The PDC significantly raises prize money for the Darts World Cup 2026. Sport1 expert Robert Marijanovic is split from this step.
Robert Marijanovic reacted with mixed feelings to the groundbreaking changes to the PDC.
“It is a nice development that the increased TV revenue is now partially flowing into the prize money,” said the two-time World Cup participant in an interview with Sport1 .
Mega prize money at darts World Cup: “Exaggerated!”
However, he sees the distribution critically at the Darts World Cup. “I think the prize money for the World Cup winner in one step to one million pounds is exaggerated,” Marijanovic complained: “I would have liked a few intermediate steps because the scissors between the World Cup and the other tournaments, especially on the Pro Tour, continue.”
The world champion now receives prize money of one million pounds
The PDC announced the largest price increase in its history on Monday: the association will release a total of £ 25 million (around 30 million euros) in the coming year. Tournaments such as the World Grand Prix, the Players Championship Finals, the European Championship and the UK Open are increased for prize money of £ 750,000 each.
The winner of the Darts World Cup 2026 receives a prize money of one million pounds (approx. 1.2 million euros). For comparison: Luke Littler “only” received £ 500,000 for his 2025 World Cup victory.
That is why the Darts World Cup becomes even more important
Despite his criticism, the Sport1 expert can understand the reasons for the drastic step: “But that shows that the PDC enhances the importance of the World Cup again. For her flagship, it wants to have a kind of unique selling point, which is now underpinned by the winning prize money of one million.”
The raised World Cup prize money also has consequences for the Order of Merit, as Marijanovic emphasized: “The blatant jump from 500,000 to one million pound also means that the world champion will also remain number one in the world in the long run.”
Advantage for Tour Card Holder?
Another significant innovation concerns the field of participants of the World Cup: at the World Cup finals, 128 players will fight for the title from December-so far it was 96.
“The increase in the number of participants at the World Cup to 128 is a massive change,” commented Marijanovic. “This could be a huge advantage for players, because this makes the possibility much easier to take the step into full professionalism as a tour card holder.”
Where does it come from a lot of money?
The greatest increase in prize in the 33-year PDC history is the episode from the new television contract with Sky UK .
The Pay TV station had again secured the rights to most events at the beginning of the year. According to British media reports, Sky is to scroll around £ 125 million for the next five years.