New era begins at 2025/26 Paddy Power World Darts Championship

Darts' new era begins on Thursday, when the Paddy Power World Darts Championship sees the PDC's new partnership with Sky Sports commence alongside the start of unprecedented prize fund increases.

The PDC and Sky Sports announced a five-year extension to the long-standing partnership earlier this year, which begins with the biggest-ever World Darts Championship.

The event has increased to 128 players and will offer a £5 million prize fund - including the sport's first-ever £1 million winner's cheque.

However, prize money across the PDC circuit will surge to over £25 million in 2026, with increases introduced at all levels of the professional game.

“The £1 million prize for the World Champion reflects darts’ standing as one of the most exciting and in-demand sports in the world," said PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter.

“However, the increased prize funds across the circuit also demonstrate our commitment to growing earning potential for players at all levels within the PDC system.

“Expanding the player fields for the World Darts Championship is going to provide more opportunities than ever before for players around the world to feature in televised PDC events.

“The incredible growth of the PDC in recent years has seen darts elevated to levels never seen before both in terms of playing opportunities and global interest, and this tournament marks a new era for all players who are aiming to achieve the pinnacle of the sport."

The £7 million prize fund boost will include:

• Premier League prize fund increasing to £1.25 million (£350,000 first prize)
•  World Matchplay and Grand Slam of Darts increasing to £1 million prize fund
• UK Open, World Grand Prix, European Championship & Players Championship Finals increasing to £750,000 prize fund
• World Masters and World Cup of Darts increasing to £500,000 prize fund
• World Series of Darts Finals increasing to £450,000 prize fund, with each global event featuring a £100,000 prize fund
• European Tour events increasing to £230,000 prize fund and Players Championships now £150,000 per event
• Challenge & Development Tour prize funds increasing to £20,000 per event
• Women's World Matchplay increasing to £40,000 prize fund and Women's Series increasing to £15,000 per event

Professional Darts Corporation Prize Funds
World Darts Championship
Winner: £1,000,000
Runner-Up: £400,000
Semi-Finalists: £200,000
Quarter-Finalists: £100,000
Last 16 losers: £60,000
Last 32 losers: £35,000
Last 64 losers: £25,000
Last 128 losers: £15,000
Total: £5,000,000

Premier League    
Winner: £350,000
Runner-Up: £170,000
Semi-Finalists: £110,000
Fifth in Table: £95,000
Sixth in Table: £90,000
Seventh in Table: £85,000
Eighth in Table: £80,000
Nightly winner bonus: £10,000
Total: £1,250,000

World Matchplay    
Winner: £225,000
Runner-Up: £125,000
Semi-Finalists: £65,000
Quarter-Finalists: £35,000
Last 16 losers: £22,500
Last 32 losers: £12,500
Total: £1,000,000

Grand Slam of Darts    
Winner: £200,000
Runner-Up: £100,000
Semi-Finalists: £60,000
Quarter-Finalists: £35,000
Last 16 losers: £20,000
Second in Group: £12,500
Third in Group: £5,000
Total: £1,000,000

World Grand Prix    
Winner: £150,000
Runner-Up: £80,000
Semi-Finalists: £50,000
Quarter-Finalists: £35,000
Last 16 losers: £20,000
Last 32 losers: £7,500
Total: £750,000

Players Championship Finals    
Winner: £130,000
Runner-Up: £70,000
Semi-Finalists: £40,000
Quarter-Finalists: £27,500
Last 16 losers: £15,000
Last 32 losers: £7,000
Last 64 losers: £4,000
Total: £750,000

European Championship    
Winner: £150,000
Runner-Up: £80,000
Semi-Finalists: £50,000
Quarter-Finalists: £35,000
Last 16 losers: £20,000
Last 32 losers: £7,500
Total: £750,000

UK Open    
Winner: £120,000
Runner-Up: £60,000
Semi-Finalists: £35,000
Quarter-Finalists: £20,000
Last 16 losers: £12,500
Last 32 losers: £7,500
Last 64 losers: £3,000
Last 96 losers: £2,000
Last 128 losers: £1,250
Total: £750,000

World Masters    
Winner: £100,000
Runner-Up: £50,000
Semi-Finalists: £30,000
Quarter-Finalists: £17,500
Last 16 losers: £10,000
Last 32 losers: £5,000
Preliminary Rounds Last 16 losers: £2,500
Preliminary Rounds Last 32 losers: £1,000
Preliminary Rounds Last 64 losers: £750
Total: £500,000

World Cup of Darts    
Winners: £50,000 each
Runners-Up: £24,000 each
Semi-Finalists: £15,000 each
Quarter-Finalists: £10,000 each
Last 16 losers: £5,000 each
Second in Group: £3,000 each
Third in Group: £2,500 each
Total: £500,000

World Series of Darts Finals
Winner: £100,000
Runner-Up: £60,000
Semi-Finalists: £30,000
Quarter-Finalists: £17,500
Last 16 losers: £10,000
Last 32 losers: £5,000
Total: £450,000

European Tour Events
Winner: £35,000
Runner-Up: £15,000
Semi-Finalists: £10,000
Quarter-Finalists: £8,000
Last 16 losers: £5,000
Last 32 losers: £3,500
Last 48 losers: £2,000
Total: £230,000

Players Championship Events
Winner: £15,000
Runner-Up: £10,000
Semi-Finalists: £6,500
Quarter-Finalists: £4,000
Last 16 losers: £3,000
Last 32 losers: £2,000
Last 64 losers: £1,250
Total: £150,000

World Series of Darts Events
Winner: £30,000
Runner-Up: £16,000
Semi-Finalists: £10,000
Quarter-Finalists: £5,000
Last 16 losers: £1,750
Total: £100,000

Challenge & Development Tour Events
Winner: £3,000
Runner-Up: £2,000
Semi-Finalists: £1,000
Quarter-Finalists: £750
Last 16 losers: £350
Last 32 losers: £250
Last 64 losers: £100
Total: £20,000

Women’s Series Events
Winner: £2,500
Runner-Up: £1,000
Semi-Finalists: £750
Quarter-Finalists: £500
Last 16 losers: £300
Last 32 losers: £200
Last 64 losers: £75
Total: £15,000

Women’s World Matchplay
Winner: £15,000
Runner-Up: £8,000
Semi-Finalists: £4,500
Quarter-Finalists: £2,000
Total: £40,000

World Youth Championship
Winner: £15,000
Runner-Up: £7,000
Semi-Finalists: £3,400
Quarter-Finalists: £2,000
Last 16 losers: £1,500
Last 32 losers: £800
Last 64 losers: £600
Third in Group: £400
Fourth in Group: £200
Total: £100,000