The PDC World Darts Championship for the 2025/26 season has commenced at Alexandra Palace in London, with Luke Littler, the defending champion, successfully starting his title defense.
Hailing from Warrington, Littler, who made history as the youngest-ever winner by defeating Michael van Gerwen in last year’s final at just 17, secured a 3-0 victory over Darius Labanauskas of Lithuania on the opening night of the tournament.
Littler, participating in his third Ally Pally appearance, arrives with a string of recent wins at prestigious events like the World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, Grand Slam, and Players Championship Finals, solidifying his position as the top seed and World Number One.
Among the notable participants at Alexandra Palace are former world champions such as Michael van Gerwen, Luke Humphries, and Gerwyn Price, alongside contenders like Stephen Bunting, Nathan Aspinall, James Wade, and Jonny Clayton, all part of the expanded 128-player field.
The tournament features 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.
A highlight of the tournament is the potential for a showdown between rivals Luke Humphries and Luke Littler, with Humphries aiming for redemption after his defeat to Littler in the Grand Slam of Darts final last year. A win for Humphries in this championship would propel him back to the world number one ranking, with the champion set to win a £1 million prize.
All matches of the championship are broadcast exclusively on a single broadcaster. Fans can follow the event, including afternoon sessions starting at 12.30pm and evening sessions at 7pm until the quarter-finals on New Year’s Day. The semi-finals will take place on January 2 at 7.30pm, with the final scheduled for January 3 at 8pm.
Sky Sports is the exclusive broadcaster for the PDC World Darts Championship, with dedicated coverage on the Sky Sports Darts channel. Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle subscribers can enjoy all the action, including matches from other sports leagues like the Premier League, EFL, and Carabao Cup, as well as Formula 1 races. The bundle also offers access to over 100 channels, including Sky Atlantic, and complimentary subscriptions to Netflix and Discovery+.
For Virgin Media customers, the darts coverage is available through the Sport bundle, which is currently free for three months due to a Black Friday deal. However, both Sky and Virgin customers should be aware of annual price increases in their TV contracts.
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