World number one and former champion Luke Littler will be the marquee name among the Tour Card Holders and International Qualifiers slated to compete in the upcoming Winmau World Youth Championship on Monday. The tournament’s full roster of 128 competitors will be locked in after the Development Tour season wraps up this weekend, with the final four Development Tour events (Events 21‑24) taking place in Wigan on 3‑4 October.
The 2026 edition of the World Youth Championship will unfold in two distinct phases. The initial round‑robin stage, followed by a knockout segment that begins at the last‑64 and proceeds to the semi‑finals, will both be staged on Monday, 5 October, at the Robin Park Leisure Centre.
Organisers recommend using the Chrome browser for optimal video‑player performance. Littler’s path to the event has been somewhat turbulent. After a loss at the World Series Finals in Amsterdam, he withdrew from Players Championship 29 and 30, effectively ending his chance to qualify for the Minehead finals in November. Nevertheless, his status as a top‑ranked player still guarantees him a place at the venue.
The championship’s climax is scheduled for Sunday, 29 November, when the final will be contested at Butlin’s Minehead Resort as part of the Ladbrokes Players Championship Finals. A boosted top prize of £15,000 will be on offer for the winner. The 128‑player field is composed of several distinct groups: all age‑qualified PDC Tour Card Holders who have accepted an invitation, 26 international representatives, and the remaining slots filled by the highest‑ranked players on the Development Tour Rankings.
During the group stage, participants will be divided into 32 groups of four, each containing one seeded player. Seedings are determined first by the PDC Werner Rankings Ladder and then by the Development Tour Rankings. The two best performers from each group will move on to the knockout rounds, which commence at the last‑64 stage. Again, Chrome is the preferred browser for a smoother viewing experience.
As the reigning World Youth Champion from 2023, Littler will occupy the top seed position, reflecting his world‑number‑one status. He will be joined at the top of the seedings by Poland’s Sebastian Bialecki and Ireland’s Keane Barry. Former runner‑up Jurjen van der Velde, who finished second in 2024, will also return, alongside notable names such as Cam Crabtree, Charlie Manby, Owen Bates, and the Czech competitor Adam Gawlas.
Among the younger talent, 16‑year‑old Lewis Cook—who has made a name for himself on the Junior Darts Corporation (JDC) circuit—will be featured. Other emerging stars include Kaya Baysal, Archie Self and Ben Townley, all of whom have stepped up to the Development Tour this season.
From the PDC Women’s Series rankings, Eleanor Cairns and Kyana Frauenfelder will also be part of the line‑up. Two‑time champion Gian van Veen will not be defending his title, and former runner‑up Beau Greaves, who lost to Van Veen a year earlier, along with Yorick Hofkens, have opted out of Monday’s competition.
The schedule for the Winmau World Youth Championship begins at 11:30 a.m. on Monday at Robin Park Leisure Centre. Group matches will be contested over the best of nine legs. The top two players from each group will then advance to the last‑64, where the format shifts to a best‑of‑11‑leg knockout.
A snapshot of the 2026 field includes age‑qualified Tour Card Holders such as 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 competitors like 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). Darts fans can continue to follow the sport’s premier events on Sky Sports, which will broadcast the World Grand Prix (ending 4 October), the Grand Slam of Darts (14‑22 November) and the World Darts Championship (10 December‑3 January). For those who prefer streaming, NOW offers live darts coverage with no contract required.
Overall, the 2026 Winmau World Youth Championship promises a blend of seasoned professionals and rising talents, offering a compelling showcase of the next generation of darts excellence. With a robust format, substantial prize money, and global representation, the tournament is set to deliver high‑stakes drama and memorable performances for fans worldwide.