The latest edition of the PDC World Darts Championship for the 2025/26 season has begun at Alexandra Palace in London, with Luke Littler, the reigning champion, successfully launching his title defense. 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 with a convincing 3-0 victory over Darius Labanauskas from Lithuania on the opening night of the tournament.
Having already triumphed at prestigious events like the World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, Grand Slam, and Players Championship Finals, Littler is in peak form as he enters his third appearance at Ally Pally, solidifying his status as the top seed and World Number One.
Joining Littler at Alexandra Palace are former world champions such as Michael van Gerwen, Luke Humphries, and Gerwyn Price, along with notable contenders like Stephen Bunting, Nathan Aspinall, James Wade, and Jonny Clayton, all part of the expanded 128-player field. The player selection includes the top 40 from the PDC’s Werner Rankings Ladder, 40 qualifiers from the one-year ProTour Ranking, and 48 International Qualifiers from PDC Secondary and Affiliate Tours and Qualifying Events.
One of the most anticipated storylines of the tournament revolves around the potential showdown between rivals Luke Humphries and Luke Littler. Humphries, the 2024 champion, is seeking redemption after a defeat to Littler in the Grand Slam of Darts final last year. A victory for Humphries in this championship could propel him back to the world number one ranking, with the ultimate prize for this year’s champion being a remarkable £1 million.
All matches of the PDC World Darts Championship can be watched live exclusively on Sky Sports, which has introduced a dedicated Sky Sports Darts channel for the event. In addition to comprehensive coverage of the championship, the Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle from Sky offers access to a wide range of sports content, including matches from the Premier League, EFL, Carabao Cup, Formula 1, and more, along with popular channels like Sky Atlantic and complimentary subscriptions to Netflix and Discovery+.
For Virgin Media customers, the darts action is available through the provider’s Sport bundle, which is currently free for three months as part of a special Black Friday deal. However, both Sky and Virgin Media TV contracts come with annual price increases, with Virgin Media customers on the £56.99 package set to see their bills rise to £60.99 from April 2026 and £64.99 from April 2027.
The PDC World Darts Championship has already commenced, with afternoon sessions starting at 12.30 pm and evening sessions at 7 pm throughout the tournament until the quarter-finals on New Year’s Day. The semi-finals will take place at 7.30 pm on January 2, leading up to the final at 8 pm on January 3.