Darts final tonight places British sport in the global spotlight as Luke Littler and Gian van Veen walk out at a sold-out Alexandra Palace in North London for the Paddy Power PDC World Darts Championship final on Saturday 3 January 2026. It is the youngest final in the tournament’s history, the first ever played for a £1 million winner’s prize, and a meeting that insiders believe could shape professional darts for the next decade. According to the editorial desk of London media outlet The WP Times, this is not just a final, but a generational reset for the sport.
Unlike many championship nights built around veterans, darts final tonight pits two players born in the 2000s against each other. Littler is already the defending world champion and the face of modern darts. Van Veen is the Dutch technician who rebuilt his career after dartitis nearly ended it. Together, they bring contrasting styles, stories and psychological pressures to the sport’s biggest stage.
When is darts final tonight? Start time, venue and match format
If you are searching “darts final tonight” for the quick, practical details, this is what you need — times in GMT (UK winter time).
Venue
Alexandra Palace (Ally Pally), North London — the PDC World Championship’s traditional home, with a full arena walk-on and late-night finish atmosphere.
Date
Saturday, 3 January 2026
UK broadcast schedule (GMT)
- 7:30pm — Live build-up begins on TV (analysis, features, crowd shots, pre-match interviews)
- ~8:15pm — Walk-ons (approx.)
- 8:00pm–8:20pm — First throw (the listed start time varies slightly depending on the broadcast run-in)
Match format
- Best of 13 sets
- First to 7 sets wins the Sid Waddell Trophy and the world title
What the format means in real terms
This is not a quick match. The set format rewards players who can reset after losing a tight leg, manage adrenaline, and keep their doubling steady as fatigue builds. Expect momentum swings: one missed double can flip a set, and one flipped set can change the entire night.
How long will it take
Most World Championship finals run roughly 2 to 3 hours, but it depends on the flow of sets:
- A one-sided final can finish earlier
- A back-and-forth classic can push towards midnight with the trophy ceremony afterwards
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How to watch darts final tonight in the UK and in London pubs
Darts final tonight is one of the biggest live broadcasts in British sport, drawing millions of viewers across television, streaming and packed pubs. Coverage is designed to run deep into the night, from the pre-match build-up through to the trophy ceremony.
UK television
The full broadcast is carried live across Sky’s main sports channels:
- Sky Sports Darts — dedicated darts coverage with expert analysis, leg-by-leg graphics and studio guests
- Sky Sports Main Event — the main national sports feed for viewers who do not subscribe specifically to the darts channel
Both channels show the complete build-up, walk-ons, match and presentation.
Streaming in the UK
For viewers watching on mobile, laptop or smart TV:
- Sky Go — included for Sky Sports subscribers
- NOW (NOW TV) — available via day or monthly sports passes, with live HD coverage and pause-and-rewind options
These platforms are commonly used in pubs, hotels and shared houses where people want to follow the match without a satellite box.
Watching darts final tonight in London pubs
London is one of the best places in the world to watch a World Championship final live in public. On final night, many venues run “sound-on” darts coverage so the walk-ons, crowd chants and big finishes come through clearly.
Where to look
- North London (Ally Pally area)
Pubs and sports bars around Alexandra Palace, Wood Green and Hornsey are traditionally the busiest. Many fill up early with fans heading to or from the arena. - Camden and Islington
These areas attract big darts crowds thanks to their high density of late-night sports bars and easy transport links to Ally Pally. - Soho and Central London
Large sports bars and casino lounges in Soho, Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus regularly screen the final with commentary, especially for tourists and office groups.
On big darts nights, venues often run extended opening hours, table reservations and themed drinks offers linked to the walk-ons and final sets.
International viewers
Outside the UK, darts final tonight is carried by:
- PDC TV (official streaming service of the Professional Darts Corporation)
- Major regional sports broadcasters in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia
Exact availability depends on territory, but most countries with a professional darts circuit carry the World Championship final live or on delay.
Final night running order: what happens and when
A World Championship final is structured as a live television event as much as a sporting contest.
| Time (GMT) | What happens |
|---|---|
| 7:30pm | Live studio build-up begins |
| ~8:15pm | Walk-ons |
| 8:00–8:20pm | First darts thrown |
| 10:30–11:30pm | Expected finish window and trophy ceremony |
A fast, one-sided match can end earlier. A close, high-quality final can push towards midnight.
How Luke Littler reached darts final tonight
Luke Littler arrives at darts final tonight as the favourite and the most commercially valuable figure in the sport. In the semi-final he dismantled Ryan Searle 6–1, losing the opening set before winning six consecutive sets in dominant fashion.
His semi-final performance in numbers:
- Three-dart average: 105.35
- Maximums (180s): 10
- Third tournament match above a 105 average
This is Littler’s third consecutive World Championship final. A win would make him a back-to-back world champion at just 18 years old, a milestone that would redefine how darts is marketed and covered for the next decade.
His style is built on speed, fearless scoring and immediate punishment of any missed double from an opponent.
How Gian van Veen reached darts final tonight
Van Veen’s route to this final is the story professionals talk about behind the scenes. He defeated Gary Anderson 6–3 in a semi-final that many players described as final-level quality.
Key features of that match:
- Both players averaged above 102
- Both hit 170 checkouts
- Van Veen absorbed sustained pressure and closed out key legs with control
What makes his presence in darts final tonight extraordinary is his history with dartitis — a neurological condition that disrupts the release of the dart. Many careers have ended because of it. Van Veen rebuilt his technique, his timing and his confidence. That experience often gives players unusual calm in the biggest moments, because they have already survived something worse than a missed double.
Why darts final tonight could define the next decade
Darts final tonight is exactly the type of matchup broadcasters and sponsors wait for — not just a championship, but the birth of a rivalry that can carry a sport for years. Luke Littler and Gian van Veen are not separated by eras or generations. They are separated by styles and psychology.
Littler plays with explosive rhythm. He scores fast, attacks doubles without hesitation and builds momentum in waves that can overwhelm opponents in a matter of minutes. When he is flowing, matches accelerate and crowds rise with him.
Van Veen plays the opposite way. His game is built on structure, timing and emotional control. He slows the tempo, manages legs carefully and thrives when matches become tense and technical. After rebuilding his career following dartitis, pressure situations no longer unsettle him — they focus him.
That contrast creates television drama. One player pushes the pace, the other absorbs it. One feeds off energy, the other drains it. Crucially, they are both in their early twenties. That means this final is not a one-off. It is the beginning of a storyline the PDC, Sky Sports and global sponsors can return to again and again, just as they once did with Taylor versus Van Gerwen. For professional darts as a business, that kind of rivalry is priceless.
What is at stake tonight
Darts final tonight is the most financially significant match the sport has ever staged.
On the line
- £1,000,000 winner’s prize — the largest single payout in darts history
- The Sid Waddell Trophy — the most recognisable symbol of world champion status
- Control of the sport’s narrative for the next decade
If Luke Littler wins, he cements himself as the defining figure of modern darts — a young champion around whom the sport can be marketed globally.
If Gian van Veen wins, it becomes one of the greatest comeback stories the game has ever seen — a player who survived dartitis lifting the biggest trophy in the sport, reshaping rankings, sponsorships and expectations overnight. Either way, darts final tonight does not just crown a champion. It sets the direction of the entire era that follows.
Read about the life of Westminster and Pimlico district, London and the world. 24/7 news with fresh and useful updates on culture, business, technology and city life: World Darts Championship 2025/26: Luke Littler leads £1m title race at London’s Ally Pally
