World Darts Championship 2026: Schedule, fixtures and results from Alexandra Palace with Luke Littler, Beau Greaves, Michael van Gerwen in action

Luke Littler, the defending champion, is set to face off against Lithuania's Darius Labanauskas on Thursday, December 11, in what promises to be an exciting opening night at the World Darts Championship. This marks a unique start to the tournament, with all players competing from the first round onwards instead of receiving a bye through to the next round.

Littler's quest for back-to-back titles begins against Labanauskas on the opening night, but he will be the first player to try and derail his defense since John Part fell to Bill Davis in 2009. The 2023 world champion Michael Smith will also be in action, taking on Lisa Ashton in another intriguing clash.

Meanwhile, Beau Greaves is set to make her campaign debut on Friday, December 19, against Daryl Gurney in the evening session from 7pm. Her opponent, Gurney, has been struggling with form recently and may find it a tough ask to take down the rising star.

The expanded tournament format means that all 128 players will compete head-to-head, making every match feel like a high-stakes battle for the top spot. The prize fund for this year's World Darts Championship is an impressive £5m, with the winner taking home a staggering £1m.

Gerwyn Price starts his campaign on Tuesday, December 16, against Peter Wright, while Michael van Gerwen takes on Fallon Sherrock alongside another mouthwatering clash between Dave Chisnall and the young talent.

As the tournament progresses, the stakes will only grow higher. The runner-up will take home £400,000, with semi-finalists earning £200,000 and quarter-finalists £100,000. Those who make it to round four can expect a £60,000 payday, while those who reach the final round three will be rewarded with £35,000.

The tournament format has changed this year, with all players competing from the first round onwards instead of receiving a bye through to the next round. The World Championship uses the sets format, with each set being the first to three legs. If it's 2-2 in the final set, a player must win 4-2 or 5-3.

Will Luke Littler be able to defend his title? Will Gerwyn Price and Michael van Gerwen make it to the top of the darting world? Who will claim the Paddy Power World Darts Championship and take home the coveted £1m prize? The answer lies with the players themselves as they embark on their thrilling journey through Alexandra Palace.

OMG, I'm so hyped for this year's World Darts Championship ! With all 128 players competing from the start, every match is gonna be a high-stakes battle . I think Luke Littler is in trouble, though... he's never faced an opponent like Darius Labanauskas before . And Michael Smith vs Lisa Ashton? What a clash !

I also love that Beau Greaves is making her debut on December 19 . She's been rising through the ranks and I think she's got this . As for Gerwyn Price, he's gonna be tough to beat... but Michael van Gerwen's got some crazy skills .

£5m prize fund? Forget about it! The winner is gonna be a millionaire . And can we talk about the stakes? If you make it to round four, you're raking in £60k . This tournament is going to be EPIC .

omg, darts is back!!! can't wait to see Luke Littler go up against Darius Labanauskas, those two are gonna bring the heat ! and michael smith vs lisa ashton, that's a match made in heaven gerwyn price starting strong against peter wright too, fingers crossed he'll make it to the top spot . anyone got their £5m prize fund money ready? gotta say tho, 128 players competing head-to-head is gonna be insane !

the format change is gonna be good for the tournament , everyone gets a chance to play each other which makes it super competitive i think. gerwyn price and michael van gerwen are defo gonna give luke littler some trouble he's been doing well in the past but now its every man for himself. Beau greaves is gonna make her debut on dec 19th and thats cool she's got a tough one against daryl gurney but ill be rooting for her anyway

I'm so hyped for this year's World Darts Championship ! It's gonna be a wild ride with all 128 players competing head-to-head, making every match feel like a high-stakes battle . I mean, Luke Littler is the defending champ and he's got to defend his title against Lithuania's Darius Labanauskas on opening night . That's gonna be intense!

And let's not forget about Michael Smith and Lisa Ashton, their match is gonna be lit ! The prize fund is insane at £5m, with the winner taking home a cool £1m . I'm rooting for Gerwyn Price to make a comeback and take the top spot .

I love how the tournament format has changed this year, it's more competitive than ever . The stakes are high, especially for the runner-ups and semi-finalists who will be taking home some serious cash . Can't wait to see all the action unfold at Alexandra Palace!

So I'm thinking what's really gonna be interesting this year is how all these top players are being thrown into the mix from round one, you feel me? It's like they're getting a taste of reality right off the bat. For Luke Littler, it's gotta be tough since he's the defending champ and everyone's gunna be out for his scalp.

And have you seen Michael Smith's opponent Lisa Ashton? I think she's got a legit shot at taking down some big names this year. Plus with Beau Greaves making her debut on 19th Dec, that's gonna be exciting to watch!

The £5m prize fund is insane btw! It shows just how competitive it's gonna get in the final rounds. And can we talk about Gerwyn Price and Michael van Gerwen for a sec? Those two are like the dynamic duo of darts right now, I'm hyped to see them go head-to-head soon.

I'm gonna put my 50p in for Littler to win it all again, but that Lithuania dude Labanauskas looks like he's got some tricks up his sleeve . The format change is a big plus tho, can't wait to see the top players go head-to-head from round one. £5m prize fund? That's what I call a sweet bonus! And Beau Greaves making her debut against Gurney should be good for some thrilling matches

I'm still holding onto my old Sony Bravia 4K TV from back in 2018 lol. Anyway, this year's World Darts Championship is looking lit! I love that all the top players are competing from the get-go instead of getting a bye. It's gonna be so intense with the prize fund being £5m and everything.

I'm keeping an eye on Beau Greaves, she's got some serious talent and I think she can take down Gurney if she stays focused . And Gerwyn Price vs Peter Wright is gonna be a nail-biter, those two are always up for a good match.

But let's be real, the £1m prize is what everyone wants to win . Luke Littler has some big shoes to fill defending his title but I think he's got this in him. And Michael van Gerwen, man that guy's a legend! The sets format is always good for some thrilling matches.

Bring on the tournament! It's gonna be a wild ride

this expanded tournament format is gonna make the championship way more exciting , i mean, who doesn't love the idea of every match feeling like a high-stakes battle for the top spot? it's all about who can rise to the challenge and take down their opponents. luke littler has been on fire since his last win, but darius labanauskas is looking fierce too , i'm loving the matchups we have this year - michael smith vs lisa ashton is gonna be a real barnburner !

OMG you guys!! I'm literally so stoked for this year's World Darts Championship it's gonna be a wild ride! I mean, Luke Littler is defendin' his title and every1's gunna wanna take him down but the thing is, who can stop Gerwyn Price? he's been killin' the game lately & Michael van Gerwen is no joke either

anywayz, I think Beau Greaves is gonna make some noise she's got a tough opponent in Daryl Gurney but I'm feelin her energy and that prize fund is like WOOO £5m? it's gonna be epic!

so who's gonna take home the £1m grand prize? only time'll tell, but one thing's for sure - this tournament is gonna be a real nail-biter

December is already here , I guess that means we can all breathe a collective sigh of relief knowing that another year of trying to predict the outcome of this tournament has finally arrived. 128 players, all vying for £1m... how refreshing! A £5m prize fund sounds like a great motivator, especially if you're one of those guys who's good at throwing a small ball around .

I'm not sure what's more thrilling - the prospect of watching a bunch of men throw darts or trying to figure out which players will actually make it past the first round. Either way, I suppose it'll be entertaining for us armchair experts . The new format is supposed to make every match feel like a high-stakes battle... yeah right, we all know how that works out .

I do hope Beau Greaves brings her A-game on Friday, because Gurney's form has been, well, let's just say it hasn't exactly been setting the world on fire . Fingers crossed she can turn that around and make a splash in this tournament!

omg can't wait for this worlds darts championship its going to be so intense litters is gonna have a tough time defending his title gerwyn price and michael van gerwen are strong contenders too, their matches against peters and falcon sherrock will be epic but what really caught my attention is beau greaves making her debut it's awesome to see the rising star bring some fresh energy to the tournament

omg I'm so excited for this year's World Darts Championship ! it's amazing to see all 128 players competing head-to-head from the start, it's going to be such a high-energy tournament . Luke Littler's defense of his title is looking tough, but i think he's got what it takes . and can't wait to see Michael Smith take on Lisa Ashton, that's gonna be an awesome match too! meanwhile Beau Greaves making her debut is super inspiring, go girl!

omg I'm so hyped for this year's World Darts Championship!!! it's going to be a wild ride with all 128 players competing head-to-head Luke Littler's defense is gonna be put to the test against some tough opponents, but he's definitely got what it takes to make it to the top! and can't wait to see Gerwyn Price and Michael van Gerwen in action too, they're always so good at what they do Beau Greaves making her debut on Friday is super exciting, she's got that whole underdog thing going for her Gurney might be struggling with form but I still think he'll give it a good shot and £5m prize fund? that's just amazing!

omg, can u believe this year's World Darts Championship is gonna be lit ?! the format change is genius - no more bye rounds, it's just straight into the battle mode ! and £5m prize fund? talk about motivation ... gerwyn price vs peter wright on dec 16th is already giving me life , and luke littler defending his title against a hungry darius labanauskas - can't wait to see how it all unfolds