PDC World Darts Championship
The PDC World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace is the sport’s biggest event. Held every December and January, it draws 96 of the world’s best players and a fortnight of maximum-capacity crowds to Ally Pally — the most iconic venue in darts.
The biggest prize in darts
The World Championship carries a prize fund that dwarfs every other tournament in the sport. The winner takes home more than any other title can offer — and the title of World Champion lasts a full calendar year until the next edition.
2026/27 Edition
Recent Champions
Format
The PDC World Championship uses a sets-based format throughout. Unlike most PDC events which use a legs-only format, Worlds requires players to win sets (a set is first to 3 legs), meaning momentum swings differently and mental resilience matters more over a fortnight.
How players qualify
The 96-player field comprises three main groups:
- —PDC Tour Card holders — the top 32 from the PDC Order of Merit automatically qualify, plus further tour card holders down the rankings.
- —International qualifiers — regional qualifying events across Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Americas and Africa add players from outside the PDC Tour.
- —PDC Challenge Tour / Development Tour — highest-ranked non-tour-card holders from Challenge Tour and Development Tour earn spots.
Top contenders for 2026/27
Players from the 2026 Premier League field expected to feature prominently at Ally Pally.