PDC World Darts Championship Expands to 128 Players, Includes Four Women

The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) has announced significant changes for the 2025-26 World Darts Championship, expanding the field to a record 128 players from 96 previously, with the winner receiving a £1 million prize from a £5 million pot. A key format change requires all players, including the 32 seeds and those ranked 33-64, to start in the first round, adopting a Wimbledon-style draw that increases the number of matches top players like defending champion Luke Littler must win. The expansion aims to provide more opportunities for players from global affiliate and secondary tours, notably guaranteeing a minimum of four women competitors, including qualifiers from the PDC Women's World Matchplay and Women's Series. Qualification for the tournament includes the top 40 players from the PDC Order of Merit, the top 40 non-qualified players from the ProTour Order of Merit, and 48 international qualifiers, with additional spots for youth and development tour champions. Concurrently, the PDC Asian Tour will expand to 28 tournaments, culminating in a four-day finale that replaces previous qualification events for the PDC Asian Championship, which offers qualification for the Grand Slam of Darts and the World Darts Championship. Leading Asian players such as Lourence Ilagan and Man Lok Leung are currently at the forefront of the Asian Tour Order of Merit, highlighting the growing competitiveness and global reach of the sport.