Who takes part? What is the format? Can I watch it on television? And how much do you get for winning? Our tournament guide explains all.
The World Darts Championship is the pinnacle event in professional darts, showcasing the best players in the sport and drawing fans from around the globe.
Organised by the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), the World Darts Championship is a highlight of the darts calendar. It takes place at the iconic Alexandra Palace in London and spans the festive period of December and January.
The World Darts Championship is the highest-profile tournament on the PDC circuit, and was founded in 1994 following the World Darts Council’s split from the BDO (British Darts Organisation).
With a substantial prize fund and the chance to claim the prestigious Sid Waddell Trophy, every darts player dreams of winning the World Championship and placing their name among the greats of the sport. In this guide, we explain how the tournament works, its format and schedule for this year’s event and where you can watch it.
What is the World Darts Championship?
The World Darts Championship is the biggest tournament in the world of professional darts. It captivates fans and showcases the sport at its highest level, with the biggest stakes.
This PDC’s flagship event features a unique blend of talent from across the globe. A field of 128 players compete in a knock-out format that every year produces major shocks and a brilliant standard of play.
Held at the historic Alexandra Palace, the setting is as iconic as the tournament itself. The venue provides a festive atmosphere that adds to the championship’s allure as fans pack the London venue over the Christmas and New Year period, and darts betting has become extremely popular for many fans tuning into the action at ‘Ally Pally’.
History and Prestige of the World Darts Championship
The World Darts Championship boasts a rich history that dates back to its creation in 1994. The PDC was formed of the world’s 16 best players in 1992 and broke away from the British Darts Organisation, playing its first world championship between December 1993 and January 1994 at the Circus Tavern in Essex. The first ever PDC World Darts Championship featured 24 players and was won by Dennis Priestley.
The inaugural PDC World Darts Championship was comprised mostly of players from the United Kingdom and Ireland along with seven from the United States. Now, the tournament is a truly cosmopolitan event featuring players from all over the world.
Many of the world’s best players have built their legacies at the World Championships. Phil Taylor is by far the most successful player in the tournament’s history, with 14 titles and another five appearances in the final. Taylor lost in the first ever PDC World Darts Championship final and went on to win the next eight in a row, and 11 of the next 12.
Michael van Gerwen is the second-most successful player ever, with three wins, while Gary Anderson, Adrian Lewis, John Part and Peter Wright have all won the title twice.
Where and When is the World Darts Championship Held?
The PDC World Darts Championship has been held at the iconic Alexandra Palace in London since 2008. Ally Pally has become a much-loved venue, known for producing a raucous atmosphere throughout the tournament.
The tournament usually begins in mid-December and concludes in early January. It has become a key highlight of the winter sports calendar.
The 2026 World Darts Championship begins on 11 December 2025, with the final taking place on 3 January 2026.
How Do Players Qualify for the World Darts Championship?
More players than ever will take part in the 2026 World Darts Championship, as the field has been increased to 128 for the first time.
There are various ways that players can qualify for the World Darts Championship. The top 40 players in the PDC Order of Merit qualify automatically. These are the players who have earned the most prize money over a two-year period, and usually include the big names like Luke Littler, Luke Humphries and Michael van Gerwen.
The next 40 players are taken from the ProTour Order of Merit, which counts the money won in Players Championship and European Tour events over a period of one year. The top 40 players on the ProTour Order – excluding those who have already qualified via the PDC Order of Merit – are added to the World Championship field.
The remaining 48 places in the tournament are handed to players from various tours and qualifiers. Here’s how those places are broken down:
Top 5 players from the PDC Asian Tour and 2 Asian Championship finalists
Top 5 players from the Championship Darts Corporation of North America
Top 2 PDC Nordic & Baltic ProTour players and winner of the Championship
Winners of DartPlayers Australia, DartPlayers NZ, ADA Australian Tour and PDC ANZ Premier League
3 players from the Development Tour
3 players from the Challenge Tour
4+ Women’s Qualifiers
Other regional qualifiers to ensure participation from players from over 30 countries
Tournament Structure and Format
Unlike previous years where the top seeds received a first-round bye, all 128 players will begin the 2026 World Darts Championship in Round One.
There are 32 seeded players in total, taken from the top 32 in the PDC Order of Merit. Seeding ensures the top players cannot meet each other in the early rounds of the tournament and spreads them across the entire draw.
After the seeds are distributed throughout the tournament bracket, the remaining players are drawn.
The PDC World Championship uses a knock-out format where a player must win their match to progress to the next round. Lose, and the player is eliminated.
There are seven rounds in total, beginning with the first round on 11 December and culminating in the final on 3 January.
All matches in the PDC World Darts Championship are games of 501, where players must start on 501 and get their score down to zero, finishing on a double or bullseye to win the leg. Each set is played in a best-of-5 format, although players must win by two clear legs in deciding sets.
The number of sets required to win a game depends on the round of the tournament. The first and second rounds are beft-of-5, the third and fourth rounds are best-of-7, the quarter finals are best-of-9, the semi-finals are best-of-11 and the final is a best-of-13 match.
Prize Money and Trophy
The World Darts Championship offers substantial prize money, which helps to ensure the best players in the world take part.
Here is how prize money is broken down at the PDC World Darts Championship:
Finishing position | Prize money |
Winner | £1,000,000 |
Runner-up | £400,000 |
Semi-finalists | £200,000 |
Quarter-finalists | £100,000 |
Fourth round losers | £60,000 |
Third round losers | £35,000 |
Second round losers | £25,000 |
First round losers | £15,000 |
There is also a prize for a nine-dart finish of £60,000.
At the tournament’s climax, the winner claims the prestigious Sid Waddell Trophy. Named after the iconic darts commentator, this trophy symbolizes excellence and triumph in the sport.
Betting on the World Darts Championship
You can bet on every match of the PDC World Darts Championship with Betway. Many fans enjoy a bet on the darts during the tournament and we’ve got you covered with outright markets, match betting, specials and much more.
We have a wide range of darts odds available so you can tailor your darts betting experience, whether you want to bet on Luke Littler to win the tournament, or if you have picked out an outsider who can cause a shock in the first round.
Stay tuned to the Betway sportsbook to keep on top of the WDC World Darts Championship favourites and check the Betway Insider darts tips page to read our betting tips throughout the tournament.
