THE draw for the 2026 ADC Global Championship is out, and it comes with a warning. Lose once, darts men and women, and you’re gone.
The group stage has been scrapped in favour of a 128-player straight knockout from the very first match, with players from the UK & Ireland, Europe, Africa, Australia and Canada chasing a £126,000 prize fund.
The potential routes for some of Team Darts World’s finest throwers have been also mapped out and it makes for very interesting reading.
Quarter 1: The Champion’s Road
Reigning champion Jack Tweddell begins his defence against Wales’ Alex Williams, with UK ranking table winner Stuart Dutton, who opens against Jelle Hannema, the likely Last 64 opponent.
It is also the quarter with the most Winmau Championship Grand Finals names. Finalist Jack Main starts against Steve de Buck, semi-finalist Ryan Hogarth faces the winner of the WADC Championship Tour, who, as it stands, is Dart’s World’s very own Gemma Hayter. This lines up a potential Last 64 matchup with ADC South winner Callum Francis.
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North champion Danny Ayres meets Ashley Coleman first up, in one of the heaviest first-round ties in the draw.
Quarter 2: Hall’s Way
Graham Hall, who retained the Winmau Championship at the weekend, opens against James Vanbesien. His Last 64 tie would be against Jeffrey Bastings or a Vault UK National semi-finalist, who is still to be confirmed.
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Raymond Mulvey, fresh from Europe Cup Teams gold with Ireland, starts against Pascal Wanjala, with Shane Ryan or Drarren Johnson waiting in the next round.
Lewis Pride, the Winmau North runner-up, meets Donny Boerman, while Jack Drayton faces the UK & Ireland Classic champion, also to be confirmed.
Quarter 3: Wide Open
This is the most open section on paper. Chas Barstow, a Grand Finals quarter-finalist, takes on the Vault UK National champion, with Rick van der Helm or Robbie Martin to follow.
Jamie Owens plays Gary Stone, Sam Spivey faces Lorenzo te Hennepe, and Ireland’s Alan Richards meets Rudie van Staden. There are regional winners across the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands and Belgium, but no big-name favourite.
Quarter 4: Natalie’s Path
Darts World columnist and contributor Natalie Gilbert, fresh of British Open glory, begins her bid for glory against a Western European qualifier still to be confirmed. Gilbert finished second in the WADC Championship North to confirm her place in Portsmouth.
Meanwhile, Steve Lennon, the former PDC Tour Card holder who won three North titles this season, opens against Matt Clark, with Bryan Flew or Nico Plovier next.
Sixteen-year-old Lewis Cook meets Ricardo Ham, and Adam Mould, the UK ranking table runner-up could be waiting in the Last 64.
Europe Cup medalists are in the mix too. Sean Holley, a silver medalist in the Open Teams, plays British Open finalist Harrison Leigh, and the winner could face Women’s Pairs gold medalist Steph Clarke. Pairs gold medalist David Davies faces second in the WADC Championship South, looking likely to be Women’s singles champion Deta Hedman.
The first two rounds are best of nine, with Last 128 matches running from Sunday 1 to Wednesday 4 November at the MODUS Live Lounge in Portsmouth.
Full draw and details here
Check out DartsWorld’s MODUS Super Series Hall of Fame for the personalities and history of this event.
Images: DartsWorld
