World number one and former champion Luke Littler is slated to headline the roster of Tour Card Holders and International Qualifiers who will compete in the upcoming Winmau World Youth Championship on Monday. The championship, which is the premier event for young darts talent, will showcase a full field of 128 players once the Development Tour season wraps up this weekend. The concluding Development Tour events, numbered 21 through 24, are being held in Wigan on October 3 and 4, and the results of those tournaments will determine the final composition of the youth championship lineup. The 2026 edition of the World Youth Championship will unfold in two distinct phases.
The first phase, a round‑robin group stage, will take place on Monday, October 5, at the Robin Park Leisure Centre. Following the group matches, the competition will transition to a knockout format, beginning with the last 64 and progressing through to the semi‑finals on the same day.
The tournament’s climax, the final, is scheduled for Sunday, November 29, at Butlin's Minehead Resort, where it will be staged alongside the Ladbrokes Players Championship Finals. In addition to the prestige of competing on a major stage, the champion will vie for a heightened top prize of £15,000. Littler’s path to the youth championship has not been without drama.
He withdrew from Players Championship events 29 and 30 after a disappointing loss at the World Series Finals in Amsterdam, a decision that effectively ended his chances of qualifying for the Minehead finals in November. Nevertheless, his standing as world number one guarantees his participation in the youth event, and he remains eligible to play at the venue. The 128‑player field will be composed of several categories.
All age‑qualified PDC Tour Card Holders who accept the invitation will be included, alongside 26 international representatives selected from various national darts bodies. The remaining slots will be filled by the top performers from the final Development Tour Rankings, ensuring that the most promising young players earn their place. During the group stage, the competitors will be divided into 32 groups of four players each. Each group will contain one seeded player, with seedings derived from the PDC Werner Rankings Ladder and the Development Tour Rankings.
Matches in this stage will be contested over the best of nine legs. The two highest‑placed players from each group will advance to the knockout rounds, which will be played as best‑of‑11‑leg matches from the last 64 onward. As the top seed, Luke Littler enters the tournament with the advantage of his world‑number‑one ranking and his recent triumph at the 2023 World Youth Championship. He will be joined at the top of the seedings by Poland’s Sebastian Bialecki and Ireland’s Keane Barry.
Other notable entrants include 2024 runner‑up Jurjen van der Velde, as well as emerging talents such as Cam Crabtree, Charlie Manby, Owen Bates, and Adam Gawlas from Czechia. The field also features a number of younger players making the step up to the Development Tour. Sixteen‑year‑old Lewis Cook, a standout from the Junior Darts Circuit (JDC), will compete alongside rising stars Kaya Baysal, Archie Self, and Ben Townley. From the PDC Women’s Series rankings, Eleanor Cairns and Kyana Frauenfelder have secured places, reflecting the growing inclusivity of the sport.
Notably absent from the lineup are two‑time reigning champion Gian van Veen, who will not be defending his title, and former runner‑up Beau Greaves, who chose not to enter this year’s competition. Yorick Hofkens also opted out of the Monday event. The tournament schedule is tight: group matches will commence at 11:30 am on Monday at Robin Park Leisure Centre, with each contest played over nine legs. After the group stage, the top two players from each group will move into the last‑64 knockout bracket, where matches will extend to eleven legs, increasing the strategic depth and stamina required.
A comprehensive list of participants has been released, highlighting both age‑qualified Tour Card Holders and International Qualifiers. Among the Tour Card Holders are Luke Littler, Sebastian Bialecki, Keane Barry, Cam Crabtree, Dominik Gruellich, Charlie Manby, Leon Weber, Tavis Dudeney, Adam Gawlas, Owen Bates, Jurjen van der Velde, and Tyler Thorpe.
International qualifiers span the globe, featuring players such as Liam Maendl‑Lawrance (Germany), Mika Donnevert (Germany), Mio Varila (Finland), Alexander Thorvaldsson (Iceland), Daniel Kortbek (Denmark), Ky Smith (Australia), Bailey Marsh (Australia), Jayden Wedemeyer (Australia), Mitchel Beswick (Australia), Jack Sheppard (New Zealand), Hunter Eyles (New Zealand), Zacarno King (New Zealand), Zachary Meeks (USA), Conner Olson (USA), Liam McNeil (Canada), Benjamin Goddard (Canada), Craig Galliano (Gibraltar), Hayden Moodley (South Africa), Jason Britz (South Africa), Eleanor Cairns (England), Kyana Frauenfelder (Netherlands), Lewis Cook (England), Jaichen Song (China), Hiroyuki Tanaka (Japan), Zhijun Cui (China), and Duyana Decena (Philippines). Beyond the youth championship, Sky Sports continues to be the primary broadcaster for darts, covering major events such as the World Grand Prix (running until October 4), the Grand Slam of Darts (scheduled for November 14‑22), and the World Darts Championship (December 10‑January 3).
Fans can also stream darts and related content through the NOW platform without a contract, ensuring broad access to the sport’s biggest moments. In summary, the 2026 Winmau World Youth Championship promises a blend of established talent and fresh faces, with Luke Littler leading the charge as the top‑seeded competitor. The tournament’s format, prize fund, and global representation underscore its importance as a stepping stone for the next generation of darts professionals.