Mark your calendars for January 3rd if you’re in the UK. But wait—January 3rd is a Tuesday sometimes, or a Thursday. The PDC likes to keep you guessing, like a magician with a dart. They’ve also been known to move it to January 2nd if a bank holiday interferes. The only constant is that it’s never on a Monday. Why? Because Mondays are for regretting what you did on Sunday, not for watching tiny missiles hit a sisal target.
World Darts Championship 2026: Luke Littler thrashes Gian van Veen in
Here’s a wild fact: the longest darts final in history lasted over 80 minutes for a single set. That’s longer than some entire movies. If you’re tuning in from the U.S., that’s roughly the time it takes to watch two episodes of The Office. But instead of Jim’s smirk, you get a man in a sparkly vest sweating through his third shirt of the night. Glorious.
What About the Warm-Up Acts?
Before the final, you get the Walk-Ons. These are not optional. Each player picks a song—usually a rock anthem or a pop banger—and struts to the stage like a peacock on caffeine. Phil Taylor used to walk on to “The Power” by Snap!, which is ironic because he didn’t need a song—he was the power. Today, you’ll hear everything from AC/DC to Beyoncé. It’s a mini concert before the main event. Don’t skip it.
And then there’s the introductions. The announcer, with a voice like a lion with a cold, bellows each player’s name and nickname. “And the challenger… ‘The Snakebite’ Peter Wright!” The crowd roars. A woman in a snake hat yells “C’mon, Peter!” He then walks to the oche, adjusts his mohawk, and throws a dart that lands with the force of a small meteor. That is how a final begins.
