PDC World Darts Championship 2020: when it’s on TV, schedule of fixtures - and who is champion Peter Wright?

Spectators will be able to watch the action live at Alexandra Palace before London moves into Tier 3 restrictions on 16 December

Scotland's Peter Wright starts his defence of the PDC World Darts Championship. (Pic: Getty Images)

Scotland's Peter Wright will begin the defence of his PDC World Darts Championship when the competition gets underway at Alexandra Palace on 15 December.

Livingston-born Wright,who won the title for the first time when he beat Michael van Gerwen at last year's championship, will compete on the opening night in front of 1,000 spectators at the London venue.

It will be the only chance fans have of attending darts’ annual showpiece before Christmas as London moves into Tier 3 rules, meaning spectators at live sports events aren't permitted.

What do the new Tier 3 restrictions mean for spectators?

PDC organisers had already banned the usual fancy dress, chanting and instructed that all food and drink must be ordered via a mobile app, due to the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions.

They were forced to change their thinking once more on Monday 14 December when the government announced London would move into the highest tier of the local alert system.

The new restrictions, which don’t allow spectators into venues to watch live sports, come into force on Wednesday 16 December and will be reviewed on Wednesday 23 December.

Fans who had a ticket for the sessions between 16-23 December will automatically be refunded the face value of the ticket by SeeTickets.

If London moves back into Tier 2 then spectators will be allowed back into venues to watch live sports. Tickets to the live action from Sunday 27 December can be purchased HERE.

When does the PDC World Darts Championship start?

The PDC World Darts Championship starts at 6pm on Tuesday 15 December with three first round matches and one second round match featuring Wright.

The first week of the tournament sees all first and second round matches played up to Wednesday 23 December before a three-day Christmas break.

Battle recommences on Sunday 27 December with the third round matches, the fourth round matches start on Tuesday 29 December to decide the final eight contenders.

The quarter finals begin on Friday 1 January 2021, sparking the start of a frenzied finale with the semi finals played on Saturday 2 January before the final on Sunday 3 January.

Where is the World Darts Championship held?

This year's championships are held at Alexandra Palace, which has been the event’s home since 2008, and is affectionately known as ‘The People’s Palace’ or ‘Ally Pally’.

The venue, a Grade II listed building constructed on the site of Tottenham Wood in London, holds numerous entertainment and sporting events each year.

Prior to being held at the Ally Pally, the PDC world championships had been held at the Circus Tavern in Essex between 1994 and 2007.

Where can I watch the PDC World Championship?

The tournament will be shown live on Sky Sports' dedicated darts channel, no. 408.

Sky Sports packages start from £39 per month for an 18-month contract. Find out more or sign up to Sky Sports HERE.

Who is favourite to win the title this time around?

Michael van Gerwen, beaten finalist last time around, is the number one ranked men's darts player in the PDC Order of Merit.

He won the title in 2014, overcoming Wright in the final on that occasion, before his opponent got the better of him in January 2020.

Reigning champ Wright, ranked number two, isn't feeling the weight of expectation.

“I’ve already accomplished my dream,” he said. “It’s the other guys who have never won it so the pressure is on them.”

And added: “That said, I’ll be going out all guns blazing to try and take the Sid Waddell Trophy home with me again.”

Wright, nicknamed Snakebite after his love of snakes, is a colourful character on the circuit and is known for his mohican hairstyle which changes colour at each tournament.

Following his World Championship win, Wright has gone on to claim The Masters and European Championship crowns in 2020, and is ranked second in the Order of Merit.

His other achievements include the UK Open in 2017, the Melbourne Darts Masters in 2018, and the German Darts Masters in 2017 and 2019.

Gerwyn Price, Michael Smith and Gary Anderson are among the others tipped to challenge.

How much does the winner of the PDC World Championship get?

The prize pot stands at a total of £2.5 million.

The men's winner of the event will receive £500,000, with every player involved receiving a minimum of £7,500 in prize money.

Who has won the most PDC world titles?

Phil 'The Power' Taylor has won 14 PDC world titles and reached the final 19 times in 25 appearances overall.

Van Gerwen is his closest challenger, second in the championship leaderboard, with three titles to his name from 13 appearances.

Wright is joint seventh alongside Dutchman Raymond van Barneveld.

What is the PDC World Championship schedule?

Tuesday 15 December (6pm start) Steve West v Amit Gilitwala (R1) Steve Beaton v Diogo Portela (R1) Jeff Smith v Keane Barry (R1) Peter Wright v West/Gilitwala (R2) Wednesday 16 December Afternoon session (12pm start) Ryan Joyce v Karel Sedlacek (R1) Ross Smith v David Evans (R1) William O’Connor v Niels Zonneveld (R1) Chris Dobey v J Smith/Barry (R2) Evening session (6pm start) Max Hopp v Gordon Mathers (R1) Callan Rydz v James Bailey (R1) Adam Hunt v Lisa Ashton (R1) Glen Durrant v Beaton/Portela (R2) Thursday 17 December Afternoon session (12pm start) Madars Razma v Toru Suzuki (R1) Mike De Decker v Edward Foulkes (R1) Ryan Murray v Lourence Ilagan (R1) Daryl Gurney v O’Connor/Zonneveld (R2) Evening session (6pm start) Luke Woodhouse v Jamie Lewis (R1) Ron Meulenkamp v Boris Krcmar (R1) Ryan Searle v Danny Lauby (R1) Jose de Sousa v R Smith/D Evans (R2) Friday 18 December Afternoon session (12pm start) Mickey Mansell v Haupai Puha (R1) Darius Labanauskas v Chengan Liu (R1) Wayne Jones v Ciaran Teehan (R1) Jamie Hughes v Hunt/Ashton (R2) Evening session (6pm start) Dirk van Duijvenbode v Bradley Brooks (R1) John Henderson v Marko Kantele (R1) Luke Humphries v Paul Lim (R1) James Wade v Rydz/Bailey (R2) Saturday 19 December Afternoon session (12pm start) Steve Lennon v Daniel Larsson (R1) Scott Waites v Matt Campbell (R1) Kim Huybrechts v Di Zhuang (R1) Mervyn King v Hopp/Mathers (R2) Evening session (6pm start) Andy Hamilton v Nico Kurz (R1) Andy Boulton v Deta Hedman (R1) Damon Heta v Danny Baggish (R1) Michael van Gerwen v Murray/Ilagan (R2) Sunday 20 December Afternoon session (12pm start) Derk Telnekes v Nick Kenny (R1) Jason Lowe v Dmitriy Gorbunov (R1) Maik Kuivenhoven v Matthew Edgar (R1) Vincent van der Voort v Meulenkamp/Krcmar (R2) Evening session (6pm start) Martijn Kleermaker v Cameron Carolissen (First Round) Keegan Brown v Ryan Meikle (First Round) Jeffrey de Zwaan v Searle/Lauby (Second Round) Jonny Clayton v Henderson/Kantele (Second Round) Monday 21 December (6pm start) Krzysztof Ratajski v Joyce/Sedlacek (R2) Ian White v Huybrechts/Zhuang (R2) Gerwyn Price v Woodhouse/J Lewis (R2) Gabriel Clemens v Hamilton/Kurz (R2) Tuesday 22 December Afternoon session (12pm start) Brendan Dolan v De Decker/Foulkes (R2) Joe Cullen v Jones/Teehan (R2) Simon Whitlock v Labanauskas/Liu (R2) Adrian Lewis v Heta/Baggish (R2) Evening session (6pm start) Danny Noppert v Kleermaker/Carolissen (R2) Devon Petersen v Lennon/Larsson (R2) Rob Cross v Van Duijvenbode/Brooks (R2) Dimitri Van den Bergh v Humphries/Lim (R2) Wednesday 23 December Afternoon session (12pm start) Ricky Evans v Mansell/Puha (Second Round) Gary Anderson v Razma/Suzuki (Second Round) Stephen Bunting v Boulton/Hedman (Second Round) Mensur Suljovic v Kuivenhoven/Edgar (Second Round) Evening session (6pm start) Dave Chisnall v Brown/Meikle (R2) Jermaine Wattimena v Telnekes/Kenny (R2) Nathan Aspinall v Waites/Campbell (R2) Michael Smith v Lowe/Gorbunov (R2)