PDC World Darts Championships 2026 Semi Finals: Prize money, quarter final results, format, odds, schedule, when is Luke Littler's next match?
We’re down to the last four at the Ally Pally - and one darter is going to have a hugely profitable start to 2026.
The New Year-spanning PDC World Darts Championship is now in its penultimate day - with the full semi final lineup confirmed yesterday.
This year’s tournament is the 33rd organised by the Professional Darts Corporation since it separated from the now-defunct British Darts Organisation and is once again taking place at London’s Alexandra Palace, better known to fans as the Ally Pally.
And there’s been more darts than ever to enjoy, with an expanded 128-player field and the seeds playing from the first round (they previously went straight through to the second round).
Defending champion Luke Littler continued his march towards his second title on Thursday with a 5-0 quarter final whitewash win over Krzysztof Ratajski.
And he was joined in the last four by Scottish darter Gary Anderson, who clocked in a vintage performance in beating Justin Hood 5-2.
Today is semi finals day, and here’s what we have to look forward today in the tournament.
When is the PDC World Darts Championship?
The tournament takes place from Thursday, December 11, 2025, to Saturday, January 3, 2026
What is the prize money?
There is a record £5million prize pot up for grabs, allocated as follows:
- Winner: £1,000,000
- Runner-up: £400,000
- Semi-finalists: £200,000
- Quarter-finalists: £100,000
- Fourth round losers: £60,000
- Third round losers: £35,000
- Second round losers: £25,000
- First round losers: £15,000
- Nine-dart finish: £60,000
What happened in the quarter finals of the World Darts Championship?
Here’s what happened yesterday:
- Ryan Searle 5-2 Jonny Clayton
- Gary Anderson 5-2 Justin Hood
- Luke Littler 5-0 Kryzsztof Ratajski
- Luke Humphries 1-5 Gian van Veen
What’s the order of play for the semi finals of the PDC World Darts Championships?
Here’s when the action is happening today - both are semi final matches:
Evening session 7.30pm start
- Luke Littler vs Ryan Searle
- Gian van Veen vs Gary Anderson
When is Luke Littler’s next match in the PDC World Darts Championship?
Luke Littler will take on Ryan Searle in the semi finals of the PDC World Darts Championship on the evening of Friday, January 2. The session starts at 7.30pm.
What is the format of the matches?
Darts matches are made up of legs and sets, with each set being the best of five legs (the first to three legs taking the set).
The first two rounds are the best of five sets (first to three), while the third and fourth rounds are the best of seven sets (first to four).
The quarter-finals are the best of nine sets (first to five), the semi-finals the best of 11 sets (first to six) and the final a marathon best of 13 sets (first to seven).
For all rounds except the first, the deciding set has to be won by two clear legs, up until 5–5, when a sudden-death leg will be played.
What is the format of the competition?
Unlike previous years, where the top players skipped the first round, it’s a straight knockout competition, with the top 32 players on the PDC Order of Merit seeded.
What’s the tournament schedule?
In the early stages of the tournament there are eight matches each day, split into two sessions. As the length of the games increase, and the number of players remaining in the competition decrease, fewer games are played in each session.
First round matches start on the the evening of Thursday, December 11, and continue until Friday, December 9.
The first of the second round matches takes place on Saturday, December 10, with round 2 concluding on Tuesday, December 24.
The third round takes place between December 27-29, and the fourth from December 29-30.
The eight quarter-finalists will clash over two session on Thursday, January 1, swiftly followed by the semi-finals the next day.
The winner will be crowned after the final on Saturday, January 3, starting at 8pm.
How can I watch the PDC Darts World Championship?
Live coverage of every day and every dart of the PDC World Darts Championship will be broadcast exclusively live on the dedicated Sky Sports Darts channel.
You don't have to be a subscriber to watch – daily, weekly and monthly Sky Sports passes are available on the NOW TV platform from £14.99.
Who is favourite to win?
Defending champion Luke Littler is favourite take the title, with odds of 1/2, followed by Gian van Veen (3/1) and Gary Anderson (6/1).
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