The PDC World Darts Championship kicks off this Thursday at Alexandra Palace, and it’s set to be the biggest one yet.For the first time ever, 128 players will compete at Ally Pally, up from the previous 96-strong field.The prize pot has had a massive boost too, with the eventual winner taking home a cool £1million – double what was on offer last year.It’s all thanks to a bumper new TV deal with Sky, reportedly worth £125m over five years.Luke Littler kickstarts his title defence against Darius Labanauskas on Thursday | PAThree weeks of darting drama await, running right through the festive period until the final on January 3.Luke Littler will get the defence of his crown underway on opening night, facing Lithuanian veteran Darius Labanauskas.The 18-year-old sensation heads into the tournament as the newly crowned world number one, having climbed to the top of the rankings just last month.It’s been quite a year for the Nuke, who claimed the Grand Slam of Darts for a second time in November, adding to victories at the World Matchplay, World Grand Prix and UK Open.Bookmakers have him as odds-on favourite to retain his title, and it’s easy to see why – he’s reached two consecutive world finals already.Should Littler stumble, Luke Humphries looks the most likely to stop him – the 2024 world champion has beaten his younger rival in three ranking finals recently.Luke Humphries is seen as Luke Littler’s top rival for the title | PANorthern Ireland’s Josh Rock is another one to watch, fresh from helping his country lift the World Cup of Darts.The tournament features a record five women this year, with Beau Greaves leading the charge against World Cup winner Daryl Gurney on December 19.First and second round action runs through to December 23, with the competition resuming after Christmas on the 27th for the third round.Sky Sports has exclusive coverage of every throw, having broadcast PDC darts for more than three decades now.The Alexandra Palace has hosted the World Championships since 2008 | PAIf you’re not already a subscriber, NOW TV offers a way in without tying yourself to a contract.A day pass costs £14.99, while a monthly subscription comes in at £34.99 – or you can grab a saver deal at £28 per month if you commit to six months.The total prize fund stands at £5m, with even first-round losers guaranteed £15,000 for their efforts.And if anyone manages a nine-dart finish, they’ll pocket an extra £60,000 on top.
Full schedule from December 11 – January 3
The PDC World Darts Championship final will take part on January 3 | PAThursday December 11 (1900 GMT)Round One x4Kim Huybrechts vs Arno MerkMichael Smith vs Lisa AshtonLuke Littler vs Darius LabanauskasMadars Razma vs Jamai van den HerikFriday December 12Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)Round One x4Niels Zonneveld vs Haupai PuhaIan White vs Mervyn KingRyan Searle vs Chris LandmanRob Cross vs Cor DekkerEvening Session (1900 GMT)Round One x4Ross Smith vs Andreas HarryssonRicky Evans vs Man Lok LeungGian van Veen vs Cristo ReyesDamon Heta vs Steve LennonSaturday December 13Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)Round One x4Mario Vandenbogaerde vs David DaviesAndrew Gilding vs Cam CrabtreeLuke Woodhouse vs Boris KrcmarGary Anderson vs Adam HuntEvening Session (1900 GMT)Round One x4Jeffrey de Graaf vs Paul LimWessel Nijman vs Karel SedlacekLuke Humphries vs Ted EvettsGabriel Clemens vs Alex SpellmanSunday December 14Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)Round One x4Ritchie Edhouse vs Jonny TataDom Taylor vs Oskar LukasiakRichard Veenstra vs Nitin KumarJoe Cullen vs Bradley BrooksEvening Session (1900 GMT)Round One x4Lukas Wenig vs Wesley PlaisierDimitri Van den Bergh vs Darren BeveridgeStephen Bunting vs Sebastian BialeckiJames Hurrell vs Stowe BuntzMonday December 15Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)Round One x4Brendan Dolan vs Tavis DudeneyCameron Menzies vs Charlie ManbyMensur Suljovic vs David CameronPeter Wright vs Noa-Lynn van LeuvenEvening Session (1900 GMT)Round One x4Martin Lukeman vs Max HoppDirk van Duijvenbode vs Andy BaetensJonny Clayton vs Adam LipscombeConnor Scutt vs Simon WhitlockTuesday December 16Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)Round One x4Alan Soutar vs Teemu HarjuNick Kenny vs Justin HoodScott Williams vs Paolo NebridaChris Dobey vs Xiaochen ZongEvening Session (1900 GMT)Round One x4Ricardo Pietreczko vs Jose de SousaDanny Noppert vs Jurjen van der VeldeGerwyn Price vs Adam GawlasNiko Springer vs Joe ComitoWednesday December 17 (1900 GMT)Round One x4Matt Campbell vs Adam SevadaRaymond van Barneveld vs Stefan BellmontJames Wade vs Ryusei AzemotoMartin Schindler vs Stephen BurtonThursday December 18Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)Round One x4Callan Rydz vs Patrik KovacsThibault Tricole vs Motomu SakaiRyan Joyce vs Owen BatesMike De Decker vs David MunyuaEvening Session (1900 GMT)Round One x4Jermaine Wattimena vs Dominik GruellichDave Chisnall vs Fallon SherrockMichael van Gerwen vs Mitsuhiko TatsunamiKrzysztof Ratajski vs Alexis ToyloFriday December 19Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)Round One x4Kevin Doets vs Matthew DennantRyan Meikle vs Jesus SalateMickey Mansell vs Leonard GatesJosh Rock vs Gemma HayterEvening Session (1900 GMT)Round One x4William O’Connor vs Krzysztof KciukDaryl Gurney vs Beau GreavesNathan Aspinall vs Lourence IlaganKeane Barry vs Tim PuseySaturday December 20Afternoon Session (1230 GMT) and Evening Session (1900 GMT)Round Two x4Dobey/Zong vs Gilding/CrabtreeBunting/Bialecki vs Veenstra/KumarVan Duijvenbode/Baetens vs Hurrell/BuntzSearle/Landman vs Dolan/DudeneyClayton/Lipscombe v Taylor/LukasiakM Smith/Ashton vs Zonneveld/PuhaR Smith/Harrysson vs Tricole/SakaiChisnall/Sherrock vs Pietreczko/De SousaSunday December 21Afternoon Session (1230 GMT) and Evening Session (1900 GMT)Round Two x4 for each seasionLittler/Labanauskas vs Vandenbogaerde/DaviesCullen/Brooks vs Suljovic/CameronHeta/Lennon vs Van Barneveld/BellmontCross/Dekker vs White/KingWoodhouse/Krcmar vs Lukeman/HoppPrice/Gawlas vs Wenig/PlaisierJoyce/Bates vs Ratajski/ToyloSchindler/Burton vs Barry/PuseyMonday December 22Afternoon Session (1230 GMT) and Evening Session (1900 GMT)Round Two x4 for each sessionHumphries/Evetts vs De Graaf/LimNijman/Sedlacek vs Clemens/SpellmanAspinall/Ilagan vs Mansell/GatesDe Decker/Munyua vs Doets/DennantWade/Azemoto vs Evans/LeungMenzies/Manby vs Campbell/SevadaVan Veen/Reyes vs Soutar/HarjuVan den Bergh/Beveridge vs Razma/Van den HerikTuesday December 23Afternoon Session (1230 GMT) and Evening Session (1900 GMT)Round Two x4 for each sessionVan Gerwen/Tatsunami vs O’Connor/KciukWright/Van Leuven vs Huybrechts/MerkAnderson/Hunt vs Scutt/WhitlockWattimena/Gruellich vs Williams/NebridaNoppert/Van der Velde vs Kenny/HoodEdhouse/Tata vs Meikle/SalateRock/Hayter vs Springer/ComitoGurney/Greaves vs Rydz/KovacsSaturday December 27Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)Round Three x3Evening Session (1900 GMT)Round Three x3Sunday December 28Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)Round Three x3Evening Session (1900 GMT)Round Three x3Monday December 29Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)Round Three x3Evening Session (1900 GMT)Round Three x1, Round Four x2Tuesday December 30Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)Round Four x3Evening Session (1900 GMT)Round Four x3Thursday January 1Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)Quarter-Finals x2Evening Session (1900 GMT)Quarter-Finals x2Friday January 2 (1930 GMT)Semi-FinalsSaturday January 3 (2000 GMT)Final