World Darts Championship 2026: Day One Preview, Order of Play, How to Watch and Predictions

The PDC World Darts Championship returns to Alexandra Palace this evening as Luke Littler begins the defence of his title.

The 18-year-old made history in January when he became the youngest world champion in the sport’s history, defeating Michael van Gerwen 7-3 in the final and completing one of the most remarkable rises ever seen at the tournament.

Littler arrives at Ally Pally having already added nine major PDC trophies to his name, including last month’s Players Championship Finals.

He also overtook Luke Humphries in the rankings to move up to world number one. With that momentum behind him, all eyes will again be on the teenager as he looks to make a strong start to his campaign.

When does Luke Littler play?

Littler opens his world title defence tonight against Lithuania’s Darius Labanauskas in the first session of the competition. The match is scheduled to begin at approximately 9pm UK time.

Speaking to Sky Sports about the draw, he said: “Yeah, very happy with it. [He’s] not the quickest player. It’s all about getting past that first round and it won’t be easy, but I’ve just got to try and get past Darius first time round.”

How to watch the 2026 World Darts Championship

The opening session, including Littler’s match with Labanauskas, will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Darts.

Coverage today begins at 6.30pm and runs through to 11pm. Viewers with a Sky Sports subscription can also stream the session via the NOW app and on Sky Go.

Order of play

The tournament begins with an evening session starting at 7pm. Littler’s match is the third of four fixtures on the opening night.

Kim Huybrechts v Arno Merk
Michael Smith v Lisa Ashton
Luke Littler v Darius Labanauskas
Madars Razma v Jamai van den Heri

Tournament dates and prize money

The 2026 World Darts Championship begins tonight and continues through to Saturday, January 3. The winner will receive the £1million top prize, with the runner-up earning £400,000.

Players eliminated in round one will take home £15,000, rising to £25,000 for those who fall in round two.

Predictions

Littler arrives as the overwhelming favourite to progress, and his recent form suggests he should handle the pressure of opening night once again.

Michael Smith’s meeting with Lisa Ashton is likely to provide the closest contest of the session, while Huybrechts is expected to come through the opening match.

Razma’s experience should give him the edge in the final tie of the evening.