World number one and former champion Luke Littler will be the marquee name among the Tour Card Holders and International Qualifiers who will take part in the upcoming Winmau World Youth Championship on Monday. The tournament will showcase a full roster of 128 competitors, a line‑up that will be locked in once the Development Tour season wraps up this weekend, after Events 21‑24 are completed in Wigan on 3‑4 October. The 2026 edition of the World Youth Championship will unfold in two distinct stages.
First, a round‑robin group phase will be played, followed by a knockout phase that begins at the last‑64 stage and runs through to the semi‑finals. Both phases are scheduled for Monday, 5 October, at the Robin Park Leisure Centre. Organisers recommend using the Chrome browser for the most reliable video‑player experience. Littler’s recent schedule has been a whirlwind.
He withdrew from Players Championship events 29 and 30 after a loss at the World Series Finals in Amsterdam, which effectively ended his bid to qualify for the Minehead finals in November. Nevertheless, his presence at the venue remains assured, and he will be looking to add another title to his growing résumé. The championship culminates on Sunday, 29 November, at Butlin’s Minehead Resort, where the Ladbrokes Players Championship Finals will be staged. A boosted top prize of £15,000 will be on offer for the winner, underscoring the prestige of the event.
The 128‑player field is composed of several categories. All age‑eligible PDC Tour Card Holders who accept the invitation are automatically entered, alongside 26 international representatives. The remaining slots will be filled by the top performers from the final Development Tour Rankings. During the group stage, the competitors 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. From each group, the two highest‑placed players will advance to the knockout rounds, which commence at the last‑64 and continue in a single‑elimination format. The group matches will be contested over the best of nine legs, while the knockout ties will be played over the best of eleven legs. As the world‑number‑one youth player, Littler will be the top seed, reflecting his status after winning the World Youth Championship in 2023.
He will be joined at the top of the seed list by Poland’s Sebastian Bialecki and Ireland’s Keane Barry. Returning runner‑up Jurjen van der Velde, who finished second in 2024, will also be in the mix, together with notable names such as Cam Crabtree, Charlie Manby, Owen Bates and Czech competitor Adam Gawlas.
The field also features rising talent from the Junior Darts Corporation, including 16‑year‑old Lewis Cook, as well as emerging stars Kaya Baysal, Archie Self and Ben Townley, all of whom have stepped up to the Development Tour this season. From the women’s side, Eleanor Cairns and Kyana Frauenfelder have qualified via the PDC Women’s Series rankings. Two‑time defending champion Gian van Veen will not be returning to defend his title, and former runner‑up Beau Greaves, who lost to Van Veen a year earlier, has also opted out, as has Yorick Hofkens.
Their absences open the door for a new champion to emerge. The schedule for Monday’s opening day begins at 11:30 a.m. at Robin Park Leisure Centre. Group games will be fast‑paced, with each match played to the best of nine legs.
After the group stage, the top two from each group will move on to the last‑64, where the format shifts to best of eleven legs in a straight knockout. Below is a snapshot of the age‑qualified Tour Card Holders slated to compete: Luke Littler, Sebastian Bialecki, Keane Barry, Cam Crabtree, Dominik Gruellich, Charlie Manby, Leon Weber, Tavis Dudeney, Adam Gawlas, Owen Bates, Jurjen van der Velde, Tyler Thorpe, among others. International qualifiers will add a global flavor to the tournament, representing countries such as 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), the Philippines (Duyana Decena) and more.
Darts fans can also look forward to a busy broadcast schedule on Sky Sports, which continues to be the primary home for major darts events. Upcoming live coverage includes the World Grand Prix (running until 4 October), the Grand Slam of Darts (14‑22 November) and the World Darts Championship (10 December – 3 January). For those who prefer streaming, the NOW platform offers live darts without a contract, ensuring that enthusiasts can follow all the action wherever they are. In summary, the 2026 Winmau World Youth Championship promises a blend of seasoned youth stars and fresh faces from around the globe, all competing for a substantial prize fund and the honor of being crowned the world’s best young darts player.
With Luke Littler leading the charge as top seed, the tournament is set to deliver high‑quality darts, dramatic matches, and the potential for new talent to make a breakthrough on the international stage.