The 2026 Grand Slam of Darts has officially commenced in Wolverhampton, marking the start of a major tournament that features an expanded roster of 48 competitors.
This year’s event represents a significant shift for the Professional Darts Corporation, as the tournament format now incorporates a group stage phase before transitioning into a traditional knockout bracket, according to Yahoo Sports.
Defending champion Luke Littler, who secured his status as world number one after defeating Luke Humphries in the 2025 final, faces a challenging path to retain his title.
Littler began his campaign on the tournament’s opening evening against Beau Greaves, with Neils Zonneveld also appearing in the same group, as noted by the event schedule.
The nine-day competition, which is scheduled to conclude on Nov. 22, has seen a substantial increase in financial stakes for the participants.
The total prize pool has climbed to 1 million, a notable rise from the previous 650,000 figure, reported Yahoo Sports.
Under the new structure, the tournament winner is set to receive 200,000, while the runner-up will earn 100,000.
Qualification criteria were also adjusted for this edition, allowing players to earn their spots through various avenues, including major televised finals, youth tours, and international championships.
The top 16 players from the PDC order of merit were seeded to lead the initial groups, while the remaining 32 participants were distributed across two additional pots.
The group stage, which runs through Nov. 17, requires players to face two opponents, with only the group winner advancing to the last 16 phase.
Tie-breaking procedures have been established to handle scenarios where competitors finish with identical point totals, prioritizing metrics such as leg difference and total legs won.
Following the group stage, the second round will take place on Nov. 18 and 19 using a best-of-19 format, while the final stages will shift to a best-of-31 format to determine the ultimate champion of the Eric Bristow trophy.