World number one and former titleholder Luke Littler will headline 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 competitors will be confirmed once the Development Tour season wraps up this weekend, with the final four Development Tour events (Events 21‑24) scheduled in Wigan on October 3‑4.
The 2026 edition of the World Youth Championship will unfold over two distinct phases. The round‑robin stage and the early knockout rounds, covering the last 64 through to the semi‑finals, are set for Monday, October 5, at the Robin Park Leisure Centre. Organisers advise spectators to use the Chrome browser for optimal video‑player performance.
Littler’s path to this event has been eventful. After a loss at the World Series Finals in Amsterdam, he withdrew from Players Championship 29 and 30, effectively ending his chances of qualifying for the Minehead finals in November.
Nevertheless, his presence at the venue remains confirmed, and he will be a focal point of the competition. The championship culminates on Sunday, November 29, at Butlin’s Minehead Resort, coinciding with the Ladbrokes Players Championship Finals. The winner will claim a boosted top prize of £15,000, underscoring the stakes for the young talent on display.
The 128‑player field will be composed of all age‑eligible PDC Tour Card Holders who accept the invitation, alongside 26 international representatives. The remaining slots will be filled by the highest‑ranked players from the final Development Tour Rankings. During the group stage, participants will be divided into 32 groups of four, each group containing a single seeded player.
Seedings are derived first from the PDC Werner Rankings Ladder and then from the Development Tour Rankings. From each group, the two best performers will advance to the knockout stage, which commences at the last‑64 level. Matches in the group phase will be contested over the best of nine legs, while the knockout rounds will extend to the best of eleven legs. As the reigning World Youth Champion, Littler—who captured the 2023 title—will occupy the top seed position, reflecting his status as world number one.
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 (2024) will also return, along with notable competitors such as Cam Crabtree, Charlie Manby, Owen Bates, and Czech representative Adam Gawlas.
The tournament also showcases emerging talent, including 16‑year‑old Lewis Cook from the Junior Development Circuit (JDC). Other rising stars like Kaya Baysal, Archie Self, and Ben Townley have stepped up to the Development Tour this season, while Eleanor Cairns and Kyana Frauenfelder have qualified via the PDC Women’s Series rankings.
Two‑time champion Gian van Veen will not be defending his title, and former runner‑up Beau Greaves—as well as Yorick Hofkens—have opted out of Monday’s event. The competition will therefore feature a fresh mix of seasoned youth players and newcomers eager to make their mark. The opening ceremony kicks off at 11:30 a.m. on Monday at Robin Park Leisure Centre.
Group matches will be played in a best‑of‑nine‑legs format, after which the top two from each group move on to the last‑64 knockout stage, where matches will be contested over the best of eleven legs. A detailed list of participants 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 a wide geographic range: Liam Maendl‑Lawrance, Mika Donnevert, and Mio Varila represent Germany and Finland; Alexander Thorvaldsson hails from Iceland; Daniel Kortbek from Denmark; Ky Smith, Bailey Marsh, Jayden Wedemeyer, and Mitchel Beswick represent Australia; Jack Sheppard, Hunter Eyles, and Zacarno King come from New Zealand; Zachary Meeks and Conner Olson represent the United States; Liam McNeil and Benjamin Goddard stand for Canada; Craig Galliano for Gibraltar; Hayden Moodley and Jason Britz for South Africa; Eleanor Cairns for England; Kyana Frauenfelder for the Netherlands; Lewis Cook for England; Jaichen Song and Zhijun Cui for China; Hiroyuki Tanaka for Japan; and Duyana Decena for the Philippines.
Beyond the youth championship, Sky Sports continues to be the premier 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 additional sports content via NOW, with no contractual commitment required. In summary, the 2026 Winmau World Youth Championship promises a compelling blend of established young stars and promising newcomers, all competing for a substantial prize and the prestige of a world title. With a robust field, a clear tournament structure, and extensive broadcast coverage, the event is set to be a highlight of the darts calendar for both participants and fans alike.