World number one and former champion Luke Littler will be among the headline attractions on the roster of Tour Card Holders and International Qualifiers slated to compete in the upcoming Winmau World Youth Championship on Monday. The tournament’s full complement of 128 players will be confirmed once the Development Tour season wraps up this weekend, following the conclusion of Events 21‑24 in Wigan on October 3‑4.
The 2026 edition of the World Youth Championship will feature a round‑robin stage followed by a knockout phase that runs from the last 64 right through to the semi‑finals, all taking place on Monday, October 5, at the Robin Park Leisure Centre. Spectators are advised to use the Chrome browser for the most reliable video‑player experience. Littler’s recent schedule has been a bit erratic. He withdrew from Players Championship events 29 and 30 after a loss at the World Series Finals in Amsterdam, effectively ending his chance to qualify for the Minehead finals in November.
Nevertheless, he remains eligible to appear at the venue for the youth event. The championship final is slated for Sunday, November 29, at Butlin’s Minehead Resort, running alongside the Ladbrokes Players Championship Finals. This year’s prize pool includes a heightened top prize of £15,000 for the champion. The 128‑player field will be composed of all age‑qualified PDC Tour Card Holders who accept the invitation, along with 26 international representatives.
The remaining slots will be filled by the top performers in the final Development Tour Rankings. During the group stage, the competitors will be divided into 32 groups of four players each, with one seeded player assigned to every group. Seedings will be based first on the PDC Werner Rankings Ladder and then on the Development Tour Rankings. The top two finishers from each group will move on to the knockout rounds, which commence at the last‑64 stage.
World Champion Littler, who captured the World Youth Championship title in 2023, will be the top seed thanks to his position as world number one. He will be followed in the seedings by Poland’s Sebastian Bialecki and Ireland’s Keane Barry. Returning to the draw is 2024 runner‑up Jurjen van der Velde, as well as notable names such as Cam Crabtree, Charlie Manby, Owen Bates, and Czech Republic’s Adam Gawlas. The field also showcases 16‑year‑old Lewis Cook from the Junior Darts Circuit, alongside rising talents 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 present. Two‑time reigning champion Gian van Veen will not be defending his title, and former runner‑up Beau Greaves – who finished second to Van Veen a year earlier – along with Yorick Hofkens have opted out of Monday’s competition. The Winmau World Youth Championship will kick off at 11:30 a.m. on Monday at the Robin Park Leisure Centre, with group matches contested over a best‑of‑nine‑legs format.
The two best players from each group will then advance to the last‑64 stage, where the knockout format will shift to a best‑of‑eleven‑legs structure. A quick glance at the participant list for the 2026 Winmau World Youth Championship on Monday, October 5, reveals a diverse mix of talent: 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 include representatives from Germany (Liam Maendl‑Lawrance, Mika Donnevert), Finland (Mio Varila), Iceland (Alexander Thorvaldsson), Denmark (Daniel Kortbek), Australia (Ky Smith, Bailey Marsh, Jayden Wedemeyer, Mitchel Beswick), New Zealand (Jack Sheppard, Hunter Eyles, Zacarno King), the United States (Zachary Meeks, Conner Olson), Canada (Liam McNeil, Benjamin Goddard), Gibraltar (Craig Galliano), South Africa (Hayden Moodley, Jason Britz), England (Eleanor Cairns, Lewis Cook), the Netherlands (Kyana Frauenfelder), China (Jaichen Song, Zhijun Cui), Japan (Hiroyuki Tanaka), and the Philippines (Duyana Decena).
Beyond the youth event, Sky Sports continues to serve as the primary broadcaster for darts, delivering live coverage of marquee tournaments 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 a host of other sports via the NOW platform without committing to a long‑term contract.
In summary, the 2026 Winmau World Youth Championship promises a compelling blend of established stars and emerging prospects. With a robust field, a clear tournament structure, and significant prize money on offer, the event is set to be a highlight of the darts calendar, offering young players a valuable platform to showcase their skills on an international stage.