The darts world doesn't pause long after Alexandra Palace goes dark.
The darts world doesn't pause long after Alexandra Palace goes dark. Less than three weeks after Luke Littler defended his World Championship title at Ally Pally — cheered by some, jeered by others, but ultimately triumphant for a second straight year — he and fifteen other players are boarding flights to the Middle East for the Bahrain Masters 2026, a two-day exhibition running January 15 and 16 at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir.
The venue is better known as a Formula 1 track, which gives the whole affair a certain novelty. Darts at a racing circuit in the Gulf is exactly the kind of left-field spectacle the sport has leaned into as its global footprint expands. Sessions run from 4pm GMT each day, with first-round and quarter-final matches on Thursday and the tournament concluding Friday.
Littler headlines a PDC contingent that reads like a who's who of the current tour. Luke Humphries is there, as is the ever-present Michael van Gerwen. Gian van Veen, who lost the World Championship final to Littler, makes the trip, along with last year's Bahrain Masters winner Stephen Bunting. Danny Noppert, Gerwyn Price, and Nathan Aspinall round out the European side.
Facing them is a team drawn from Asian darts, and it is not without its own star power. Filipino players Alexis Toylo and Lourence Ilagan lead the charge, joined by Japanese players Motomu Sakai and Ryusei Azemoto, as well as local Bahraini representatives Abdulla Saeed and Basem Mahmood. The name drawing perhaps the most warmth, though, is Paul Lim — a 71-year-old Singaporean who earned genuine crowd affection during his run at the World Championship and will carry that goodwill into the desert.
For viewers in the United Kingdom, the coverage is entirely free. ITV4 carries live broadcasts on both Thursday and Friday from 4pm to 8pm GMT, and the ITVX streaming platform offers the same coverage online at no cost beyond a free account registration — though watching live does require a TV Licence. It is, by any measure, the most accessible option available anywhere in the world.
American and Canadian fans will need a PDCTV subscription, which runs $12.99 per month or $74.99 annually. Australian viewers can find the tournament on Fox Sports 506 through Foxtel, or stream it via Kayo Sports, which starts at AU$30 per month after a seven-day free trial — with a first-month promotional rate of AU$1 currently available. In New Zealand, Sky Sport holds the rights, accessible via satellite or through the Sky Sport Now streaming service starting at $29.99 per day or $54.99 monthly.
Across continental Europe, the picture varies by country. DAZN carries the rights in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, while viewers in the Netherlands require a Viaplay subscription. Elsewhere, PDCTV serves as the fallback option for most of the world.
For anyone traveling and unable to access their home service, a VPN — software that routes your connection through a server in another country — can restore access to whichever platform you'd normally use. The PDC also maintains active social media channels on X, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok under the handle OfficialPDC for those who want score updates on the go.
With the World Championship barely in the rearview mirror, the Bahrain Masters offers the first competitive darts of 2026 — a short, sharp exhibition that will tell us whether Littler's dominance travels as well as it plays in North London.
Notable Quotes
Littler was cheered, he was jeered, but he prevailed for a second successive year at Alexandra Palace.— TechRadar reporting on the 2026 World Championship
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why hold a darts exhibition at a Formula 1 circuit in Bahrain?
Part of it is spectacle — the sport is actively trying to plant flags in new territories, and a racing venue in the Gulf is a statement about ambition.
Is this a serious competitive event or more of a showcase?
It sits somewhere between the two. The format is real — best of eleven legs, proper knockout rounds — but the exhibition label signals that the atmosphere is meant to be festive rather than grinding.
Paul Lim is 71. What's his role here?
He's something of a beloved figure after his World Championship run, and his presence gives the Asian team a crowd favorite. He's not just filling a roster spot.
Gian van Veen just lost the world final to Littler. Is there a rematch angle here?
Potentially. They're on the same PDC side, so they'd only meet in a final — but the storyline is already written if it happens.
The UK gets it free on ITV. Why is that significant?
Free-to-air coverage is how sports build casual audiences. Someone who wouldn't pay for darts might stumble onto ITV4 on a Thursday afternoon and get hooked.
What does it mean that the PDC is expanding into Bahrain specifically?
The local representatives — Abdulla Saeed and Basem Mahmood — are part of the point. The PDC wants roots in the region, not just a visiting circus.
Is Littler the clear favorite going in?
He's the world champion, fresh off a second title. On form alone, yes. But exhibition formats can produce surprises — the pressure is different when the world ranking isn't on the line.