The Players Championship 2026 is a series of 34 darts tournaments on the 2026 PDC Pro Tour. The events are not usually televised, but the series culminates near the end of the year at the Players Championship Finals.
In 2026, the Players Championship will once again play a crucial role in shaping the PDC season. From ranking points and prize money to qualification for the sport’s biggest events, this series is where the world’s best darts players grind week after week behind closed doors.
Below, we have everything you need to know about the Players Championship 2026 so you can stay up-to-date with the competition all year long.
What is the Players’ Championship in darts, and who can compete?
The Players Championship is a series of floor tournaments organised by the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). Unlike televised majors, these events are played without a live crowd, putting the focus purely on performance and consistency.
The competition is open only to PDC Tour Card holders and is a series of individual one-day tournaments. Results from these events directly impact the Players Championship Order of Merit, which determines who reaches the season-ending Players Championship Finals, where the top 64 compete for the title in Butlins Minehead. Last year, Luke Littler won the finals.
Being open only to PDC Tour Card holders, it means that the 128 players who hold a tour card can compete. These tour card holders come from those in the Top 64 of the Order of Merit, those who qualify through Q-School, or those who qualify through the Challenge Tour.
Players Championship 2026 dates and schedule
Five different venues will host the Players Championship over the year in England, Germany and the Netherlands. The events are one-day events, and each venue hosts two back-to-back.
Here is the schedule for the year:
Players Championship 1-2: Hildesheim, Germany, February 9-10
Players Championship 3-4: Wigan, England, February 16-17
Players Championship 5-6: Leicester, England, February 24-25
Players Championship 7-8: Leicester, England, March 30-31
Players Championship 9-10: Wigan, England, April 13-14
Players Championship 11-12: Milton Keynes, England, April 27-28
Players Championship 13-14: Hildesheim, Germany, May 4-5
Players Championship 15-16: Leicester, England, May 12-13
Players Championship 17-18: Leicester, England, May 18-19
Players Championship 19-20: Milton Keynes, England, June 2-3
Players Championship 21-22: Wigan, England, June 16-17
Players Championship 23-24: Leicester, England, July 6-7
Players Championship 25-26: Hildesheim, Germany, July 28-29
Players Championship 27-28: Leicester, England, August 25-26
Players Championship 29-30: Maaspoort, Netherlands, September 22-23
Players Championship 31-32: Maaspoort, Netherlands, October 28-29
Players Championship 33-34: Leicester, England, November 4-5
Players Championship Finals: Minehead, England, November 27-29
Players Championship format and rules
Each Players’ Championship event is a straight knockout format. From the start until the quarterfinals, it is best of 11 legs. The semifinals increase to best of 13 legs, before the final is best of 15 legs.
Match format:
Early rounds: Best of 11 legs
Semifinals: Best of 13 legs
Final: Best of 15 legs
Players Championship prize money
The overall prize pot for the Players’ Championship events is set at £150,000 per event. You earn money based on where you finish in the competition, with the winner earning £15,000 and £10,000 for the runner-up.
You can see the full breakdown below:
Winner: £15,000
Runner-up: £10,000
Semifinalists: £6,500
Quarterfinalists: £4,000
Last 16: £3,000
Last 32: £2,000
Last 64: £1,250
Total: £150,000