Alexandra Palace will remain the long-term home of the PDC World Darts Championship after tournament chiefs agreed a new five-year deal that guarantees the sport’s showpiece stays in North London until at least 2031.
The agreement ends periodic speculation that the Worlds might be relocated elsewhere in the capital or even taken overseas as global interest in darts continues to surge.
In a landmark development for the event, organisers confirmed that from the 2026–27 season the competition will shift into the venue’s Great Hall - a move that represents one of the most significant upgrades in the championship’s modern history.
The switch will increase overall capacity to around 180,000 spectators, more than 70,000 higher than next year’s edition, and will allow individual sessions to host in excess of 5,000 fans.
TRENDING
Stories
Videos
Your Say
The existing hall used for the tournament accommodates approximately 3,300.
That expansion underscores both the sport’s extraordinary commercial momentum and the PDC’s confidence that demand for tickets will continue to outstrip supply.
The World Championship now spans a period longer than the Olympic Games, and sell-outs have become virtually guaranteed during the festive pilgrimage to Ally Pally.
Five facts darts fans might not know | PA/GBNEWSLuke Littler, who became world champion in spectacular fashion at just 18, will begin his title defence on Thursday 11 December against Darius Labanauskas.
Prize money for the 2026 winner will rise to £1million, reflecting the tournament’s elevated profile and the governing body’s commitment to boosting rewards for elite players.
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
Luke Littler won the World Darts Championship in January
|PA
This year marks a transitional stage, with the field expanding to 128 players and four additional days added to the schedule in response to unprecedented interest.
The continued growth of the event stands in stark contrast to its more modest beginnings: the first Sid Waddell Trophy was awarded at Alexandra Palace on 1 January 2008, when Canadian John Part defeated Kirk Shepherd 7–2.
Before its move to north London, the championship was staged at the Circus Tavern in Purfleet, a venue whose final final has entered darts folklore.
In 2007, Raymond van Barneveld secured his fifth world title by edging Phil Taylor in a sudden-death leg - a showdown still widely regarded as the greatest match the sport has produced.
Alexandra Palace is an iconic venue in the UK
| GETTYWith the latest agreement securing the World Championship’s home for another decade, the PDC has made clear that Alexandra Palace, steeped in atmosphere and now upgraded to meet surging demand, remains the spiritual centre of elite darts.
Read on below for some fun facts about the venue.
Five facts about Alexandra Palace
1) Alexandra Palace, often called “Ally Pally,” opened in 1873 as a public entertainment venue and was intended as the “People’s Palace.”
2) The BBC made its first public television broadcast from Alexandra Palace in 1936, making it one of the historic birthplaces of television.
3) The building sits atop Muswell Hill in North London and offers panoramic views over the city.
4) Alexandra Palace has survived two major fires, one in 1873 (just weeks after opening) and another in 1980, each requiring extensive restoration.
5) Today, the venue hosts concerts, exhibitions, sporting events, and the annual PDC World Darts Championship in its West Hall.