24 March 2026 – The Amateur Darts Circuit, the fastest-growing global darts community, is entering a bold new era with its flagship event as the ADC Global Championship 2026 expands to 128 players and moves to a straight knockout format for the very first time.
Taking place from 1st November to 8th November 2026, the tournament will deliver a full week of action, with 128 players battling it out across one of the biggest and most exciting amateur darts stages in the world.
The event will be held at the MODUS Live Lounge in Portsmouth, a purpose-built venue specifically for darts, with every dart shown live on Pluto TV. Combined with a live audience throughout the week, the setting will create an intimate, up-close atmosphere where fans can truly feel every dart.
This year’s event marks a major evolution for the Global Championship. Moving away from the previous 56-player round robin structure, the new straight knockout format brings greater intensity, jeopardy and clarity from the very first dart. Every match will matter. Every session will carry weight. And every player will know that one win can change everything.
The biggest story behind the 2026 expansion is opportunity.
By increasing the field from 56 to 128 players, the ADC is opening the door for 72 additional players to compete on the global stage. That means more chances for players across the circuit, more representation from across the regions, and more stories to be told throughout the week.
The enhanced qualification system reflects that ambition.
New qualification routes for 2026 will include additional places for Regional Ranking Number Ones, alongside extra spots earned through combined VAULT points across Series 14 to 18, with the top two players in each region from that combined table booking their place in the championship.
These new routes reward consistency, commitment and long-term performance across the ADC system, while strengthening the pathway from local competition to the biggest stage in the amateur game.
The international element of the ADC Global Championship will also be stronger than ever in 2026, with qualifiers coming from Africa, Canada and Australia, alongside players earning their place from multiple countries across Europe. This added international depth underlines the growing reach of the event and further strengthens its position as a truly global championship.
With players qualifying from across the UK, Ireland, Europe and overseas territories, the Global Championship is becoming exactly what its name represents — a truly international tournament, bringing together talent from multiple continents in one week of elite knockout action.
For the first time, there will also be 16 live sessions of darts, with double sessions every day and a live audience throughout the week. Staged inside the MODUS Live Lounge, each session will deliver a unique atmosphere, bringing supporters closer to the stage and creating a true major-event feel from start to finish.
Scott Hunt of ADC said: “ADC Global Championship 2026 is a huge step forward for us and for the wider amateur game. Expanding from 56 to 128 players is about creating more opportunity, opening more doors, and giving more players the chance to compete on a true global stage. The move to a straight knockout format over one full week of action will bring real intensity and excitement from the very first dart, while the addition of qualifiers from Africa, Canada and Australia shows how far this event is reaching. This is about building something bigger, more inclusive and more meaningful for players across the ADC pathway.”
Across eight days of action, the ADC Global Championship 2026 promises drama, pressure and opportunity on a scale not seen before in the event’s history.
This is more than a format change.
It is a major expansion of the ADC pathway, a wider opening of the door for aspiring players, and another significant step forward in the growth of the global amateur game.
The tournament will feature a total prize fund of £126,000.
128 players.
Straight knockout.
One week.
MODUS Live Lounge.
Live on Pluto TV.
One champion.
The ADC Global Championship 2026 takes place from 1st November to 8th November at MODUS Live Lounge, Portsmouth.
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