'We need to give the PDC an awful lot of credit' - World Darts Championship changes described as 'biggest statement PDC have ever done'

The PDC has unveiled significant changes to the structure of the PDC World Darts Championship, set to come into effect at the upcoming 2026 edition at the Alexandra Palace festive period.

In what is being seen as a major levelling of the playing field, all 128 players — including the top 32 seeds — will now enter the tournament from the first round. This marks the end of the long-standing system in which seeded players received a bye into round two. From now on, every competitor must win the same number of matches to lift the Sid Waddell Trophy.

Alongside the revamped draw structure, the qualification process has also been overhauled. The top 40 players on the PDC Order of Merit will automatically qualify, joined by the top 40 on the Pro Tour Order of Merit who have not already qualified via the main rankings. The aim is to widen the opportunity for in-form and consistent Tour players to secure a place on darts’ biggest stage.

Former professional turned current Sky Sports pundit Matthew Edgar has praised the move. "This is a moment where we need to give the PDC an awful lot of credit for wat they have done," says the three-time Ally Pally qualifier on Sky Sports' Love the Darts podcast. "They've come in for a lot of criticism recently, I've been one of those to have mentioned things, as have a lot of other players. But this is the biggest statement they've ever done in terms of supporting the whole tour."

Edgar also highlighted how the changes impact Tour Card holders. "You've got the top 40 of the main rank and the top 40 of the Players Championship. As it stands, just before PC16, £11,000 got you in. It's £1,000 for a win!" Edgar notes. "The bar has been significantly lowered."

However, he did raise one point of concern over the allocation of places from the secondary tours. The top four players from both the Women’s Series and the Development Tour will qualify for the World Championship, but only the top three from the Challenge Tour will do the same.

“That’s the only thing that doesn’t quite add up,” Edgar noted. “The Women’s and Development Tours are closed circuits — one is women-only, the other is for under-23s. The Challenge Tour is open to everyone, regardless of age or gender, so why should it offer fewer spots?”