3:30 p.m.

Day 12 (evening session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Gian van Veen vs. Alan Soutar

Mon., Dec. 22

7:15 p.m.

Nathan Aspinall vs. Leonard Gates

Mon., Dec. 22

8:00 p.m.

Luke Humphries vs. Paul Lim

Mon., Dec. 22

9:00 p.m.

Charlie Manby vs. Adam Sevada

Mon., Dec. 22

10:00 p.m.

Day 13 (afternoon session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Jonny Tata vs. Ryan Meikle

Tues., Dec. 23

12:45 p.m.

Daryl Gurney vs. Callan Rydz

Tues., Dec. 23

1:30 p.m.

Jermaine Wattimena vs. Scott Williams

Tues., Dec. 23

2:30 p.m.

Peter Wright vs. Arno Merk

Tues., Dec. 23

3:30 p.m.

Day 13 (evening session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Danny Noppert vs. Justin Hood

Tues., Dec. 23

7:15 p.m.

Gary Anderson vs. Connor Scutt

Tues., Dec. 23

8:00 p.m.

Michael van Gerwen vs. William O'Connor

Tues., Dec. 23

9:00 p.m.

Josh Rock vs. Joe Comito

Tues., Dec. 23

10:00 p.m.

MORE: Predicting the PDC 2026 Premier League of Darts lineup

Here is the schedule for the third round (round of 32) and the fourth round.

Day 14 (afternoon session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Wesley Plaisier vs. Krzysztof Ratajski

Sat., Dec. 27

12:45 p.m.

Andrew Gilding vs. Luke Woodhouse

Sat., Dec. 27

2:00 p.m.

Jonny Clayton vs. Niels Zonneveld

Sat., Dec. 27

3:15 p.m.

Day 14 (evening session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Andreas Harrysson vs. Ricardo Pietreczko

Sat., Dec. 27

7:15 p.m.

Stephen Bunting vs. James Hurrell

Sat., Dec. 27

8:30 p.m.

Luke Littler vs. Mensur Suljovic

Sat., Dec. 27

9:45 p.m.

Day 15 (afternoon session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Martin Schindler vs. Ryan Searle

Sun., Dec. 28

12:45 p.m.

Damon Heta vs. Rob Cross

Sun., Dec. 28

2:00 p.m.

Gary Anderson vs. Jermaine Wattimena

Sun., Dec. 28

3:15 p.m.

Day 15 (evening session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Gian van Veen vs. Madars Razma

Sun., Dec. 28

7:15 p.m.

Luke Humphries vs. Gabriel Clemens

Sun., Dec. 28

8:30 p.m.

Michael van Gerwen vs. Arno Merk

Sun., Dec. 28

9:45 p.m.

Day 16 (afternoon session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Justin Hood vs. Ryan Meikle

Mon., Dec. 29

12:45 p.m.

Ricky Evans vs. Charlie Manby

Mon., Dec. 29

2:00 p.m.

Nathan Aspinall vs. Kevin Doets

Mon., Dec. 29

3:15 p.m.

Day 16 (evening session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Josh Rock vs. Callan Rydz

Mon., Dec. 29

7:15 p.m.

James Hurrell vs. Ryan Searle (4th RD)

Mon., Dec. 29

8:30 p.m.

Luke Littler vs. Rob Cross (4th RD)

Mon., Dec. 29

9:45 p.m.

Day 17 (afternoon session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Luke Woodhouse vs. Krzysztof Ratajski (4th RD)

Tue., Dec. 30

12:45 p.m.

Jonny Clayton vs. Andreas Harrysson (4th RD)

Tue., Dec. 30

2:00 p.m.

Justin Hood vs. Josh Rock (4th RD)

Tue., Dec. 30

3:15 p.m.

Day 17 (evening session)

Matchup

Date

Time (local)

Charlie Manby vs. Gian van Veen (4th RD)

Tue., Dec. 30

7:15 p.m.

Michael van Gerwen vs. Gary Anderson (4th RD)

Tue., Dec. 30

8:30 p.m.

Luke Humphries vs. Kevin Doets (4th RD)

Tue., Dec. 30

9:45 p.m.

Prize Money

*Data via Wikipedia

Position (no. of players)

Prize money
(Total: £5,000,000)

Winner

(1)

£1,000,000

Runner-up

(1)

£400,000

Semi-finalists

(2)

£200,000

Quarter-finalists

(4)

£100,000

Fourth round losers

(8)

£60,000

Third round losers

(16)

£35,000

Second round losers

(32)

£25,000

First round losers

(64)

£15,000

Format

This year's tournament will feature 128 players, 32 more than the 2025 field.

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Seeded players will no longer receive a bye into the second round, with all 128 players in the draw for round #1.

The bracket is divided into four quarters, with eight seeded players per quarter in a traditional bracket format where if the seeds won, they'd start playing each other in the third round (ex: 1 v 32, 2 v 31, 3 v 30, etc).

The tournament begins on December 11 and will end on January 3 (there are some days off in between for holidays).

The World Championship is one of a handful of darts tournaments that feature a set format, with the number of sets a player has to win increasing as the tournament progresses:

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  • First and second round: best-of-5 sets

  • Third and fourth round: best-of-7 sets

  • Quarterfinals: best-of-9 sets

  • Semifinals: best-of-11 sets

  • Final: best-of-13 sets

Each set is played to best-of-5 legs. If a match went to a last-set decider, a player must win the final set by at least two legs, or win a sudden-death leg if the players were even through 10 legs in the final set.

Here are the following dates that each round will be played:

  • First round: December 11 - 19

  • Second round: December 20 - 23

  • Third round: December 27 - 29

  • Fourth round: December 29 - 30

  • Quarterfinals: January 1

  • Semifinals: January 2

  • Final: January 3

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