PDC World Championship

PDC World Championship

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DateRHome v Away-
01/03 20:20 1 Luke Littler v Michael van Gerwen 7-3
01/02 21:24 2 Stephen Bunting v Luke Littler 1-6
01/02 21:14 - Phil Taylor v Wayne Mardle 0 (1) - 0 (0)
01/02 19:50 2 Chris Dobey v Michael van Gerwen 1-6
01/01 21:14 3 Luke Littler v Nathan Aspinall 5-2
01/01 19:23 3 Peter Wright v Stephen Bunting 2-5
01/01 14:43 3 Michael van Gerwen v Callan Rydz 5-3
01/01 12:50 3 Chris Dobey v Gerwyn Price 5-3
12/30 21:47 4 Luke Littler v Ryan Joyce 4-3
12/30 20:29 4 Michael van Gerwen v Jeffrey de Graaf 4-2
12/30 19:20 4 Stephen Bunting v Luke Woodhouse 4-0
12/30 15:39 4 Ricardo Pietreczko v Nathan Aspinall 0-4
12/30 14:18 4 Robert Owen v Callan Rydz 3-4
12/30 12:50 4 Kevin Doets v Chris Dobey 3-4
12/29 22:02 4 Luke Humphries v Peter Wright 1-4
12/29 20:45 4 Jonny Clayton v Gerwyn Price 2-4
12/29 19:22 5 Ricky Evans v Robert Owen 2-4
12/29 15:47 5 Dimitri van den Bergh v Callan Rydz 0-4
12/29 14:20 5 Kevin Doets v Krzysztof Ratajski 4-3
12/29 12:47 5 Inoue/ Yamasoto v Paolo Nebrida 4-1
12/28 22:00 5 Luke Littler v Ian White 4-1
12/28 20:36 5 Michael van Gerwen v Brendan Dolan 4-2
12/28 19:19 5 Chris Dobey v Josh Rock 4-2
12/28 15:29 5 Nathan Aspinall v Andrew Gilding 4-0
12/28 14:14 5 Scott Williams v Ricardo Pietreczko 1-4
12/28 12:49 5 Ryan Joyce v Ryan Searle 4-3
12/27 22:23 5 Luke Humphries v Nick Kenny 4-0
12/27 21:03 5 Jermaine Wattimena v Peter Wright 2-4
12/27 19:20 5 Gerwyn Price v Joe Cullen 4-3
12/27 15:58 5 Stephen Bunting v Madars Razma 4-1

The PDC World Darts Championship, known for sponsorship purposes as the Paddy Power World Darts Championship is a world championship competition held annually in the sport of darts. The championship begins in December and ends in January and has been held at Alexandra Palace in London, since 2008. Organised by the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), it is the most prestigious of their tournaments, with the winner receiving the Sid Waddell Trophy, named in honour of the darts commentator Sid Waddell. Along with the Premier League Darts and World Matchplay, it is part of the Triple Crown.

The PDC championship began in 1994 as the WDC World Darts Championship as one of the consequences of the split in darts, which saw the World Darts Council break away from the BDO. As a result of the settlement between the BDO and the WDC in 1997, the WDC became the PDC, and players were then free to choose which world championship to enter (but not both in the same year), as long as they met certain eligibility criteria. Both organisations continued to organize their own world championship until the 2020 editions, after which the BDO folded.

There have been thirteen different winners since the tournament's inception. With 14 wins from 25 appearances, Phil Taylor dominated the competition until last winning it in 2013. Other players to win more than once are John Part (2003 & 2008), Adrian Lewis (2011 & 2012), Gary Anderson (2015 & 2016), Michael van Gerwen (2014, 2017 & 2019) and Peter Wright (2020 & 2022). The one-time winners are the inaugural champion Dennis Priestley (1994), Raymond van Barneveld (2007), Rob Cross (2018), Gerwyn Price (2021), Michael Smith (2023), Luke Humphries (2024) and Luke Littler (2025).

History

A match between Mensur Suljović and Kevin Painter at the 2010 championship

In 1992, some high-profile players, including all previous winners of the BDO World Darts Championship still active in the game, formed the WDC, and in 1994, held their first World Championship. Dennis Priestley won the inaugural competition.

The players who broke away were taking a significant gamble – the tournament was broadcast on satellite television rather than terrestrial, and from 1994 to 2001, the prize fund for the players in the WDC/PDC World Championship was lower than the prize fund in the (BDO version, although the 1997 PDC World Champion received £45,000 compared to that year's BDO World Champion receiving £38,000. In 2002, the PDC prize fund overtook that of the BDO for the first time, and the PDC event now boasts the largest prize fund of any darts competition. In 2010, the prize fund reached £1 million for the first time, with the champion collecting £200,000.

The 2014 and 2015 PDC world champions collected £250,000 for their wins. For the next three years, the winner's share increased by £50,000 each year culminating in a 2018 prize fund of £1.8 million. The prize fund for the tournament was £2.5 million with £500,000 to the winner from 2019. The 2025/26 World Championship will see the field expand to 128 players with the prize fund increasing to £5 million with a record £1 million to the champion.

The PDC World Championship is one of the most prestigious and highly anticipated events in professional darts. Organized by the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), this annual tournament brings together the world's top darts players to compete for the coveted title and a substantial prize fund. Held at iconic venues such as Alexandra Palace in London, the championship features a knockout format that showcases incredible skill, precision, and mental toughness. Fans from around the globe tune in to witness thrilling matches, high scores, and unforgettable moments as players aim for the perfect dart and chase their dreams of becoming world champion. The PDC World Championship is celebrated for its vibrant atmosphere, intense competition, and its role in elevating the popularity of darts worldwide.