Luke Littler will start his bid for a 3rd consecutive Grand Slam of Darts title in opposition to Beau Greaves after the defending champion was drawn alongside the ladies’s darts star and Niels Zonneveld in Group A.
The 2026 Grand Slam of Darts takes place from 14–22 November at WV Energetic Aldersley in Wolverhampton. This 12 months’s event introduces a considerably totally different format, with 48 gamers competing throughout 16 teams of three.
Solely the group winners will advance to the knockout phases, leaving little room for errors within the opening matches.
The PDC’s confirmed event draw additionally locations former champion Luke Humphries alongside Joe Cullen and Paolo Nebrida, whereas Michael van Gerwen faces Jeffrey de Graaf and Henry Coates.
Gamers will compete for the Eric Bristow Trophy and a file £1 million prize fund, with £200,000 going to the champion.
Littler faces Greaves in opening group match
Littler arrives in Wolverhampton because the world primary and two-time defending champion. He received the event in 2024 and retained the title in 2025, defeating Humphries 16-11 in final 12 months’s closing.
{The teenager} has but to lose a match on the Grand Slam, however his opening task presents an intriguing problem.
Greaves defeated Littler 6-5 within the semi-finals of the 2025 World Youth Championship. Littler responded with a 6-5 victory once they met at Gamers Championship 24 in August 2026.
Their newest encounter will happen throughout Saturday’s night session on 14 November.
Greaves, a three-time Girls’s World Matchplay champion, has demonstrated her means to compete in opposition to main male professionals. Nevertheless, going through the defending champion on one among darts’ greatest televised phases presents a distinct check.
Zonneveld can’t be missed both.
The Dutchman defeated Littler 6-5 on the Belgian Darts Open earlier this 12 months and subsequently secured his first PDC rating title on the Dutch Darts Championship.
With just one qualification place accessible, the result of Littler’s opening match may form the whole group.
Readers can revisit Littler’s progress in the direction of the 2026 World Matchplay closing for additional context on his performances in opposition to established rivals.
Grand Slam of Darts 2026 full group draw
The PDC carried out the draw on Monday 9 November, inserting the 48 qualifiers into 16 teams.
Every group accommodates one seeded participant and two extra qualifiers.
The confirmed draw is as follows:
| Group | Seeded participant | Different gamers |
|---|---|---|
| A | Luke Littler (1) | Niels Zonneveld, Beau Greaves |
| B | Jermaine Wattimena (16) | Alan Soutar, Lisa Ashton |
| C | Josh Rock (8) | Kevin Doets, Tommy Morris |
| D | Stephen Bunting (9) | Cameron Menzies, Raymond Smith |
| E | Gerwyn Worth (4) | Sebastian Bialecki, Joe Hunt |
| F | Ryan Searle (13) | Andrew Gilding, Charlie Manby |
| G | Jonny Clayton (5) | Rob Cross, Anton Ostlund |
| H | Wessel Nijman (12) | Niko Springer, Adam Sevada |
| I | Luke Humphries (2) | Joe Cullen, Paolo Nebrida |
| J | Luke Woodhouse (15) | Krzysztof Ratajski, Tom Sykes |
| Okay | James Wade (7) | Ricky Evans, Cam Crabtree |
| L | Michael van Gerwen (10) | Jeffrey de Graaf, Henry Coates |
| M | Gian van Veen (3) | Bradley Brooks, Carl Sneyd |
| N | Chris Dobey (14) | Martin Schindler, Jan Schmidt |
| O | Ross Smith (6) | Gabriel Clemens, Rusty-Jake Rodriguez |
| P | Nathan Aspinall (11) | Karel Sedlacek, Maik Kuivenhoven |
A number of teams include gamers able to difficult the established favourites.
Group G brings collectively Jonny Clayton and 2023 runner-up Rob Cross, whereas Group Okay options James Wade, Ricky Evans and Cam Crabtree.
Group D additionally appears to be like aggressive, with Stephen Bunting going through Cameron Menzies and Raymond Smith.
Humphries enters Group I because the second seed. His principal problem may come from former Masters champion Cullen, though Nebrida will likely be aiming to provide an upset.
In the meantime, three-time Grand Slam champion Gerwyn Worth begins his marketing campaign in opposition to Joe Hunt in Group E, with Sebastian Bialecki finishing the group.
Which gamers are the favourites?
Littler stands out among the many main contenders following his consecutive Grand Slam victories.
His mixture of heavy scoring and constant ending has made him troublesome to beat in main tournaments. Nonetheless, the revised group format means even the defending champion should negotiate two probably decisive opening matches.
Humphries stays one other distinguished contender.
The 2023 champion reached final 12 months’s closing and has the expertise to navigate the longer matches that await profitable group winners.
His route via Group I seems manageable on paper, though Cullen has the scoring means to problem the previous world champion.
Worth may even entice consideration.
The Welshman has received the Grand Slam 3 times and understands the calls for of the Wolverhampton event. His expertise may change into significantly vital through the knockout rounds.
Van Gerwen is one other three-time champion looking for so as to add to his tally.
The Dutchman stays able to producing the sustained scoring required to defeat main opponents, however he should first overcome de Graaf and Coates.
Gian van Veen and Josh Rock present extra competitors among the many greater seeds.
Van Veen enters because the third seed and can face Bradley Brooks and Carl Sneyd. Rock, seeded eighth, should negotiate matches in opposition to Kevin Doets and Tommy Morris.
Neither must be dismissed just because Littler and Humphries dominate a lot of the pre-tournament dialogue.
How does the brand new Grand Slam format work?
The largest change for 2026 considerations the group stage.
Earlier editions featured 32 gamers divided into eight teams of 4, with the highest two advancing.
This 12 months, the competitors expands to 48 rivals throughout 16 teams of three.
Every participant faces the opposite two members of their group as soon as. Victories earn two factors, whereas defeats earn none.
Solely the participant ending first progresses to the final 16.
If three gamers end degree on factors, the PDC separates them utilizing leg distinction, legs received, legs received in opposition to throw and, if needed, event and winning-match averages. A nine-dart shoot-out can resolve any remaining tie.
The event additionally makes use of totally different match lengths because the competitors progresses:
- Group stage: Better of 9 legs.
- Final 16: Better of 19 legs.
- Quarter-finals: Better of 31 legs.
- Semi-finals: Better of 31 legs.
- Last: Better of 31 legs.
These modifications place better strain on the opening fixtures. A participant who loses their first match has significantly much less alternative to get better than below the earlier system.
Shorter group matches may create alternatives for lower-ranked rivals, significantly when a favorite struggles with ending doubles.
For readers unfamiliar with the scoring system, World in Sport’s darts guidelines defined information covers legs, checkouts, doubles and match codecs.
Grand Slam of Darts 2026 schedule and dates
The competitors begins on Saturday 14 November and concludes with the ultimate on Sunday 22 November.
All session instances under are GMT.
- Saturday 14 November: Group matches, 1 pm and seven pm
- Sunday 15 November: Group matches, 1 pm and seven.30 pm
- Monday 16 November: Last group matches in Teams A–H, 7 pm
- Tuesday 17 November: Last group matches in Teams I–P,7 pmm.
- Wednesday 18 November: 4 last-16 matches, 7 pm
- Thursday 19 November: 4 last-16 matches,7 pmm.
- Friday 20 November: Two quarter-finals, 7 pm
- Saturday 21 November: Two quarter-final7 pm7pm.
- Sunday 22 November: Semi-finals at 1 pm and closing at 7.30 pm
Saturday’s afternoon session opens with Luke Woodhouse in opposition to Tom Sykes.
Different afternoon fixtures embrace Stephen Bunting in opposition to Raymond Smith, Josh Rock in opposition to Tommy Morris and Jonny Clayton in opposition to Anton Ostlund.
The night programme options a number of established names.
Van Gerwen meets Henry Coates, Humphries faces Paolo Nebrida, and Littler takes on Greaves.
The group-stage outcomes will decide the remaining fixtures, whereas the knockout bracket has already been established.
The Group A winner will face the Group B winner within the final 16, with the remaining teams paired consecutively via to Teams O and P.
Grand Slam of Darts 2026 prize cash
The 2026 event includes a complete prize fund of £1 million, a rise from £650,000 in 2025.
The champion receives £200,000, whereas the runner-up earns £100,000.
Each shedding semi-finalists obtain £60,000, and quarter-finalists accumulate £35,000.
Gamers eradicated within the final 16 earn £20,000.
The revised group stage additionally offers funds for rivals who fail to qualify for the knockout rounds. Second-place finishers obtain £12,500, whereas third-place finishers accumulate £5,000.
In line with the PDC’s official prize-money laws, the elevated monetary rewards kind a part of the governing physique’s wider 2026 prize-fund construction.
The Grand Slam is a rating event, which means performances may affect gamers’ positions on the PDC Order of Benefit.
World in Sport’s PDC darts prize-money information explains how event earnings have an effect on rankings and gamers’ careers.
The place to observe the Grand Slam of Darts 2026
Sky Sports activities will broadcast the event dwell in the UK.
Protection begins on Saturday 14 November, with afternoon and night periods scheduled throughout the opening weekend.
The competitors may even be accessible via the PDC’s worldwide broadcasting companions, together with DAZN and Viaplay in supported territories.
PDCTV protection is accessible in eligible worldwide markets, though geographical restrictions apply.
Can Littler full a Grand Slam hat-trick?
Littler enters the event making an attempt to change into the primary participant since Van Gerwen to win three consecutive Grand Slam titles.
Van Gerwen achieved that distinction between 2015 and 2017.
The defending champion’s unbeaten file on the occasion strengthens his credentials, however his draw presents fast challenges.
Greaves has already proven she will defeat Littler, whereas Zonneveld has crushed him through the present season.
The brand new format means there isn’t a easy route via the opening spherical.
Even when Littler advances, the competitors consists of former champions Humphries, Worth and Van Gerwen, together with a number of gamers able to producing main victories.
Saturday’s encounter between Littler and Greaves will due to this fact present an early indication of how the defending champion is adapting to the revised competitors.
With just one participant advancing from every group, the event may take a decisive flip earlier than the knockout stage begins.
