The 2025/26 PDC World Darts Championship has begun at London’s Alexandra Palace, with current titleholder Luke Littler successfully launching his defense. Littler, hailing from Warrington, secured a spot in the second round by defeating Lithuania’s Darius Labanauskas 3-0 on the tournament’s opening night. He comes into the competition after a series of victories at prestigious events, 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, as well as other strong contenders like Stephen Bunting, Nathan Aspinall, James Wade, and Jonny Clayton, forming a competitive 128-player field. The tournament includes top players from various ranking ladders and qualifiers from PDC Secondary and Affiliate Tours and Qualifying Events.
A highly anticipated storyline of the championship revolves around a potential rematch between rivals Luke Littler and Luke Humphries. Humphries, the 2024 champion, aims for redemption after a previous loss to Littler. A victory for Humphries could propel him to the world number one spot, with the champion set to receive a remarkable £1 million prize.
Every match of the PDC World Darts Championship will be broadcast exclusively on a single network. Fans can catch the action live from afternoon and evening sessions until the quarter-finals on New Year’s Day, with the semi-finals scheduled for January 2 and the final on January 3. Sky Sports is the exclusive broadcaster for the championship, offering coverage on its dedicated Sky Sports Darts channel and Sky Sports Main Event.
In addition to the comprehensive coverage of the World Darts Championship, the Sky Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle provides access to a wide range of sports events, including matches from the Premier League, EFL, Carabao Cup, and Formula 1. Subscribers can also enjoy over 100 channels, including Sky Atlantic, along with complimentary subscriptions to Netflix and Discovery+.
Darts enthusiasts can also watch the championship through Virgin Media’s Sport bundle, available for a limited time with a special Black Friday deal. However, customers should be aware of potential annual price increases in their TV packages. While specific changes for 2026 are pending from Sky, Virgin has already announced upcoming price adjustments for its sports bundle.