The Grand Slam of Darts 2026 runs from 14 to 22 November in Wolverhampton, England, and for the first time the field grows to 48 players. Here are the dates, the new format, who qualifies, what to watch for, and what time the matches land in Taiwan.
Grand Slam of Darts 2026 dates and venue
The tournament runs from Saturday 14 to Sunday 22 November 2026, nine straight days at WV Active Aldersley in Wolverhampton, the same venue as last year. Sky Sports broadcasts it in the UK. Together with the World Championship in December it is one of the PDC's big end-of-year events; our World Championship guide is 2027 PDC World Darts Championship.
The new 48-player format: 16 groups of three
The Grand Slam is a round-robin group stage followed by a knockout. Up to 2025 it was 32 players in 8 groups of four. From 2026:
- 48 players in 16 groups of three, so everyone plays two group matches
- The top two in each group reach the last 32, then it is straight knockout to the final
- The top 16 qualifiers by PDC ranking are seeded into separate groups; the other 32 are drawn from two ranking bands
Matches get longer as the rounds go on. Last year's final was best of 31 legs; the 2026 leg formats are whatever the PDC confirms.
Who qualifies: major finalists plus women's, youth and regional champions
The Grand Slam is invitational and rewards what you have won, not just your ranking. Places come from:
- Winners and runners-up of the PDC's televised majors, such as the Premier League, World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, UK Open, European Championship and World Cup
- Up to 12 extra places: World Youth Championship finalists, the top of the Development Tour and Challenge Tour rankings, the Women's World Matchplay champion and the Women's Series number one
- Regional champions: the PDC Asian Championship, North American Championship, Nordic and Baltic Championship and ANZ Premier League
- If the field is still short of 40, European Tour and Players Championship event winners fill the gap
- The last 8 places go through a Tour Card holder qualifier on 6 November
The Asian Championship spot means an Asian player can walk straight onto this stage. For players from our part of the world, see darts players from Malaysia, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
What to watch: can Littler make it three in a row?
Luke Littler is the two-time defending champion: he beat Martin Lukeman 16-3 in the 2024 final and Luke Humphries 16-11 in 2025. Humphries, the 2023 champion, is already in this year's field too, so a rematch is possible; their history is in Littler vs Humphries. Beau Greaves has also qualified by reaching the 2025 World Youth Championship final; read her story in Beau Greaves profile. The full field is set after the qualifier, so check the PDC for the final list.
Grand Slam of Darts 2026 start times in Taiwan
British Summer Time ends in late October, so in November Taiwan is 8 hours ahead of the UK. The group stage usually has afternoon and evening sessions each day; the knockouts are mostly evenings:
| Stage | UK dates | Rough Taiwan time |
|---|---|---|
| Group stage | Sat 14 to Tue 17 Nov | Afternoon sessions around 9pm; evening sessions around 3am next day |
| Knockout | From Wed 18 Nov | Evening sessions around 3am next day |
| Final | Sun 22 Nov, evening | Early hours of Mon 23 Nov |
The rule of thumb is UK time plus 8 hours. Exact sessions and start times are on the official PDC schedule.
How to watch in Taiwan
Sky Sports has it in the UK. In places without an exclusive broadcaster, the PDC's own subscription stream PDCTV usually carries it; it is blocked in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, where TV deals apply. Check the PDCTV website before the event for availability and pricing in Taiwan.
Want company? AI DARTS is in Taipei's East District, with self-service dart machines open 24 hours, every day. The TVs in the bar can show the Grand Slam, and the final (early hours of 23 November, Taiwan time) will be on screen; watch a set, then step up to a Phoenix machine. Want a particular match on? Message us on LINE and tell us which one. Tips for a watch-and-throw night are in darts bar watch party.