The World Darts Championship will expand to a 128-player field with a huge £1m for the winner as Luke Littler seeks to defend his Sid Waddell trophy.
In a landmark announcement for the sport, the PDC will boost prize funds at all levels on the professional circuit in 2026, introducing a historic increase of £7m from 2025 figures.
The World Darts Championship will become bigger than ever before from the 2025/26 event, with the expanded field competing for a £5m prize fund.
Check out some of the most memorable moments from this year’s World Darts Championship including Littler’s record-breaking set, some Barrioke and two nine-darters
The Premier League prize pot will increase to £1.25m from 2026, with £350,000 for next season’s champion.
A £1m prize fund will be on offer at the World Matchplay and Grand Slam of Darts, with the latter also expanding to a 48-player field next year to mark the 20th staging of the unique tournament.
Four other Premier events – the World Grand Prix, Players Championship Finals, European Championship and UK Open – will all increase to a £750,000 prize fund next year, with the World Cup of Darts and World Series of Darts Finals each adding a further £50,000 to their respective prize funds.
European Tour event prize funds will increase to £230,000 for the 14 tournaments to be held next year, while the 34 Players Championship events will rise to £150,000 each.
Emma Paton, Mark Webster and Richard Ashdown discuss if Littler can break Phil Taylor’s World Darts Championship record
The PDC’s commitment beyond the ProTour will also see a £5,000 per event increase for Challenge Tour, Development Tour and Women’s Series events, the Women’s World Matchplay being boosted to a £40,000 prize fund and a 50 per cent increase in funding for global affiliate tours and overseas development.
PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter commented: “The £1m prize for the World Champion reflects darts’ standing as one of the most exciting and in-demand sports in the world and the historic total will rightly attract headlines as the biggest prize ever paid out in the sport.
“However, the increased prize funds announced today demonstrate our commitment to growing earning potential for players at all levels within the PDC system.
“Expanding the player fields for the World Darts Championship and Grand Slam of Darts will provide more opportunities than ever before for players around the world to feature in televised PDC events.
“The incredible growth of the PDC in recent years has seen darts elevated to levels never seen before both in terms of playing opportunities and global interest and this is a huge moment for all players with the ambition to make it to the very pinnacle of the sport.”
Michael van Gerwen praises ‘star’ Littler after his defeat to the 17-year-old
Professional Darts Corporation Prize Funds
World Darts Championship
Winner: £1,000,000
Runner-Up: £400,000
Semi-Finalists: £200,000
Quarter-Finalists: £100,000
Last 16 losers: £60,000
Last 32 losers: £35,000
Last 64 losers: £25,000
Last 128 losers: £15,000
Total: £5,000,000
Premier League
Winner: £350,000
Runner-Up: £170,000
Semi-Finalists: £110,000
Fifth in Table: £95,000
Sixth in Table: £90,000
Seventh in Table: £85,000
Eighth in Table: £80,000
Nightly winner bonus: £10,000
Total: £1,250,000
World Matchplay
Winner: £225,000
Runner-Up: £125,000
Semi-Finalists: £65,000
Quarter-Finalists: £35,000
Last 16 losers: £22,500
Last 32 losers: £12,500
Total: £1,000,000
Grand Slam of Darts
Winner: £200,000
Runner-Up: £100,000
Semi-Finalists: £60,000
Quarter-Finalists: £35,000
Last 16 losers: £20,000
Second in Group: £12,500
Third in Group: £5,000
Total: £1,000,000
World Grand Prix
Winner: £150,000
Runner-Up: £80,000
Semi-Finalists: £50,000
Quarter-Finalists: £35,000
Last 16 losers: £20,000
Last 32 losers: £7,500
Total: £750,000
Where does the Premier League head next?
The Premier League continues at the Uber Arena, Berlin on Thursday, April 3 as Michael van Gerwen and Gerwyn Price clash in a titanic encounter, while Luke Littler takes on Chris Dobey. Watch Night Nine of Premier League Darts, in Berlin, live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports+ from 6pm.
Sky Sports will once again be the home of the Premier League in 2025, with every night exclusively live along with the World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, Grand Slam of Darts and more! Stream darts and more top sport with NOW
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