World Grand Prix - Preview
The 2026 BOYLE Sports World Grand Prix begins on Monday, as the unique double-start event returns to Leicester's Mattioli Arena from September 28 to October 4.
Reigning champion Luke Littler headlines a star-studded 32-player field, with this year's tournament including a boosted 750,000 pound prize fund.
Littler claimed a maiden World Grand Prix title last year after slaying his great rival Luke Humphries 6-1 in the 2025 showpiece, with the world number one hoping to become just the third player after Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen to retain the title. The World Champion takes on the stern test of top-performing ProTour qualifier Luke Woodhouse in his opening contest, which will take place on Monday evening.
"This is not the easiest tournament to win, it's very hard as a double-start tournament," said Littler, who is hoping to bounce back after suffering his first Premier event loss since last October at the World Series of Darts Finals last weekend. "Darts these days, you can lose against anyone. "I want to be double, triple champion in whatever major that may be."
The top 16 in the world rankings will take on the top 16 performers in the 12-month ProTour rankings, with 2023 champion Humphries starring on Tuesday against two-time runner-up Dave Chisnall.
The world number two has made the last three consecutive finals at the double-start event - a feat only Taylor and Van Gerwen have also achieved - as he eyes a first Premier ranking title since last February.
"This tournament will always hold great memories for me," reminisced Humphries, who defeated Gerwyn Price in the 2023 final to claim his first Premier title. "The fact it was my first major tournament win makes it special, and it was the catalyst to allow me to go on and win everything else. "I want to put more effort in, this is the back end of a big year for myself."
Recent World Series of Darts Finals champion Ross Smith hopes to continue his excellent form in Leicester as he takes on Scottish number two Cameron Menzies. The former European Champion has scooped two European Tour titles and two Players Championship titles in 2026 and he doesn't plan on stopping there.
"I'm very overwhelmed and over the moon with it - hard work pays off, doesn't it?" reflected Smith, who is only the third player alongside Littler and Gian van Veen to currently hold an individual Premier event.
"This is my best year in the sport without a doubt, you've only got to look at the stats and the rankings.
"I think I'm fourth in year-to-date prize money, I'm obviously doing something right.
"I'm definitely confident, but at the same time I'll be boring, go to the practice board and get ready to play Cammy."
European Champion Van Veen will face World Matchplay semi-finalist Dirk van Duijvenbode in an intriguing all-Dutch tussle, in a repeat of their last eight clash at the World Series Finals.
Six-time champion Van Gerwen is pitted against 2024 semi-finalist Ryan Joyce in his opening contest, while two-time winner James Wade takes on former Masters champion Joe Cullen.
2020 champion Price - the runner-up in Amsterdam's World Series of Darts Finals earlier this month - begins his title bid against Polish debutant Sebastian Bialecki, as fellow Welsh star Jonny Clayton faces Polish number one Krzysztof Ratajski.
2016 runner-up Gary Anderson will face Australia's Damon Heta, while Nathan Aspinall and Kevin Doets will reunite their rivalry in another appealing round one tie.
Wessel Nijman and Rob Cross will lock horns for a spot in the last 16, as Dutch debutant Niels Zonneveld must navigate past Northern Irish number one Josh Rock.
Danny Noppert will take on Niko Springer - the sole German representative in this year's tournament - in Monday's opener, while Chris Dobey's match against Jermaine Wattimena will kick off Tuesday's action.
William O'Connor returns to the World Grand Prix for the first time since 2015 as he takes on Ryan Searle, with former Masters winner Stephen Bunting facing off against former UK Open winner Andrew Gilding in the final round one tie.
Following the completion of the 16 round one matches, round two will be staged across Wednesday September 30 and Thursday October 1, before the quarter-finals take place on Friday October 2. The semi-finals will then be held on Saturday October 3, before the remaining two players battle it out for the £150,000 top prize title in Sunday's showpiece on October 4.
The BOYLE Sports World Grand Prix will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK, through the PDC's worldwide broadcast partners including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV (excluding UK, Germany, Austria & Switzerland based subscribers).
Reigning champion Luke Littler headlines a star-studded 32-player field, with this year's tournament including a boosted 750,000 pound prize fund.
Littler claimed a maiden World Grand Prix title last year after slaying his great rival Luke Humphries 6-1 in the 2025 showpiece, with the world number one hoping to become just the third player after Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen to retain the title. The World Champion takes on the stern test of top-performing ProTour qualifier Luke Woodhouse in his opening contest, which will take place on Monday evening.
"This is not the easiest tournament to win, it's very hard as a double-start tournament," said Littler, who is hoping to bounce back after suffering his first Premier event loss since last October at the World Series of Darts Finals last weekend. "Darts these days, you can lose against anyone. "I want to be double, triple champion in whatever major that may be."
The top 16 in the world rankings will take on the top 16 performers in the 12-month ProTour rankings, with 2023 champion Humphries starring on Tuesday against two-time runner-up Dave Chisnall.
The world number two has made the last three consecutive finals at the double-start event - a feat only Taylor and Van Gerwen have also achieved - as he eyes a first Premier ranking title since last February.
"This tournament will always hold great memories for me," reminisced Humphries, who defeated Gerwyn Price in the 2023 final to claim his first Premier title. "The fact it was my first major tournament win makes it special, and it was the catalyst to allow me to go on and win everything else. "I want to put more effort in, this is the back end of a big year for myself."
Recent World Series of Darts Finals champion Ross Smith hopes to continue his excellent form in Leicester as he takes on Scottish number two Cameron Menzies. The former European Champion has scooped two European Tour titles and two Players Championship titles in 2026 and he doesn't plan on stopping there.
"I'm very overwhelmed and over the moon with it - hard work pays off, doesn't it?" reflected Smith, who is only the third player alongside Littler and Gian van Veen to currently hold an individual Premier event.
"This is my best year in the sport without a doubt, you've only got to look at the stats and the rankings.
"I think I'm fourth in year-to-date prize money, I'm obviously doing something right.
"I'm definitely confident, but at the same time I'll be boring, go to the practice board and get ready to play Cammy."
European Champion Van Veen will face World Matchplay semi-finalist Dirk van Duijvenbode in an intriguing all-Dutch tussle, in a repeat of their last eight clash at the World Series Finals.
Six-time champion Van Gerwen is pitted against 2024 semi-finalist Ryan Joyce in his opening contest, while two-time winner James Wade takes on former Masters champion Joe Cullen.
2020 champion Price - the runner-up in Amsterdam's World Series of Darts Finals earlier this month - begins his title bid against Polish debutant Sebastian Bialecki, as fellow Welsh star Jonny Clayton faces Polish number one Krzysztof Ratajski.
2016 runner-up Gary Anderson will face Australia's Damon Heta, while Nathan Aspinall and Kevin Doets will reunite their rivalry in another appealing round one tie.
Wessel Nijman and Rob Cross will lock horns for a spot in the last 16, as Dutch debutant Niels Zonneveld must navigate past Northern Irish number one Josh Rock.
Danny Noppert will take on Niko Springer - the sole German representative in this year's tournament - in Monday's opener, while Chris Dobey's match against Jermaine Wattimena will kick off Tuesday's action.
William O'Connor returns to the World Grand Prix for the first time since 2015 as he takes on Ryan Searle, with former Masters winner Stephen Bunting facing off against former UK Open winner Andrew Gilding in the final round one tie.
Following the completion of the 16 round one matches, round two will be staged across Wednesday September 30 and Thursday October 1, before the quarter-finals take place on Friday October 2. The semi-finals will then be held on Saturday October 3, before the remaining two players battle it out for the £150,000 top prize title in Sunday's showpiece on October 4.
The BOYLE Sports World Grand Prix will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK, through the PDC's worldwide broadcast partners including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV (excluding UK, Germany, Austria & Switzerland based subscribers).