Biggest prize money increase in PDC history confirmed
Darts March 31st, 2025
 

The biggest prize money increase in the history of the Professional Darts Corporation has been confirmed, with an unprecedented £1 million prize to be introduced for the World Darts Championship winner and over £25 million to be on offer next year.

In a landmark announcement for the sport, the PDC will boost prize funds at all levels on the professional circuit in 2026, introducing a historic increase of £7 million from 2025 figures.

The World Darts Championship will become bigger than ever before from the 2025/26 event, with an expanded 128-player field competing for a £5 million prize fund – including a huge £1 million for the winner.

The Premier League prize pot will increase to £1.25 million from 2026, with £350,000 for next season’s champion.

A £1 million prize fund will be on offer at the World Matchplay and Grand Slam of Darts, with the latter also expanding to a 48-player field next year to mark the 20th staging of the unique tournament.

Four other Premier events – the World Grand Prix, Players Championship Finals, European Championship and UK Open – will all increase to a £750,000 prize fund next year, with the World Cup of Darts and World Series of Darts Finals each adding a further £50,000 to their respective prize funds.

European Tour event prize funds will increase to £230,000 for the 14 tournaments to be held next year, while the 34 Players Championship events will rise to £150,000 each.

The PDC’s commitment beyond the ProTour will also see a £5,000 per event increase for Challenge Tour, Development Tour and Women’s Series events, the Women’s World Matchplay being boosted to a £40,000 prize fund and a 50% increase in funding for global affiliate tours and overseas development.

PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter commented: “The £1 million prize for the World Champion reflects darts’ standing as one of the most exciting and in-demand sports in the world and the historic total will rightly attract headlines as the biggest prize ever paid out in the sport.

“However, the increased prize funds announced today 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 and Grand Slam of Darts will 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 is a huge moment for all players with the ambition to make it to the very pinnacle of the sport.”

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