When does the World Matchplay start in 2026, where is Winter Gardens and how can you get get tickets

Known as the second part of the so-called darting triple crown, the World Matchplay takes place in Blackpool. But where is the Winter Gardens and when does the World Matchplay start in 2026?

Luke Littler sealed the title last year for the first time, defeating James Wade 18-13. He became the youngest player to win the tournament as well as the fifth player in history to complete the so-called PDC Triple Crown by winning the World Matchplay, the World Championship and the Premier League.

It is also a title named after Phil 'The Power' Taylor who won the title 16 times over the course of his illustrious career.

Here is all the info you need to know about the Winter Gardens.
1. Where is Winter Gardens?
2. When does the PDC World Matchplay start?
3. How to qualify for World Matchplay
4. How to get to Winter Gardens
5. How to get tickets for Winter Gardens
6. How much prize money up for grabs at Winter Gardens
7. Where to watch PDC World Matchplay live?
8. Which players have won the World Matchplay?
9. Who has hit a nine-dart finish at PDC World Matchplay?
10. What is the format for the PDC World Matchplay?

The Winter Gardens is a large entertainment complex situated in the heart of Blackpool, Lancashire, England. Renowned for its rich history and architectural grandeur, it has been a central hub for cultural and social events since it first opened in 1878. The venue encompasses a variety of theatres, ballrooms, and exhibition spaces, including the iconic Opera House and Empress Ballroom, making it one of the most significant event spaces in the United Kingdom.

Conveniently located near the town’s main attractions and the seafront, the Winter Gardens continues to host a diverse range of events, from live music and theatre performances to political conferences and exhibitions. Its central position within Blackpool not only contributes to the town’s vibrant cultural scene but also underscores its importance as a landmark in the region.

It is also the home every year of the PDC World Matchplay tournament, a real cornerstone of the summer in the seaside town.

The PDC World Matchplay begins on 18-26 July 2026. It sees the men's tournament begin on the opening night and play until the finish with 32 of the top players battling it out over nine days.

In addition, the Women's World Matchplay is also a feature of the final day of action which also gleams spots at the PDC World Darts Championship and Grand Slam of Darts.

Apart from the opening Sunday and the Women's World Matchplay, it comprises solely of evening sessions. First round takes place from Saturday to Monday. Second round between Tuesday and Wednesday, Quarter-Finals on Thursday and Friday.

While Saturday sees the semi-finals take place. Sunday completes both the Women's and the Men's with the latter taking place in the Evening Session.

Players qualify for the PDC World Matchplay through a two-pronged ranking system over the course of a year which sees the best players involved.

These players such as Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen all qualify by right. They are seeded in the first round albeit this can also provide shocks as it is done over a two year system.

The top 16 highest qualified players on the year-to-date list through such events as ProTour and European Tours qualify through this route. Albeit, for instance, if Luke Littler were in the top 10, he would qualify through the main Order of Merit over the ProTour.

The cut-off usually falls around the first week in July with the ProTour double header and Baltic Sea Darts Open gleaming the end of the cycle. The field is confirmed, and the draw is then completed, bringing the top 16 Order of Merit up against the top 16 ProTour Order of Merit players. For instance, in 2024, Luke Littler wasn't in the top 16, so he faced Michael van Gerwen in the first round, and often it can provide the shock draws for those on the periphery.

The Winter Gardens in Blackpool is easily accessible by various means of transport. If traveling by train, Blackpool North Station is the nearest, located about a 10–15 minute walk from the venue, or a short taxi ride away. Numerous local bus routes stop nearby on Corporation Street, Market Street, and Church Street, all within a 2–5 minute walk.

The Blackpool Tramway also serves the area, with North Pier and Talbot Road stops just a few minutes’ walk from the entrance. For those driving, the venue is reachable via major A-roads, with several nearby car parks available. Its central location in Blackpool makes it convenient for visitors arriving by public transport, car, or on foot.

Tickets usually go on sale in February, with a window this past February on the 24th for PDCTV Annual Members. This costs £49.99 a year for the membership, which also sees access to PDCTV, which shows the European Tour and ProTour tournaments in the UK.

Pre-Sale which works similar to a concert sees those on a mailing list get a code on February 25 for the remainder of the seats for that section. All of these were at 12:00pm GMT while General Sale was on February 26.

But such was the demand for tickets that they immediately sold out in 2025 for the tournament. Resale is open on such sites as See Tickets, which work as official partners with the PDC. Tickets are a maximum of £65 face value for the final and start at £50 balcony/standing or £45 table for opening night.

The prize money for this year's tournament sees £225,000 for the winner. £125,000 for the runner-up. While for reaching the semi-finals, it will be £65,000.

Quarter-Finalists claim £35,000. While for losing in the first round, it is £12,500. Second round is £22,500.

Total is £1,000,000 for the overall Prize Money Breakdown which will also increase for 2026 with all Prize Money set to go up in line with the PDC World Darts Championship increase.

In the UK, the tournament is shown in full on Sky Sports and is often a key part of their summer calendar in a period of the year where there is no football coverage really outside of World Cup, Euro years.

Emma Paton will presumably once again present the coverage alongside the likes of Wayne Mardle, Mark Webster, Glen Durrant, Rod Studd, and Stuart Pyke, among others, on commentary. The tournament usually is only an afternoon session to start, and at the end, when the Women's World Matchplay, which is also shown on the channel, takes place.

Further afield, it will be shown in other countries outside of broadcast commitments on PDCTV, with this differing market by market, e.g., Germany will be shown on DAZN or Sport1, the Netherlands on Viaplay, so they will not be allowed to use the platform like the UK to watch it.

United States also have select tournaments on Peacock while Australia for instance is also market dependent so it is important to check your market but if not shown on a channel, it will be on PDCTV.

Over the course of the tournament's 31-year existence, there have been fourteen different champions. Only three have won more than one.

Phil Taylor (16), Michael van Gerwen (3), Rod Harrington (2), Gary Anderson (1), Nathan Aspinall (1), Larry Butler (1), Rob Cross (1), Peter Evison (1), Luke Humphries (1), Luke Littler (1), Colin Lloyd (1), Dimitri Van den Bergh (1), James Wade (1) and Peter Wright (1) lead the roll of honour.

Nine nine-dart finishes have been thrown at the World Matchplay. The first one was in 2022 when Phil Taylor hit the first live nine-dart finish in UK television history.

The latest was Luke Littler in 2025 when he hit one in his semi-final win en route to winning the title with only 2023 in recent years not gleaming one back to 2021 after a barren period after Gary Anderson's 2018 effort.

All matches, as the tournament name suggests, are a leg play format. All matches had to be won by two clear legs; if the scores were tied and the players couldn't be separated by six legs, the match would be decided by a sudden-death leg.

The amount of legs increases as the tournament goes on with the short format to start the tournament designed to trip up the big names.