Watching the World Darts Championship This Winter
The short answer
The PDC World Darts Championship runs from mid-December to early January at Alexandra Palace, broadcast in the UK by Sky Sports. It plays across afternoon and evening sessions almost every day of the festive period, which makes it exceptional value for a single subscription month.
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Darts at Alexandra Palace has become a fixture of the British Christmas, and it is quietly one of the best-value events on television — a fortnight of near-daily live sport at times that suit people who are off work.
Here is how it is covered and what to expect.
Key takeaways
- Runs from mid-December through to the final in early January
- Sky Sports holds UK rights, with sessions most days over Christmas
- Afternoon and evening sessions, typically from 12:30pm and 7pm
- One of the highest hours-per-pound sports on British television
- The final traditionally falls on or around 3 January
When it runs
Afternoon sessions typically start around 12:30pm and evening sessions around 7pm, with several matches in each. It is a lot of live sport concentrated into a fortnight.
- Opening night in mid-December
- Sessions most days through to Christmas Eve
- A short break over Christmas Day and Boxing Day
- Resumes on 27 December through the New Year
- Semi-finals and final in the first days of January
Why it is good value
A single month's subscription covering the darts also covers Premier League fixtures over the festive period, Boxing Day football, and the New Year programme. December is the month where a sports subscription works hardest.
It is also the sport where the whole household tends to watch together, which is not something you can say about most of the schedule.
If you are going to trial an IPTV service at any point in the year, the fortnight between mid-December and early January puts more live sport in front of you than any other.
What else is on over the same period
- Premier League fixtures on Boxing Day and around New Year
- The festive EFL programme
- Winter cricket from overseas tours
- NFL playoff races entering the final regular-season weeks
- Christmas films and box sets across the on-demand library
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Frequently asked
Which channel shows the World Darts Championship?
When is the darts final?
Are there matches on Christmas Day?
Is the darts in 4K?
Broadcast rights, fixtures and prices change. This page was last checked on 10 August 2026 — tell us on WhatsApp if you spot something out of date and we will correct it.