Darts' World Grand Prix: Format, results and prize money
· Yahoo Sports
The 2026 Darts World Grand Prix starts on Monday, 28 September and is one of the Professional Darts Corporation's major titles.
Visit freshyourfeel.org for more information.
Unlike the rest of the sport's majors, the tournament uses a 'double in, double out' format.
The 32 players featuring are made up of the 16 best-ranked players from the PDC's Order of Merit, and the best 16 from the past 12 months via the Order of Merit who had not already qualified.
A total prize fund of £750,000 is up for grabs, with the winner earning £150,000.
Teenager and current world number one Luke Littler was the winner in 2025, cruising to a 6-1 victory over Luke Humphries in the final.
What is 'double in, double out?'
The 'double in, double out' darts format presents a big twist to the gameplay.
It means that a player must start all legs on a double, rather than on any scoring zone on the board.
The use of 'double in, double out' has been in use in the World Grand Prix since its inaugural year in 1998.
How many sets are in each match?
The format is in set play, with each set being the best of five legs.
The first round is a best-of-three-sets match, increasing to five sets in the second round.
The quarter-finals stay at the best of five sets, before an increase to nine sets in the semi-finals.
The final is a best-of-11 match, also described as a race to six sets.
Who has qualified?
World number two Luke Humphries has featured in the World Grand Prix finals in each of the last three years [Getty Images]The 32 entrants in this year's World Grand Prix consist of the top 16 players in the PDC's Order of Merit and the 16 best ranked players from this year's PDC Pro Tour that were yet to already qualify.
The cut off for the rankings in order to qualify was on Monday, 14 September.
PDC Order of Merit
- Luke Littler
- Luke Humphries
- Gian van Veen
- Gerwyn Price
- Jonny Clayton
- James Wade
- Josh Rock
- Danny Noppert
- Michael van Gerwen
- Gary Anderson
- Stephen Bunting
- Wessel Nijman
- Ross Smith
- Ryan Searle
- Chris Dobey
- Nathan Aspinall
PDC Pro Tour
- Luke Woodhouse
- Kevin Doets
- Jermaine Wattimena
- Krzysztof Ratajski
- Andrew Gilding
- William O'Connor
- Damon Heta
- Rob Cross
- Ryan Joyce
- Dirk van Duijvenbode
- Niels Zonneveld
- Cameron Menzies
- Niko Springer
- Dave Chisnall
- Sebastian Bialecki
- Joe Cullen
What is the schedule?
First round
Monday, 28 September (18:00 BST)
- Danny Noppert (8) v Niko Springer
- Ross Smith (13) v Cameron Menzies
- Nathan Aspinall (16) v Kevin Doets
- Jonny Clayton (5) v Krzysztof Ratajski
- Gerwyn Price (4) v Sebastian Bialecki
- Michael van Gerwen (9) v Ryan Joyce
- Luke Littler (1) v Luke Woodhouse
- Wessel Nijman (12) v Rob Cross
Tuesday, 29 September (18:00 BST)
- Chris Dobey (15) v Jermaine Wattimena
- Ryan Searle (14) v William O'Connor
- Josh Rock (7) v Niels Zonneveld
- James Wade (6) v Joe Cullen
- Gary Anderson (10) v Damon Heta
- Gian van Veen (3) v Dirk van Duijvenbode
- Luke Humphries (2) v Dave Chisnall
- Stephen Bunting (11) v Andrew Gilding
Second round
Wednesday, 30 September (19:00 BST)
Order of play TBC
- Littler/Woodhouse v Aspinall/Doets
- Noppert/Springer v Van Gerwen/Joyce
- Price/Bialecki v Smith/Menzies
- Clayton/Ratajski v Nijman/Cross
Thursday, 1 October (19:00 BST)
Order of play TBC
- Humphries/Chisnall v Dobey/Wattimena
- Rock/Zonneveld v Anderson/Heta
- Van Veen/Van Duijvenbode v Searle/O'Connor
- Wade/Cullen v Bunting/Gilding
Quarter-finals
Friday, 2 October (19:00 BST)
- Four matches
Semi-finals
Saturday, 3 October (20:00 BST)
- Two matches
Final
Sunday, 4 October (20:00 BST)
- One match
What is the prize money?
The prize money for the whole tournament has increased to £750,000 this year, an increase of 25% from last year's £600,000.
The winner will take home £150,000 instead of the £120,000 jackpot 12 months ago. Barring the prize money given to players who lose in the first round, every other value has also increased.
- Winner - £150,000
- Runner-up - £80,000
- Semi-final loser - £50,000
- Quarter-final loser - £35,000
- Second round loser - £20,000
- First round loser - £7,500
Who has previously won the World Grand Prix?
Mike De Decker beat Luke Humphries in 2024's World Grand Prix final to win his first major title [Getty Images]Phil Taylor is the most successful player in World Grand Prix history, winning the tournament 11 times.
Michael van Gerwen is the next most successful player with six titles, with James Wade (twice) being the only other player to win it multiple times.
The World Grand Prix has produced six different winners in the last six years.
- 2025 - Luke Littler
- 2024 – Mike De Decker
- 2023 – Luke Humphries
- 2022 – Michael van Gerwen
- 2021 – Jonny Clayton
- 2020 – Gerwyn Price
- 2019 – Michael van Gerwen
- 2018 - Michael van Gerwen
- 2017 - Daryl Gurney
- 2016 - Michael van Gerwen
- 2015 – Robert Thornton
- 2014 - Michael van Gerwen
- 2013 – Phil Taylor
- 2012 - Michael van Gerwen
- 2011 – Phil Taylor
- 2010 – James Wade
- 2009 - Phil Taylor
- 2008 - Phil Taylor
- 2007 – James Wade
- 2006 - Phil Taylor
- 2005 - Phil Taylor
- 2004 – Colin Lloyd
- 2003 - Phil Taylor
- 2002 - Phil Taylor
- 2001 – Alan Warriner
- 2000 – Phil Taylor
- 1999 - Phil Taylor
- 1998 - Phil Taylor
This article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team.