Luke Littler beat Gian van Veen 7-1 in the 2026 final, and now he has to do it all again. The PDC World Darts Championship 2027 starts on 11 December 2026 at Alexandra Palace. A £1,000,000 first prize waits at the end. If you want to know how Luke Littler became the player everyone chases, he’s a good place to start. Beyond that, this guide covers the dates, the format, the money and the players to watch.
What’s New at the PDC World Darts Championship 2027
This is the 34th World Championship run by the PDC. It’s also the 20th held at Alexandra Palace in north London. However, one big thing has changed. For the first time, the event moves into the venue’s Great Hall, after 19 years in the West Hall.
The bigger room means more seats. Tickets rise to 180,000 across the tournament, and the PDC will hand them out by ballot. That’s a first for the event. Meanwhile, Paddy Power stays on as title sponsor, with a deal that runs until 2031.
The field is bigger too. A total of 128 players will take part, up from 96 a few years ago. Littler arrives as defending champion after winning his second world title in January 2026.
PDC World Darts Championship 2027 Schedule
The tournament runs from Friday 11 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027. Play usually runs in afternoon and evening sessions, with the final held on the closing Sunday. In the UK, Sky Sports shows every session live.
Key dates
- Start: Friday 11 December 2026
- Christmas break: 24 to 27 December, with no play
- Final: Sunday 3 January 2027
- Venue: Alexandra Palace, London (Great Hall)
The draw wasn’t out when this was written. As a result, matchups and exact session times will follow once the PDC confirms them. Still, the early rounds always give fans a few surprises, so keep an eye on opening night.
Beyond that, the Christmas gap matters for the players. After the break, the later rounds come quickly, and the longer matches test stamina as much as scoring.
How the Format Works
Here’s the big change from the old system. All 128 players now start in round one, including the 32 seeds. Beyond that, the old byes for top players are gone. In other words, even the biggest names can fall on night one.
Matches are played in sets, and each set is best of five legs. The table below shows how many sets a player needs in each round.
| Round | Best of (sets) | First to (sets) |
| First and second | 5 | 3 |
| Third and fourth | 7 | 4 |
| Quarter-finals | 9 | 5 |
| Semi-finals | 11 | 6 |
| Final | 13 | 7 |
In fact, one rule is worth knowing. If the deciding set reaches 2-2 in legs, a player must win by two legs. If it reaches 5-5, a single sudden-death leg decides the match. That’s brutal, and it makes for great viewing.
Fans who want to follow those finishing moments can learn the basics from this darts checkout chart guide. It helps you spot why a 170 finish is so special.
Prize Money
Besides, the prize fund stays at £5,000,000, the same figure as the 2026 edition. That’s double the old £2,500,000 pot, which stood for years. In 2025, the winner collected £500,000, so the jump to £1,000,000 is huge.
Here’s how the money breaks down:
- Winner: £1,000,000
- Runner-up: £400,000
- Semi-finalists: £200,000 each
- Quarter-finalists: £100,000 each
- Fourth-round losers: £60,000 each
- Third-round losers: £35,000 each
- Second-round losers: £25,000 each
- First-round losers: £15,000 each
Even a first-round loss now pays £15,000. For players outside the top tier, that’s a big deal.
How Players Qualify
At the same time, the 128-player field comes through three routes. First, the top 40 players in the two-year PDC World Rankings qualify automatically, counted after the 2026 Players Championship Finals. Next, the 40 highest-ranked players on the one-year Pro Tour rankings join them. Also, the last 48 places go to international qualifiers.
Beyond that, those qualifiers come from all over the world. For the first time, Africa gets two guaranteed spots, split between a Northern and a Southern African qualifier. A new Trans-Tasman Championship also gives Oceania a fourth route.
Women are well represented too. Beau Greaves won the Women’s World Matchplay in July 2026 and is expected to qualify through the Pro Tour rankings. As a result, two extra spots go to the Women’s Series, and Lisa Ashton has already booked one.
Favourites for the PDC World Darts Championship 2027
On top of that, nobody has a clear run, and that’s the story of 2026. Form has swung from week to week. So here’s a look at the main names, based on results up to early November 2026.
Luke Littler
In fact, the defending champion won back-to-back world titles in 2025 and 2026. Yet his autumn was patchy. Besides, he lost in round one of the World Grand Prix to Luke Woodhouse on 28 September. Then he fell to Krzysztof Ratajski at the European Championship in October. Even so, he won the Czech Darts Open in September, beating Luke Humphries 8-6.
Luke Humphries
Humphries won the World Grand Prix on 4 October, beating Gerwyn Price 6-4 after a comeback. At the same time, it was his second title at that event. In addition, he’s been a regular finalist at the big shows. Also, he remains a threat to anyone.
Ross Smith and Gian van Veen
Ross Smith won the 2026 European Championship in Dortmund, and he’ll arrive with confidence. Van Veen reached the 2026 world final, which proves he can handle the stage. Beyond that, both are fair picks to go deep.
Expected key players
As of early November 2026, these players are expected to be in the field, based on form and ranking. On top of that, the official draw will confirm it.
- Luke Littler (defending champion)
- Luke Humphries
- Ross Smith
- Gian van Veen
- Gerwyn Price
- Michael van Gerwen
Van Gerwen, a three-time world champion, went out in round one at the European Championship. Still, never write him off at Ally Pally.
For a wider look at the year’s biggest stars, see who’s tipped for BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2026. Littler is in that mix too.
A Short History of the Event
The first PDC World Championship ran from December 1993 to January 1994 at the Circus Tavern in Purfleet, Essex. Dennis Priestley won it, beating Phil Taylor in the final on 2 January 1994. Taylor then took the title 14 more times for the PDC. Adding two earlier wins from the BDO, he finished with 16 world titles, including eight in a row from 1995 to 2002.
Alexandra Palace became the home of the event at the 2008 edition. Since then, a new generation has taken over. Michael Smith won in 2023, Luke Humphries followed in 2024, and Littler took 2025 and 2026. In other words, three different players have lifted the trophy in the last four years.
What Else Is at Stake in December
Prize money isn’t the only prize. Rankings run on a two-year cycle, so cash won at the 2025 event drops off after 104 weeks. This year’s earnings go on instead. After the tournament, the top 64 players in the rankings get a one-year extension to their Tour Card.
In fact, the flip side is harsh. Players with two or more years on their card who finish outside the top 64 lose it, and their ranking resets to £0. For many in the field, then, every round matters. Besides, a win in round one can mean the difference between a tour career and a restart.
Looking further ahead, the Premier League line-up follows soon after. The top four players on the Order of Merit join four wildcards, and the eight names are confirmed once the World Championship ends. As a result, a deep run at Ally Pally can shape the whole 2027 season.
Key Takeaways
- Dates: 11 December 2026 to 3 January 2027, with a break from 24 to 27 December.
- Venue: Alexandra Palace, with a first-ever move into the Great Hall.
- Format: All 128 players start in round one, and the final is first to seven sets.
- Prize money: £5,000,000 in total, with £1,000,000 for the winner.
- Defending champion: Luke Littler, who beat Gian van Veen 7-1 in the 2026 final.
- Form guide: Humphries won the World Grand Prix, and Ross Smith won the European Championship.
FAQs
When does the PDC World Darts Championship 2027 start?
It starts on Friday 11 December 2026 at Alexandra Palace in London.
How much does the winner get?
The champion collects £1,000,000 from a total prize fund of £5,000,000.
Who is the defending champion?
Luke Littler defends the title after beating Gian van Veen 7-1 in the 2026 final.
How many players are in the field?
A total of 128 players take part, and all of them start in the first round.
How can I watch it in the UK?
Sky Sports shows the tournament live in the UK.
Conclusion
The PDC World Darts Championship 2027 brings a bigger room, a bigger field and the biggest prize in the sport’s history. Littler is the man to catch, but Humphries, Smith and van Veen all have a case. With 128 players starting together in round one, upsets could arrive early. Pack your patience for the Christmas break, because the final stretch should be worth it.
