DARTS WORLD GRAND PRIX BEGINS WITH LITTLER DEFENDING TITLE

The 2026 Darts World Grand Prix, one of the Professional Darts Corporation's major tournaments, began on Monday, 28 September. Thirty-two players are taking part: the top 16 in the PDC's Order of Merit, plus 16 more selected from the past 12 months who had not already qualified. The PDC has set a total prize fund of £750,000, with £150,000 going to the winner. Luke Littler, the current world number one, won last year's tournament, beating Luke Humphries 6-1 in the final. The event is being held in Leicester.

The tournament uses a double in, double out format, meaning players must start every leg by hitting a double rather than any scoring segment on the board. The format has been used at the World Grand Prix since the tournament began in 1998. Matches are played in sets of the best of five legs, with the first round contested over the best of three sets. This rises to the best of five sets in the second round and quarter-finals, nine sets in the semi-finals, and a best-of-11 race to six sets in the final.

First-round matches began on Monday, with four ties completed: Danny Noppert beat Niko Springer, Ross Smith beat Cameron Menzies, Nathan Aspinall beat Kevin Doets, and Jonny Clayton beat Krzysztof Ratajski. Littler was scheduled to play Luke Woodhouse later that evening, alongside first-round ties involving Gerwyn Price, Michael van Gerwen, Wessel Nijman and Rob Cross. Further matches, including Luke Humphries against Dave Chisnall, were scheduled for Tuesday, 29 September, with the second round following on Wednesday and Thursday. The tournament then progresses to the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final under the expanded set format.