Official Draw Release Status
Official 128-Player Draw Scheduled for Late November 2026
The official bracket draw for the 2026/27 World Darts Championship is conducted following the conclusion of the Players Championship Finals in Minehead (the final ranking event of the PDC calendar).
The ceremony will be broadcast live on Sky Sports News, the PDC YouTube Channel, and PDCTV. The full 64 opening-round ties and bracket pairings will be updated here immediately upon conclusion of the live draw.
How The 128-Player Field Qualifies
The field comprises three distinct qualifying tiers, ensuring both elite ranking representation and worldwide grassroots diversity:
PDC Order of Merit (Top 32 Seeds)
Top 32 ranked players on the main 2-year rolling PDC Order of Merit at the November cutoff date. These players earn automatic tournament seeding.
ProTour Order of Merit Qualifiers
Top 32 highest non-qualified players from the 1-year PDC ProTour Order of Merit (calculated from non-televised Players Championship events and European Tour events).
International & Global Affiliate Qualifiers
Global qualifiers from international affiliate tours including PDC Asian Tour, PDC Nordic & Baltic, DPA Australian Tour, CDC North American Championship, Championship Darts Latin America, African Qualifier, PDC Women's Series, PDC World Youth Championship, and the final Tour Card Holder PDPA Qualifier.
The 7-Round Bracket Architecture
To accommodate 128 players at Alexandra Palace's Great Hall, the tournament spans seven rounds of knockout darts. Every match is contested under set play (first to 3 legs wins a set):
| Round | Field Size | Matches | Set Format | Prize Money for Exit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Round | 128 Players | 64 | Best of 5 Sets | £15,000 |
| Second Round | 64 Players | 32 | Best of 5 Sets | £25,000 |
| Third Round | 32 Players | 16 | Best of 7 Sets | £35,000 |
| Fourth Round (Last 16) | 16 Players | 8 | Best of 7 Sets | £60,000 |
| Quarter-Finals | 8 Players | 4 | Best of 9 Sets | £100,000 |
| Semi-Finals | 4 Players | 2 | Best of 11 Sets | £200,000 |
| The Final | 2 Players | 1 | Best of 13 Sets | Winner: £1,000,000 |
*Tie-break rule: In deciding sets, a player must win by two clear legs up to a sudden-death eleventh leg. See full details on our Prize Money & Payouts Guide.
Provisional Top Seeds (Subject to November Cutoff)
The top 32 positions on the 2-year rolling Order of Merit earn seeded placement into the tournament bracket. Based on current prize money standings, these players represent the projected leading seeds:
Luke Humphries (England)
Reigning World Champion & Order of Merit frontrunner
Michael van Gerwen (Netherlands)
3x World Champion & perennial major winner
Michael Smith (England)
2023 World Champion & multi-major finalist
Luke Littler (England)
2024 World Finalist & Premier League Champion
Gerwyn Price (Wales)
2021 World Champion & top-tier seed
Rob Cross (England)
2018 World Champion & consistent major contender
Dave Chisnall (England)
Multi-European Tour winner & prolific 180 scorer
Jonny Clayton (Wales)
Former Premier League Champion & World Grand Prix winner
Note: Final seeds are officially confirmed in late November. View the complete 2-year rolling standings on our PDC Order of Merit Guide.
Interactive Bracket Simulator & Live Draw Sheet
Full 128-Player Bracket Sheet Under Preparation
Match pairings (Section 1 through Section 8) will populate here following the live PDC draw ceremony in November. Bookmark this page to track your favorite players from the opening round through to the final.
Related Tournament Resources
🏆 Finals Weekend Schedule
Dates, doors, and session times for the Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals, and Final.
💰 £5M Prize Fund Breakdown
Full financial distribution across all seven rounds of the 128-player tournament.
📺 TV & Live Stream Directory
Confirmed legal broadcast channels for Sky Sports, DAZN, ESPN+, and Viaplay.
🏛️ Alexandra Palace Seating Plan
Inspect floor table sightlines vs tiered seating in the Great Hall.