Ally Pally's Great Hall Set for a Sunday Showdown — World Darts Championship Dates Locked In

Organisers have confirmed the World Darts Championship will run from mid-December through the first days of January, and for the coming staging the final will be held on a Sunday in Alexandra Palace’s Great Hall. The move formalises what many in the game have been expecting: a push toward a cleaner, prime-time climax that maximises viewership and the venue’s atmosphere.

This is not a cosmetic change. Putting the final on a Sunday in the Great Hall is a strategic play by the PDC to capture larger TV audiences, improve attendance for the climax and make the entire tournament easier to package for broadcasters. Ally Pally’s intimate, raucous setting often lifts players; a Sunday prime-time slot turns that local drama into a national spectacle.

Players and managers will notice the subtle consequences: a late-December start and a Sunday final compress preparation windows and recovery cycles, favouring depth and experience over one-off hot streaks. Expect names like Michael van Gerwen, Luke Humphries, Peter Wright and Gerwyn Price to be front-of-mind for bookmakers — their big-stage nous is an asset when the crowd and cameras are at peak volume. Conversely, breakout challengers will have to navigate both form and the pressure of an electric, televised finale.

The Guru’s read is simple: this calendar tweak is permanence in disguise — organisers won’t revert because the commercial upside is too clear. My recommendation: buy early, plan for peak demand, and if you’re betting, favour the established, tournament-hardened stars; a familiar name will lift the trophy when the Great Hall lights come up. Expect spectacle, not surprises — and bring earplugs.