When does the PDC World Darts Championship start, where is Ally Pally Darts and how to get tickets?
FAQ
It's the darting mecca where dreams are made and others are broken. We take a look at where Ally Pally Darts is and when the PDC World Darts Championship starts.
ADVERTISEMENT
Luke Littler scooped the title again last year seeing off Gian van Veen in the final and the teenage prodigy will return in 2026/27 to attempt to retain it for the third time in a row. £1million on offer also this time again.
Here is all the info you need to know about the PDC World Darts Championship.
1. Where is Ally Pally Darts
2. When does the PDC World Darts Championship start?
3. Overview of other PDC World Darts Championships
4. How to get to Ally Pally
5. How to get tickets for Ally Pally
6. How much prize money up for grabs at Ally Pally
7. Where to watch PDC World Darts Championship live?
8. Who has hit a nine-dart finish at PDC World Darts Championship
9. Which players have won the PDC World Darts Championship?
10. What is the format at PDC World Darts Championship?
1. Where is Ally Pally Darts
2. When does the PDC World Darts Championship start?
3. Overview of other PDC World Darts Championships
4. How to get to Ally Pally
5. How to get tickets for Ally Pally
6. How much prize money up for grabs at Ally Pally
7. Where to watch PDC World Darts Championship live?
8. Who has hit a nine-dart finish at PDC World Darts Championship
9. Which players have won the PDC World Darts Championship?
10. What is the format at PDC World Darts Championship?
1. Where is Ally Pally Darts
Also known as Ally Pally, the PDC World Darts Championship takes place in North London. Adjacent to its own train station, the Alexandra Palace is also serviced by Wood Green tube station.
It is also used year-round for gigs and other such events, as well as an ice rink. Accessible through public transport, it also includes the infamous steep hill up to the top. It is also adjacent to Crouch End and Muswell Hill.
2. When does the PDC World Darts Championship Start
ADVERTISEMENT
It will take place between 11 December 2026 - 3 January 2027 with the first round starting earlier this year with also the usual Christmas break between 24-27 December.
While qualification criteria isn't yet set, last year also saw 128 players involved for the first time. Ordinarily it begins the second week of December and continues until just after New Year with a break for Christmas and also New Year's Eve.
3. Overview of other World Darts Championships
There is also the WDF World Darts Championship, which takes place at the other traditional home of world dart,s the Lakeside Country Club in Frimley Green. That takes place between 27 November - 6 December, 2026.
It was previously known as the BDO World Championship which was held at the Lakeside prior to the WDF taking over proceedings. Albeit with a sojourn into the Indigo at the O2 before the BDO's untimely demises at the hands of final chairman Des Jacklin.
ADVERTISEMENT
Lakeside also takes place
In addition, the World Seniors acted as another route for players in their 50's such as Steve Beaton, Simon Whitlock, Mervyn King among others post their PDC careers or trying to still get back onto thet our to play in that big stage environment.
Tournaments in particular at the old home of World Darts, the Circus Tavern for their World Darts Championship in the February of every year as well as World Masters, World Matchplay and Champion of Champions give opportunities away from the main tour.
Initially featuring such players as Phil Taylor, Martin Adams, Robert Thornton among others, it was brought with great fanfare but Jason Francis who also runs the snooker version.
So in essence, there are three at least in one year with the main PDC one in the December, the WDF in November and then World Seniors in late February. Albeit that has since changed with the World Seniors being folded previously.
ADVERTISEMENT
Lakeside for instance and Circus Tavern were previous homes of the World Darts Championship, the latter in the PDC. But both have since moved to their current home in North London.
In addition, PDC players are banned from playing the WDF edition. This rule was erased for a year during the WDF's opening tournament in 2023 but soon a rule was put in place in order to keep PDC players who aren't Tour Card holders from pursuing both systems.
4. How to get to Ally Pally?
To get to Alexandra Palace (Ally Pally), the quickest way is by train from Moorgate or King’s Cross to Alexandra Palace station, followed by a short uphill walk. Alternatively, take the Piccadilly Line to Wood Green and either walk (15 minutes) or catch the W3 bus directly to the venue.
ADVERTISEMENT
The W3 also runs from Finsbury Park. Driving takes around 25 minutes from Central London, with limited paid parking available on-site so it is much more useful to use public transport. After events, expect crowds at stations, but late-night trains and night buses like the N43 and N134 provide return options.
This means that fans from all parts of the UK can get to the home of world darts for the entertainment that Ally Pally produces.
The previous stage for the PDC World Darts Championship.
5. How to get tickets for Ally Pally?
Tickets for the first time this year will utilise a ballot system with the tournament moving into the Great Hall for the first time and the expansion increasing capacity to a record 180,000 tickets.
ADVERTISEMENT
The ballot will take place in two stages. PDCTV Annual Members receive an exclusive priority window giving them an increased opportunity to secure tickets ahead of the General Ballot opening. That Members Ballot opens on Tuesday September 1 and closes at midnight on Monday September 7.
To be eligible, fans must have an active PDCTV Annual subscription before 23:59 BST on Sunday August 30. The General ballot opens at 12:00 BST on Tuesday September 8 and closes at 23:59 BST on Monday September 14 and is open to all fans. Entering either ballot doesn't guarantee tickets. Demand is expected to exceed capacity.
Key Dates for Ally Pally tickets
| Event | Date & Time (BST) |
| PDCTV Annual Membership Deadline | 23:59, Sunday August 30 |
| PDCTV Annual Members Ballot Opens | 12:00, Tuesday September 1 |
| PDCTV Annual Members Ballot Closes | 23:59, Monday September 7 |
| General Ballot Opens | 12:00, Tuesday September 8 |
| General Ballot Closes | 23:59, Monday September 14 |
ADVERTISEMENT
6. How much prize money up for grabs at Ally Pally
The Prize Money Breakdown is expected to be the same as last year with £1million will be on offer for the winner. The Prize Money will increase across the board.
This is due to 128 players now being at Ally Pally. Seeds will have to play an extra round and while there will be £1million for the winner.
| Stage | Prize Money (£) |
| Winner | 1,000,000 |
| Runner-Up | 400,000 |
| Semi-Finalists (2) | 200,000 |
| Quarter-Finalists (4) | 100,000 |
| Last 16 losers (8) | 60,000 |
| Last 32 losers (16) | 35,000 |
| Last 64 losers (32) | 25,000 |
| Last 128 losers (64) | 15,000 |
| Total | 5,000,000 |
7. Where to watch PDC World Darts Championship live?
ADVERTISEMENT
The PDC World Darts Championship is usually shown in the UK on Sky Sports with a dedicated Sky Sports Darts Channel conceived in order to show Ally Pally on which is only for this tournament.
It is also shown on their Main Event channels for specific sessions e.g the final. Sky Sports have signed a bumper deal until 2030 after much competition to keep hold of the rights. The following countries use these respective broadcast partners.
| Broadcaster | Regions / Countries Covered |
| Sky Sports | UK and Ireland |
| Viaplay | Netherlands, Poland, Norway, Denmark, Bulgaria & Baltic States |
| DAZN | Germany, Austria, Switzerland |
| Sport1 | Germany |
| Fox Sports | Australia |
| Sky | New Zealand |
| Nova | Czech Republic & Slovakia |
| Prago Sport | Hungary |
| VTM | Belgium |
All major TV tournaments are broadcast live online outside of the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria and Switzerland through PDCTV. Highlights from this tournament are also available in PDCTV for all subscribers worldwide.
8. Who has hit a nine-dart finish at PDC World Darts Championship
Sixteen nine-dart finishes have been hit at the PDC World Darts Championship. The first being in 2009 and two in World finals. Firstly Adrian Lewis in 2011 followed by Michael Smith in 2023. Below are all the nine-darters in PDC World Darts Championship history.
| Number | Player | Year (+ Round) | Method | Opponent | Result |
| 1. | Raymond van Barneveld | 2009, Quarter-Final | 3 x T20; 3 x T20; T20, T19, D12 | Jelle Klaasen | Won |
| 2. | Raymond van Barneveld | 2010, 2nd Round | 3 x T20; 3 x T20; T20, T19, D12 | Brendan Dolan | Won |
| 3. | Adrian Lewis | 2011, Final | 3 x T20; 3 x T20; T20, T19, D12 | Gary Anderson | Won |
| 4. | Dean Winstanley | 2013, 2nd Round | 3 x T20; 3 x T20; T20, T19, D12 | Vincent van der Voort | Lost |
| 5. | Michael van Gerwen | 2013, Semi-Final | 3 x T20; 2 x T20, T19; 2 x T20, D12 | James Wade | Won |
| 6. | Terry Jenkins | 2014, 1st Round | 3 x T20; 3 x T20; T20, T19, D12 | Per Laursen | Lost |
| 7. | Kyle Anderson | 2014, 1st Round | 3 x T20; 3 x T20; T20, T19, D12 | Ian White | Lost |
| 8. | Adrian Lewis | 2015, 3rd Round | 3 x T20; 3 x T20; T20, T19, D12 | Raymond van Barneveld | Lost |
| 9. | Gary Anderson | 2016, Semi-Final | 3 x T20; 3 x T20; T20, T19, D12 | Jelle Klaasen | Won |
| 10. | James Wade | 2021, 3rd Round | 3 x T20; 3 x T20; T20, T19, D12 | Stephen Bunting | Lost |
| 11. | William Borland | 2022, 1st Round | 3 x T20; 2 x T20, T19; 2 x T20, D12 | Bradley Brooks | Won |
| 12. | Darius Labanauskas | 2022, 1st Round | T20, 2 x T19; 3 x T20; T20, T17, D18 | Mike De Decker | Lost |
| 13. | Gerwyn Price | 2022, Quarter-Final | 3 x T20; 3 x T20; T19, T20, D12 | Michael Smith | Lost |
| 14. | Michael Smith | 2023, Final | 3 x T20; 3 x T20; T20, T19, D12 | Michael van Gerwen | Won |
| 15. | Christian Kist | 2025, 1st Round | 3 x T20; 3 x T20; T20, T19, D12 | Madars Razma | Lost |
| 16. | Damon Heta | 2025, 3rd Round | 3 x T20; 3 x T20; T20, T19, D12 | Luke Woodhouse | Lost |
9. Which players have won the PDC World Darts Championship?
While elsewhere, other World Championships count to the total in the PDC it is Phil Taylor who is unlikely to ever be beaten. He sits on 14 (16 in all). Michael van Gerwen is next with three while Luke Littler (2025 and 2026), John Part (2003 & 2008), Adrian Lewis (2011 & 2012), Gary Anderson (2015 & 2016) and Peter Wright (2020 & 2022) have also won it more than once.
Luke Littler won the last two editions of the World Darts Championship
Raymond van Barneveld for instance is a five-time World Champion but only one of those has come in the PDC Back in 2007. Rob Cross, Gerwyn Price, Michael Smith, Luke Humphries are the only other winners and those are one and done as of right now. Albeit all are still active.
| Year | Champion (Average) | Score | Runner-up (Average) |
| 1994 | Dennis Priestley (94.38) | 6–1 | Phil Taylor (85.62) |
| 1995 | Phil Taylor (94.11) | 6–2 | Rod Harrington (87.15) |
| 1996 | Phil Taylor (98.52) | 6–4 | Dennis Priestley (101.48) |
| 1997 | Phil Taylor (100.92) | 6–3 | Dennis Priestley (96.78) |
| 1998 | Phil Taylor (103.98) | 6–0 | Dennis Priestley (90.75) |
| 1999 | Phil Taylor (97.11) | 6–2 | Peter Manley (93.63) |
| 2000 | Phil Taylor (94.42) | 7–3 | Dennis Priestley (91.80) |
| 2001 | Phil Taylor (107.46) | 7–0 | John Part (92.58) |
| 2002 | Phil Taylor (98.47) | 7–0 | Peter Manley (91.35) |
| 2003 | John Part (96.87) | 7–6 | Phil Taylor (99.98) |
| 2004 | Phil Taylor (96.03) | 7–6 | Kevin Painter (90.48) |
| 2005 | Phil Taylor (96.14) | 7–4 | Mark Dudbridge (90.66) |
| 2006 | Phil Taylor (106.74) | 7–0 | Peter Manley (91.72) |
| 2007 | Raymond van Barneveld (100.93) | 7–6 | Phil Taylor (100.86) |
| 2008 | John Part (92.86) | 7–2 | Kirk Shepherd (85.10) |
| 2009 | Phil Taylor (110.94) | 7–1 | Raymond van Barneveld (101.18) |
| 2010 | Phil Taylor (104.38) | 7–3 | Simon Whitlock (100.51) |
| 2011 | Adrian Lewis (99.40) | 7–5 | Gary Anderson (99.41) |
| 2012 | Adrian Lewis (93.06) | 7–3 | Andy Hamilton (90.83) |
| 2013 | Phil Taylor (103.04) | 7–4 | Michael van Gerwen (100.66) |
| 2014 | Michael van Gerwen (100.10) | 7–4 | Peter Wright (95.71) |
| 2015 | Gary Anderson (97.68) | 7–6 | Phil Taylor (100.69) |
| 2016 | Gary Anderson (99.26) | 7–5 | Adrian Lewis (100.23) |
| 2017 | Michael van Gerwen (108.06) | 7–3 | Gary Anderson (104.93) |
| 2018 | Rob Cross (107.67) | 7–2 | Phil Taylor (102.26) |
| 2019 | Michael van Gerwen (102.21) | 7–3 | Michael Smith (95.29) |
| 2020 | Peter Wright (102.79) | 7–3 | Michael van Gerwen (102.88) |
| 2021 | Gerwyn Price (100.08) | 7–3 | Gary Anderson (94.25) |
| 2022 | Peter Wright (98.34) | 7–5 | Michael Smith (99.22) |
| 2023 | Michael Smith (100.71) | 7–4 | Michael van Gerwen (99.58) |
| 2024 | Luke Humphries (103.67) | 7–4 | Luke Littler (101.13) |
| 2025 | Luke Littler (102.73) | 7-3 | Michael van Gerwen (100.69) |
| 2026 | Luke Littler (106.02) | 7-1 | Gian van Veen (99.94) |
10. What is the format at the PDC World Darts Championship?
In past years, the first two rounds have seen players aiming to reach three sets with best of five being the name of the game. Best of 7 is until the Quarter-Finals where we reach best of 9. The semi-finals are best of 11 sets and the final is best of 13 sets which means the winner has to seal seven sets to scoop the title.
To win a set, players need to win three legs. Deciding sets mean that players must win by a two-leg margin and if the score in a deciding set reaches 5-5, a sudden death leg is played to crown a winner.
| Round | Format | Sets Required to Win |
| First Round | Best of 5 sets | 3 sets |
| Second Round | Best of 5 sets | 3 sets |
| Third Round | Best of 7 sets | 4 sets |
| Fourth Round | Best of 7 sets | 4 sets |
| Quarter-Finals | Best of 9 sets | 5 sets |
| Semi-Finals | Best of 11 sets | 6 sets |
| Final | Best of 13 sets | 7 sets |
Samuel GillChief Content Officer
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
claps 324visitors 2
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Such a shame that lakeside has been reduced to this. Fantastic venue,and previously a great tournament. Not any morerick6703-11-2026
- Seems to me that the top 16 players pick and choose whatever they want to play. Good,all the money will get spread out more. They get more money from exhibitions than tournaments so let them all withdrawrick6703-11-2026
- Play all legs and the winners split the pot. Luke gets the lot of he wins them all. If your occupation is darts player you can't enter, regardless of ability.BandB01-11-2026
- I'm quite a jaded person all things considered, but to be honest I found Beat Luke Littler to be pretty entertaining. It certainly wasn't seamless, which is to be expected given the lack of precedence, but I actually think the pacing was pretty good, the production was impressive, and there was a good sense of humour and levity to it. I think it was a very ambitious undertaking but one that, for the most part, paid off. I liked the system with the four pots and I think it added to the drama and intrigue. I enjoyed seeing the diverse range of entrants and learning about their backstories. I think the interactivity was pretty clever and well-integrated. The panel was a little incoherent at times; Lee Mack shone however, and his improvisational skills were appreciated during some more awkward interstitial moments. As far as the darts is concerned, it was a shame that the format didn't allow Littler to get into full flow. You obviously don't want him to steamroll everyone but you want to feel like you're getting the full Littler package rather than seeing him struggling to get out of first gear. I will say that his leg against Jayden Walker was very impressive, but it was mostly downhill from there. The attraction revolves around Littler being this untouchable, indomitable force, yet the format doesn't really allow him to fulfil that characterisation. As for Fallon Sherrock, she was mightily impressive and deserved the victory. It is a testament to her unshakeable character that she was able to bang in a 14-darter under such mind-bending pressure. Everything that has been said about the misleading marketing is valid, though they were clear about their eligibility criteria and were able to offload the responsibility somewhat by bringing the viewers into the decision-making process in real time. What is clear though, is that Fallon played the game according to the rules, and she should not be criticised for that, much less abused. I will admit though that it is a kick in the teeth for those true amateurs who committed time and money to the course, and I would also question those who think pub players would have no chance, given that some of Littler's winning legs were dispatched in 7 visits to the board! The great thing about darts is that it isn't so much that amateurs cannot replicate the feats of brilliance pulled off by professionals of the sport, than it is that they simply cannot replicate the consistency of their output, something that this format almost entirely removes from the equation. It should also be noted that, financially, Fallon certainly stands to benefit much less in relative terms from the paycheque than would your average pub thrower, as I'm sure she nets a fair income from the lucrative exhibition circuit alone. What I do hope is that she might use this as an opportunity to really build up a head of steam heading into the new season, as it seems long overdue that she come through Q-School and really take it to the pros on a week-in week-out basis, but whatever she chooses to do, she has certainly achieved enough already for one if not several lifetimes, so who am I to dictate terms? To conclude though, I will state once again that I found Beat Luke Littler to be a pretty enjoyable evening of entertainment. I do feel for the contestants who never actually had the chance to try their luck against the world #1, although I suppose it comes with the format, but all which inevitably raises the question: will Netflix be tempted to do it all again next year? It's hard to say. Whether it would be financially viable, I can't weigh in there. One point I have been making though, and which I touched on earlier, is that the entire concept relies on a public perception that Littler is more or less unbeatable, and that certainly hasn't been the case of late. If the execs had been trying to pitch the show in recent months while Littler has seemed vulnerable, rather than when he was mopping up almost every major title on the calendar, it would certainly be a tougher sell. We will have to see in about 6 months' time whether Littler can still reliably command perception as a near-unstoppable force in darts, and then we'll have a clearer idea about whether we should expect a second helping. Even as a one-off experiment though, and with all the controversy taken into account, I still don't think they disgraced themselves by any means, and that will probably be my lingering assessment of the event when all is said and done.Deduce635801-11-2026
- Fair play to Fallon. But...shows the mockery when a professional players wins what was meant to be an amateur v Pro event, Littlers performance was poor, and what about the players who didn't get a game? Would have been better if the pot was split amoungst all the winners and they all got a leg.BandB31-10-2026
- Not even slightly interestedrick6730-10-2026
- And yet the PDC has decided to aggravate this problem by doubling the Players Championship Finals field from 2027. I can't imagine there will be fewer withdrawals next year with even less reason to turn up. I can only hope that a whole slew of Challenge Tour top-up players receive enough prize money in the absence of much of the elite, that some of the more complacent among them struggle to scrape into even a heavily diluted field! More semi-pro players will get to test their mettle, but the standard of competition will be much inferior. It could hardly be said that the Players Championship series will provide an opportunity for darts' second string to test their Tour Card credentials anymore, but at least it will underscore the achievements of those Challenge Tour players of current and previous years, who were able to prove themselves as more than capable of competing with, and beating, the elite of the sport on a consistent basis, and reaping the due rewards.Deduce635828-10-2026
- No point in being there? Champions want to win.Deduce635828-10-2026
- Littler lost to crabtree in the youth/junior/whatever you call it. He had no point in being there. He's unfortunately now got to the stage,he feels all he has to do is get on the stage to win. Well,I hope he realises part of his fear factor has gone. Happened to Taylor,then van gerwen,and it's causing him to realise pretty sharp,he isn't unstoppable. It's good for the sport,not 1 single player in my 60 years has ever,or will ever be, unbeatable.rick6725-10-2026
- I think it's great to see Mark Webster looking good,good ladrick6725-10-2026