The 2026 Darts World Grand Prix is set to begin on Monday, September 28, offering one of the Professional Darts Corporation’s most unique major titles. Unlike other events in the sport, this tournament utilizes a specialized ‘double in, double out’ format, requiring players to open and finish each leg with a double.
A total of 32 competitors are confirmed for the event, consisting of the top 16 ranked players from the PDC Order of Merit and the next 16 highest-ranked players who had not already qualified. The tournament offers a total prize fund of £750,000, a 25% increase from last year’s total. The winner will take home £150,000, while the runner-up earns £80,000.
Defending champion Luke Littler, currently the world number one, aims to retain his title after his decisive 6-1 victory over Luke Humphries in the 2025 final. The event is structured in sets, with match formats escalating from best-of-three-sets in the first round to a race to six sets in the final.
The opening round concludes with several sessions held on Monday, September 28, and Tuesday, September 29, featuring high-profile matches including Gerwyn Price facing Sebastian Bialecki and Luke Humphries taking on Dave Chisnall. The quarter-finals are scheduled for Friday, October 2, followed by the semi-finals on Saturday, October 3. The championship final is set to conclude the tournament on Sunday, October 4.
Double in, double out is so frustrating to watch sometimes. Glad they kept the format though, it makes for dramatic finishes.
Love that Luke Littler is going for a back-to-back title! The young star definitely has the crowd’s support.