The FA Cup of Darts is here. Here is everything you need to know to catch every dart thrown this weekend.
The 2026 Ladbrokes UK Open gets underway this Friday, 6 March, at the iconic Butlin’s Minehead Resort in Somerset — and with defending champion Luke Littler, world No 2 Luke Humphries and a 160-player field ready to do battle across three action-packed days, you will not want to miss a moment. Here is your complete guide to watching all the action, wherever in the world you happen to be.
What Is the UK Open?
The 2026 UK Open takes place between 6–8 March at Butlin’s Minehead. It is the 24th staging of the tournament, known by many as the so-called FA Cup of Darts, with the winner receiving £120,000.
The 160 players competing in the 2026 UK Open consist of the top 128 from the PDC Order of Merit, the top 8 from the PDC Challenge Tour, the top 8 from the PDC Development Tour, plus 16 amateur qualifiers — making it the only PDC televised ranked event to feature amateur players.
The tournament’s open draw throughout proceedings means that, in theory, Luke Littler could face Michael van Gerwen or Luke Humphries early on in the event, with the draw conducted on stage after the end of each round. It also utilises a multi-board room and a second stage, making it fast, frenetic and one of the most popular tournaments on the darting calendar.
Session Times
Coverage runs across three days from 6–8 March, featuring afternoon sessions starting at 12:00 PM and evening sessions from 7:00 PM.
How to Watch in the UK — ITV4 and ITVX (Free)
Great news for UK fans — the UK Open is completely free to watch.
Main Stage matches across all three days will be broadcast live on ITV4 for UK viewers. This makes it one of the most accessible major darts events of the year, with no subscription required.
ITV4 is found on Freeview channel 26, Sky channel 120, Virgin Media channel 118, and Freesat channel 117. All live ITV4 darts coverage is available on ITVX, the broadcaster’s free streaming service — including “Restart” features if you miss the beginning of a match.
The 2026 presenting team is led by Pete Graves, with expert analysis from former professionals Wayne Mardle, Chris Mason and Mark Webster.
How to Watch in the USA
In the US, it will be PDCTV that will show the event, but this is always subject to change, with Peacock in the States having rights to show select tournaments, so broadcasters should be checked.
PDCTV is the PDC’s own dedicated streaming service and gives subscribers access to live coverage with English-language commentary. It is available as a monthly or annual subscription and can be accessed via the PDCTV website and app across all major devices. US fans should check both PDCTV and Peacock ahead of the tournament to confirm the latest broadcast arrangements.
How to Watch in Australia
In Australia, it will be PDCTV that will show the event, but this is always subject to change, with Stan Sport having rights to show select tournaments, so broadcasters should be checked.
PDC tournaments are also broadcast by Fox Sports in Australia. Foxtel subscribers and Kayo Sports users should check listings ahead of the weekend, with PDCTV available as a reliable fallback for any coverage not picked up by a domestic broadcaster.
How to Watch the Rest of the Action — PDCTV
While ITV4 covers main stage matches, there is significantly more action taking place across multiple boards throughout the weekend.
Stage Two action on Friday and Saturday will be streamed exclusively for all PDCTV subscribers worldwide, with every match from Stages Three to Eight also available live on PDCTV.
This makes a PDCTV subscription essential viewing for fans who want full coverage of all the earlier-round drama, including the amateur qualifiers and Tour Card Holders who could pull off shock results against the top seeds.
Who to Watch Out For
Luke Littler, the reigning UK Open champion, blitzed James Wade 11 legs to 2 in last year’s final. He comes into the 2026 UK Open as the strong favourite to retain the title as a back-to-back reigning two-time World Champion.
Luke Humphries is a two-time runner-up of this tournament, in 2021 and 2024. Over the last three years, Cool Hand has won a remarkable eight major TV titles, including the 2024 World Championship, and is regarded as one of the best players in darts.
Last year was a breakout season for Gian van Veen, winning a maiden TV major title when beating Humphries to become the European Champion, then backing that up with a brilliant run to the World Final. As a result, Van Veen is up to a career-high PDC world No 3 ranking.
Quick Reference Guide
United Kingdom: ITV4 (free-to-air) / ITVX (free streaming) for main stage action. PDCTV for full multi-stage coverage.
United States: PDCTV (primary). Check Peacock for potential additional coverage.
Australia: Fox Sports / Kayo Sports. Check Stan Sport. PDCTV as fallback.
Rest of World: PDCTV. Selected European markets covered by DAZN and Viaplay.
With three days of non-stop action, a potential Littler title defence and amateurs with a genuine shot at giant-killing, the 2026 UK Open promises to be an unmissable weekend of darts. Do not miss a dart.
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