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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.
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. |
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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
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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