2026 New Zealand Darts Masters
Darts tournament in New Zealand
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The 2026 New Zealand Darts Masters (known for sponsorship reasons as the 2026 SkyCity New Zealand Darts Masters) is a professional darts tournament that is scheduled to take place from 14 to 15 August 2026 at the Spark Arena in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the sixth staging of the tournament by the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), and is the fifth event in the 2026 World Series of Darts.[1] The total prize fund will be £100,000, with the winner receiving £30,000.
| 2026 SkyCity New Zealand Darts Masters | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Tournament information | |||
| Dates | 14–15 August 2026 | ||
| Venue | Spark Arena | ||
| Location | Auckland, New Zealand | ||
| Organisation(s) | Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) | ||
| Format | Legs | ||
| Prize fund | £100,000 | ||
| Winner's share | £30,000 | ||
| |||
Sponsored by SkyCity, the tournament will feature 16 players, consisting of eight PDC representatives and eight Oceanian representatives. Luke Littler was the reigning champion, having defeated Luke Humphries 8–4 in the 2025 final. However, Littler did not enter the tournament and therefore will not defend his title.
Overview
Format
Eight elite PDC representatives will be drawn to play eight Oceanian representatives in the first round on Friday 14 August; the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final will take place on Saturday 15 August.
- First round and quarter-finals: Best of eleven legs
- Semi-finals: Best of thirteen legs
- Final: Best of fifteen legs
Prize money
The total prize fund for the event remained at £100,000. The breakdown of prize money is shown below:[2]
| Position (no. of players) | Prize money (Total: £100,000) | |
|---|---|---|
| Winner | (1) | £30,000 |
| Runner-up | (1) | £16,000 |
| Semi-finalists | (2) | £10,000 |
| Quarter-finalists | (4) | £5,000 |
| First round | (8) | £1,750 |
Participants
The PDC announced the eight PDC representatives on 17 June 2026. Ross Smith will make his World Series of Darts debut, while Gian van Veen will make his first appearance Down Under. Reigning champion Luke Littler, who defeated Luke Humphries 8–4 in the 2025 final,[3] did not enter the tournament.[4]
The seedings are based on the 2026 World Series rankings after four events:
Gian van Veen (NED)
Gerwyn Price (WAL)
Stephen Bunting (ENG)- James Wade (ENG)
- Jonny Clayton (WAL)
Josh Rock (NIR)- Ross Smith (ENG)
Damon Heta (AUS)
The first two Oceanian representatives were also confirmed on 17 June: 2026 PDC Tour Card holder Adam Leek and reigning ANZ Premier League champion Simon Whitlock.[4] They will be joined by five Dartplayers New Zealand (DPNZ) qualifiers and one Australian Darts Association (ADA) qualifier.[5]
| Qualification | Player |
|---|---|
| PDC Tour Card holders |  Adam Leek (AUS) |
| ANZ Premier League | Simon Whitlock (AUS) |
| DPNZ qualifiers |  Ben Robb (NZL) |
| Jonny Tata (NZL) | |
| Mark Cleaver (NZL) | |
| Kayden Milne (NZL) | |
| Haupai Puha (NZL) | |
| ADA qualifier | Raymond Smith (AUS) |
Draw
| First round (best of 11 legs) 14 August | Quarter-finals (best of 11 legs) 15 August | Semi-finals (best of 13 legs) 15 August | Final (best of 15 legs) 15 August | ||||||||||||||||
| 1 |  Gian van Veen
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| 4 |  James Wade
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| 2 |  Gerwyn Price
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| 3 | Stephen Bunting
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