2026 PDC Darts World Championship: Draw, schedule, format and prize money originally appeared on The Sporting News .
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The holiday season is here, which means the World Darts Championship is back at the Alexandra Palace.
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/Brooks vs. Suljovic/Cameron Heta vs. van Barneveld/Bellmont Cross vs. White Dobey/Zong vs. Gilding Woodhouse vs. Lukeman/Hopp Price/Gawlas vs. Wenig/Plaisier Joyce/Bates vs. Ratajski/Toylo
Quarter #2 Bunting/Bialecki vs. Veenstra/Kumar van Duijvenbode/Baetens vs. Hurrell/Buntz Schindler/Burton vs. Barry/Pusey Searle vs. Dolan/Dudeney Clayton/Lipscombe vs. Taylor/Lukasiak M. Smith vs. Zonneveld Harrysson vs. Tricole/Sakai Chisnall/Sherrock vs. Pietreczko/de Sousa
Quarter #3 Humphries vs. Lim Nijman vs. Clemens Aspinall/Ilagan vs. Mansell/Gates De Decker/Munyua vs. Doets/Dennant Wade/Azemoto vs. Evans Menzies/Manby vs. Campbell/Sevada van Veen vs. Soutar/Harju Van den Bergh/Beveridge vs. Razma
Quarter #4 van Gerwen/Tatsunami vs. O'Connor/Kciuk Wright/van Leuven vs. Merk Anderson vs. Scutt/Whitlock Wattimena/Grullich vs. Williams/Nebrida Noppert/van der Velde vs. Kenny/Hood Edhouse/Tata vs. Meikle/Salate Rock/Hayter vs. Springer/Comito Gurney/Greaves vs. Rydz/Kovacs
2026 PDC WC schedule Here is the schedule for the first round.
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Day 1 (evening session) Matchup Date Time (local) Kim Huybrechts vs. Arno Merk Thurs., Dec. 11 7:00 p.m. Michael Smith vs. Lisa AshtonThurs., Dec. 11 8:00 p.m. Luke Littler vs. Darius LabanauskasThurs., Dec. 11 9:00 p.m. Madars Razma vs. Jamai Van Den HerikThurs., Dec. 11 10:00 p.m.
Day 2 (afternoon session) Matchup Date Time (local) Niels Zonneveld vs. Haupai PuhaFri., Dec. 12 12:30 p.m. Ian White vs. Mervyn KingFri., Dec. 12 1:30 p.m. Ryan Searle vs. Chris LandmanFri., Dec. 12 2:30 p.m. Rob Cross vs. Cor DekkerFri., 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 LeungFri., Dec. 12 8:00 p.m. Gian van Veen vs. Cristo ReyesFri., Dec. 12 9:00 p.m. Damon Heta vs. Steve LennonFri., 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 CrabtreeSat., Dec. 13 1:30 p.m. Luke Woodhouse vs. Boris KrcmarSat., Dec. 13 2:30 p.m. Gary Anderson vs. Adam HuntSat., 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 SedlacekSat., Dec. 13 8:00 p.m. Luke Humphries vs. Ted EvettsSat., Dec. 13 9:00 p.m. Gabriel Clemens vs. Alex SpellmanSat., 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.
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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.
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:
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 More darts articles: 
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