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History of Darts Timeline

(Medieval origins–Present)

The history of darts traces the game from early throwing practices and military training in medieval England to its development as a standardized pub sport and internationally organized professional competition. Less

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Tournament venues and sponsorship

News of the World Darts Championship uses Great Hall

1963 - 1976

Alexandra Palace's Great Hall previously hosted the News of the World Darts Championship from 1963 to 1976, linking the 2027 venue choice with an earlier era of major darts competition.

Alexandra Palace first hosts the World Championship

2008

Alexandra Palace first served as the host venue for the PDC World Championship in 2008, beginning its long association with the event.

Paddy Power sponsorship continues

2026 - 2031

Irish gambling company Paddy Power continued its sponsorship of the World Championship after agreeing to renew the partnership through 2031.

2027 tournament becomes 34th edition

Dec 11, 2026 - Jan 3, 2027

The scheduled 2027 championship will be the 34th edition of the PDC World Darts Championship.

2027 PDC World Championship scheduled

Dec 11, 2026 - Jan 3, 2027

The 2027 PDC World Darts Championship is scheduled to take place from 11 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 at Alexandra Palace in London, England.

2027 tournament receives Paddy Power title

Dec 11, 2026 - Jan 3, 2027

The 2027 PDC World Darts Championship is known for sponsorship purposes as the 2026/27 Paddy Power World Darts Championship.

Great Hall selected as 2027 venue

Dec 11, 2026 - Jan 3, 2027

For the first time, the 2027 World Championship is scheduled to take place in Alexandra Palace's Great Hall after 19 years in the venue's West Hall.

Alexandra Palace hosts 20th World Championship

Dec 11, 2026 - Jan 3, 2027

The 2027 tournament is scheduled to be the 20th PDC World Championship held at Alexandra Palace.

PDC origins and championships

Phil Taylor reaches 16 world titles

1990 - 2018

Taylor's 14 PDC World Championship victories combined with his BDO World Championship wins in 1990 and 1992 to give him a record total of 16 world titles.

World Darts Council established

Jan 1992

The World Darts Council was established in January 1992 by managers John Markovic, Tommy Cox and Dick Allix together with the world's top 16 players. It was created as a separate organization after breaking away from the British Darts Organisation.

PDC breaks away from the BDO

Jan 1992

The formation of the World Darts Council marked a major organizational split in professional darts, creating a separate body outside the British Darts Organisation and laying the foundation for the modern PDC circuit.

First PDC World Championship begins

Dec 1993 - Jan 1994

The inaugural PDC World Darts Championship was held across December 1993 and January 1994 at the Circus Tavern in Purfleet, Essex, England.

Phil Taylor wins 14 PDC world titles

1994 - 2018

Across his career, Phil Taylor won the PDC World Championship 14 times, establishing a record unmatched in the PDC tournament's history.

First PDC World Championship final

Jan 2, 1994

The first PDC World Championship concluded on 2 January 1994, establishing the championship as the leading tournament of the newly separated professional organization.

Dennis Priestley wins inaugural PDC title

Jan 2, 1994

Dennis Priestley won the inaugural PDC World Darts Championship by defeating Phil Taylor in the final at the Circus Tavern.

Phil Taylor reaches the first PDC final

Jan 2, 1994

Phil Taylor was the runner-up in the inaugural PDC World Championship, losing to Dennis Priestley in the final on 2 January 1994.

Phil Taylor wins the 1995 PDC title

Jan 1995

Phil Taylor began his record run of PDC World Championship victories by winning the tournament in 1995.

Phil Taylor begins eight-title streak

1995 - 2002

Phil Taylor won eight consecutive PDC World Championships from 1995 through 2002, one of the defining achievements in the history of professional darts.

WDF World Darts Championship begins

2022

The WDF World Darts Championship was first held in 2022 as the successor to the former BDO World Championship.

PDC World Championship becomes one of two world championships

2022

The PDC World Championship is one of two world championships recognized in darts, alongside the WDF World Darts Championship.

Littler defeats van Veen 7–1

2026

Luke Littler defeated Gian van Veen 7–1 in the 2026 final, securing his second world championship and becoming the defending champion for the 2027 event.

Gian van Veen reaches 2026 final

2026

Gian van Veen reached the 2026 PDC World Championship final before being defeated by Luke Littler.

Luke Littler wins 2026 world title

2026

Luke Littler won the 2026 PDC World Championship, claiming his second world title after defeating Gian van Veen in the final.

Littler named 2027 defending champion

Dec 11, 2026 - Jan 3, 2027

Luke Littler is scheduled to enter the 2027 championship as defending champion following his 7–1 victory over Gian van Veen in the 2026 final.

Format, rankings and qualification

Next 40 Pro Tour players qualify

2026

Following the top 40 players in the two-year rankings, the next 40 places are allocated to the highest-ranked players in the one-year PDC Pro Tour rankings.

Top 40 two-year rankings qualify automatically

2026

The top 40 players in the two-year PDC World Rankings after the 2026 Players Championship Finals qualify automatically for the 2027 World Championship.

2025 World Championship prize money defended

2026 - 2027

Players who competed in the 2025 World Championship and retained their PDC Tour Cards through the two-year period are scheduled to defend the prize money earned at that event.

Ranking prize money expires after 104 weeks

2026

Prize money earned in ranking tournaments is removed from the rankings after 104 weeks, making the two-year ranking cycle central to qualification and player status.

All 32 seeds enter in first round

2026

Under the format introduced in 2026, none of the 32 seeds receives a later starting position; every seed enters during the first round alongside the rest of the 128-player field.

128-player first-round format introduced

2026

A tournament format introduced in 2026 requires all 128 players, including the 32 seeded players, to enter the World Championship in the first round.

International qualifiers secure 2027 places

Sep 14, 2026

As of 14 September 2026, 13 players had secured places in the 2027 tournament through international qualifying events.

2025 prize money removed after 2027 event

Jan 3, 2027

At the conclusion of the 2027 championship, the prize money earned at the 2025 tournament is scheduled to be removed from the rankings and replaced by prize money from the new event.

2027 Tour Card extensions awarded

Jan 3, 2027

After the 2027 tournament, the top 64 players in the PDC World Rankings are scheduled to receive a one-year extension to their Tour Cards, alongside players who earned two-year Tour Cards in 2026 and enter their second year in 2027.

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Key Facts

  1. Darts developed in England from earlier throwing games involving short arrows, military darts, and target practice.
  2. By the nineteenth century, darts had become a popular pub game, although rules and board designs varied between regions.
  3. The modern circular dartboard, including the familiar numbered layout, became increasingly standardized in England during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
  4. The News of the World Individual Darts Championship, first held in 1927, helped popularize organized competitive darts.
  5. Professional darts expanded significantly after the formation of the British Darts Organisation in 1976 and the Professional Darts Corporation in 1992.

Source

This History of Darts timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

We work hard to keep these timelines accurate, but mistakes do get through. If you spot one, email us at [email protected] and we'll fix it for future visitors.

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