The 2025/26 PDC World Darts Championship has commenced at London’s Alexandra Palace, with current title holder Luke Littler successfully initiating his title defense. Hailing from Warrington, Littler, who became the youngest-ever champion by defeating Michael van Gerwen in last year’s final at the age of 17, advanced to the second round with a convincing 3-0 victory over Darius Labanauskas from Lithuania on the tournament’s opening night.
Littler, participating in his third Ally Pally appearance, is enjoying a series of recent triumphs, securing wins at the World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, Grand Slam, and Players Championship Finals, solidifying his position as the top seed and World Number One.
Accompanying Littler at Alexandra Palace are former world champions such as Michael van Gerwen, Luke Humphries, and Gerwyn Price, along with notable contenders like Stephen Bunting, Nathan Aspinall, James Wade, and Jonny Clayton, all part of the expanded 128-player lineup. The tournament roster includes the top 40 from the PDC’s Werner Rankings Ladder, 40 qualifiers from the one-year ProTour Ranking, and 48 International Qualifiers from PDC Secondary and Affiliate Tours and Qualifying Events.
A focal point of this year’s championship is the potential rematch between rivals Luke Humphries, the 2024 champion, and Littler. Humphries, seeking redemption after his defeat to Littler in the Grand Slam of Darts final last year, aims to reclaim the world number one ranking with a victory in this tournament, which offers a substantial £1 million prize to the champion.
All matches of the PDC World Darts Championship are exclusively broadcast live on a single broadcaster. Detailed schedules for the tournament feature afternoon sessions starting at 12:30 pm and evening sessions at 7 pm until the quarter-finals on New Year’s Day. The semi-finals will take place at 7:30 pm on 2 January, with the final set to commence at 8 pm on 3 January.
Sky Sports, with its dedicated Sky Sports Darts channel and coverage of the championship, offers significant matches on Sky Sports Main Event as part of the Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle. This bundle not only covers the World Darts Championship but also includes matches from the Premier League, EFL, Carabao Cup, and Formula 1, alongside access to over 100 regular channels like Sky Atlantic, Netflix, and Discovery+.
Additionally, Virgin Media customers can opt for the Sport bundle, priced at £56.99, which includes over 200 TV channels and a Netflix subscription, along with high-speed fibre broadband. However, both Sky and Virgin’s TV packages come with annual price increases, with Virgin’s £56.99 package set to rise to £60.99 in April 2026 and £64.99 in April 2027.
Fans can follow the World Darts Championship live exclusively through Sky’s Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle, ensuring access to every match of the tournament.
