The darts is going to a ballot this year 🎯
If you've always fancied doing the darts at Ally Pally, this email’s for you. The way you get tickets has completely changed, and the first deadline is coming up soon.
Quick context if darts isn't your usual thing: the World Championship at Alexandra Palace is the biggest and most prestigious darts event in the world. The tournament happens once a year, and it's the one you've likely seen on TV over Christmas with the fancy dress, the singing and all-round incredible atmosphere. It runs from 11 December to 3 January this year.
For the first time, tickets are being allocated by ballot, and the PDC have said they don't expect any tickets to go on general sale afterwards. There are two ballot windows in September, but the first deadline that actually matters lands on Sunday 30 August, before either of them opens. Read on for the details…
World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace
🎯 The event 🎯
Paddy Power World Darts Championship 2026/27
Friday 11 December to Sunday 3 January
📍 Alexandra Palace
The tournament moves into Ally Pally's Great Hall for the first time, which pushes capacity above 5,000 a session across 36 sessions, around 180,000 tickets in total. That's over 40% more tickets than previous years, and the new tiered seating has wider seats, more legroom and a cup holder on every seat.
Prices rise as the tournament goes on. Early sessions start at £55 for tiered seating, £75 for a table on the arena floor and £399 for the 501 Club hospitality experience. By the Final that's £95, £110 and £599.
So the cheapest way in is the group stage sessions in mid December, which also happen to be the easiest ones to get.
🎟️ How tickets work this year 🎟️
Every ticket goes through a two-stage ballot. There's no first come first served, and no general sale expected once both windows close.
Ballot 1: PDCTV Annual Members
Opens 12pm Tuesday 1 September, closes 11:59pm Monday 7 September.
All available tickets go into this window first. To be eligible you need an active PDCTV Annual Membership, which costs £65 for the year, in place before 11:59pm on Sunday 30 August. The membership comes with plenty beyond the ballot too, more on that below.
Ballot 2: General Ballot
Opens 12pm Tuesday 8 September, closes 11:59pm Monday 14 September.
Free to enter and open to everyone. This one covers whatever is left after the members' ballot.
How many tickets you can apply for
You can apply for up to 6 tickets per session, across a maximum of 2 sessions, so 12 in total. That's one application covering your whole group, so you're not going on your own.
You rank the sessions you want in order of preference. The sessions are drawn separately though, so you could end up with tickets for both sessions, just one of them, or neither.
Both ballots are random draws, so applying early in the window doesn't help. Everyone who applies gets an email during September either way.
World Darts Championship General Ballot Dates
✅ What you need to do ✅
1. Register for ticket updates now
Free, takes a minute, and everyone should do it whichever ballot you're going for. The PDC will email your unique ballot entry link the moment your window opens, so you're not refreshing the site hoping to catch it. Register here.
Take this email as your prompt to get that done now. I'll send another reminder when the general ballot opens on 8 September.
2. Decide if the PDCTV membership is worth it to you
It's £65 for the year and it's the only route into the first ballot. Deadline is 11:59pm on Sunday 30 August.
The PDC don't publish the odds and they're careful to say entering doesn't guarantee anything. My best guess is that since every ticket goes through the members' ballot first, your chances as a member look pretty good, especially if you're flexible and steer clear of the highest demand sessions.
Given you can apply for up to 6 tickets per session, you could split the £65 across the group you'd be going with and it's a tenner each for what seems to be a much better shot at tickets.
You also get the membership itself for a year: live streaming of PDC tournaments, on demand replays, exclusive interviews, behind the scenes content and the match archive. Could be worthwhile if you’re a year-round darts fan.
3. Get the dates in your diary
PDCTV membership deadline: Sunday 30 August.
Members' ballot: 1 to 7 September.
General ballot: 8 to 14 September.
4. Sort your plan with your mates before the window opens
Since it's one application covering up to 2 sessions, agree in advance who's in, how many tickets you need and which sessions you're picking.
💡 Worth knowing before you enter 💡
Only your first application counts. Entering again won't improve your odds.
There's an option to say you'll take any session, and the PDC say that flexibility may improve your chances. Opening Night, the quarters, semis and the Final will be the hardest to land.
Accessible tickets are in the ballot and include a free carer ticket. You'll be asked to upload proof of PIP or equivalent when you book.
Full ballot FAQs and terms go up on pdc.tv before the first window opens on 1 September.
Know someone who'd want to be at Ally Pally this Christmas? Forward this on before the 30 August deadline. And if you're already a subscriber, you can refer Matchside using the unique link underneath the 'click to share' button below. If you've been forwarded this by a friend, sign up here.
That's the darts sorted.
This is exactly the sort of thing that's easy to miss until it's gone, which is a big part of why I started sending these. I'll send a reminder when the general ballot opens.
Any questions, just hit reply. I read every one.
Louis