The PDC World Darts Championship for the 2025/26 season has commenced at Alexandra Palace in London, with Luke Littler, the current title holder, successfully starting his campaign to defend the championship. Hailing from Warrington, Littler, who became the youngest-ever winner by defeating Michael van Gerwen in last year’s final at the age of 17, secured a spot in the second round by dominating Lithuania’s Darius Labanauskas with a 3-0 victory on the opening night of the tournament.
Having recently achieved multiple victories at prestigious events like the World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, Grand Slam, and Players Championship Finals, Littler arrives at Ally Pally for his third appearance as a top seed and the World Number One player. Among the participants at Alexandra Palace are former world champions such as Michael van Gerwen, Luke Humphries, and Gerwyn Price, along with contenders like Stephen Bunting, Nathan Aspinall, James Wade, and Jonny Clayton, all competing in the expanded 128-player field.
The competition features a mix of players, including the top 40 from the PDC’s Werner Rankings Ladder, 40 qualifiers from the one-year ProTour Ranking, and 48 International Qualifiers from various PDC Secondary and Affiliate Tours and Qualifying Events. A notable subplot of this year’s championship is the potential rematch between Luke Humphries, the 2024 champion, and Littler, who defeated him in the Grand Slam of Darts final last year. A victory for Humphries could propel him back to the top spot in the world rankings, with the champion of this year’s tournament set to receive a substantial £1 million prize.
All matches of the PDC World Darts Championship will be broadcast exclusively on a single broadcaster. Viewers can tune in to watch the tournament unfold, with 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 are scheduled for 7:30 pm on January 2, followed by the final at 8 pm on January 3.
Sky Sports, which has relaunched its dedicated Sky Sports Darts channel, will air every match of the championship, including the most significant games on Sky Sports Main Event. To catch all the action, fans can opt for Sky’s Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle at £35, offering coverage not only of the World Darts Championship but also a wide range of sports content such as the Premier League, EFL, Carabao Cup, and Formula 1, along with access to channels like Sky Atlantic, Netflix, and Discovery+.
For Virgin Media customers, the darts tournament is available through the Sport bundle package priced at £56.99, free for three months due to a recent Black Friday promotion. However, both Sky and Virgin customers should be aware of annual price increases, with Virgin’s £56.99 package set to rise to £60.99 from April 2026 and £64.99 from April 2027.
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