Sports correspondent & historian with Sideline Sid

While the Christmas presents sit under the tree awaiting opening, the first world sporting championship of 2026 has already kicked off with its opening round of competition.

The World Darts Championship’s timing over the Christmas and New Year period allows the event to dominate the UK sporting calendar without clashing with other major sporting events.

The latest edition of the World Darts Championship began on December 11 and will continue uninterrupted, except for a three‑day break over Christmas, before the winner is crowned on January 3.

The prize of £1 million ($2.32m) will be awarded to the last man standing on January 3, from the 126 players who qualified for the world title race.

An early upset was provided by Kiwi Jonny Tata, who won a closely fought battle with No 25 seed Ritchie Edhouse to claim a 3–2 victory. Tata must now wait until December 23 while the remaining first‑round contests are played out before his second‑round match.

Few sports have undergone the transformation that has occurred in top‑tier darts.

The sport was long rooted in British pubs, and it wasn’t until 1989 that the British Darts Organisation (BDO) banned the drinking of alcohol on stage at major tournaments. At the same time, cigarette smoking on stage during competition was also stopped.

In 1993, a group of top players led by 14‑time world champion Phil Taylor severed ties with the BDO and helped establish the PDC (Professional Darts Corporation).

Vision is the primary driver of success, and in the case of darts, that vision came from British entrepreneur Barry Hearn. The head of Matchroom Sport – who had taken snooker from the smoky billiard halls of England to worldwide television audiences – saw darts as another opportunity to grow both his brand and the sport.

As PDC president, Hearn transformed darts into a global spectacle, focusing on a unique fan experience featuring elaborate player walk‑ons, fancy dress and a party‑like atmosphere.

Hearn also championed the sport’s global expansion and significantly increased prizemoney.

In 2025, an ANZ Premier Darts League was established, from which Jonny Tata and fellow Kiwi Haupai Puha qualified for the 2026 World Darts Championship.

In my opinion, three key components of the PDC master plan have elevated darts’ pinnacle event into must‑watch television.

Star players such as Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen, Peter Wright and teenage phenomenon Luke Littler have captured the attention of new and younger audiences.

The tournament at Alexandra Palace in London, known as the “Ally Pally”, has developed a uniquely raucous atmosphere that blurs the line between a sporting event and a party.

Underlying the success of the PDC World Championship is social media and modern marketing, which keep the sport close and personal for fans.

With UK evening sessions aligning perfectly for New Zealand Sky audiences at 8am, there’s nothing better than breakfast or brunch while watching the darts over the coming weeks.

With the winner almost certain to emerge from the world’s top 32 Order of Merit players, there is no obvious standout in my view.

My pick is Englishman Stephen Bunting, ranked fourth in the world, to claim his maiden World Darts Championship crown.