Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton: Everything you need to know as Luke Littler makes flying start

The Grand Slam of Darts is back in Wolverhampton, with some of the biggest names in the sport battling it out for one of the most prestigious titles on the calendar.

The 2026 Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts got underway at WV Active Aldersley on Saturday, November 14, with thousands of fans expected to descend on the city throughout the tournament.

World champion Luke Littler made a flying start to his title defence with a 5-2 victory over Beau Greaves, while several other big names also got their campaigns off to winning starts.

The tournament, which has been expanded to 48 players for the first time, will run until Sunday, November 22, when the winner will lift the Eric Bristow Trophy and take home £200,000 in prize money.

With nine days of action taking place in Wolverhampton, here is everything you need to know about the tournament, including the results so far, tickets, parking and what fans can expect.

What happened on the opening day?

Defending champion Luke Littler produced a dominant display to beat Beau Greaves 5-2 in his opening Group A match on Saturday evening.

The 19-year-old, who is bidding to win the Grand Slam for a third consecutive year, averaged just under 110 and hit seven 180s on his way to victory.

Littler raced into a 3-0 lead before Greaves fought back, but the world champion wrapped up the match with his first match dart.

Speaking to Sky Sports afterwards, Littler said: "I am happy with the win.

"Beau was fantastic. I am happy with myself and still 100 per cent here in Wolverhampton."

Elsewhere, world number two Luke Humphries beat Paolo Nebrida 5-3, while three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen survived two match darts before edging past Henry Coates 5-4.

Gerwyn Price also made a winning start with a 5-3 victory over Joe Hunt, while Nathan Aspinall impressed with an average of 111 in his 5-1 win over Maik Kuivenhoven.

There were some early shocks, however, with European champion Ross Smith losing 5-3 to Rusty-Jake Rodriguez and world number eight Josh Rock suffering a 5-2 defeat against debutant Tommy Morris.

Where is the Grand Slam of Darts taking place?

The tournament is being held at WV Active Aldersley, also known as Aldersley Stadium, in Wolverhampton.

The venue has hosted the competition since 2018, when it moved from Wolverhampton Civic Hall during renovation work.

The only exception was in 2020, when the Covid-affected tournament was staged behind closed doors at Coventry's Ricoh Arena.

Despite the reopening of Wolverhampton's Civic and Wulfrun Halls, the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) has committed to keeping the tournament at Aldersley.

The venue can accommodate around 2,000 spectators per session, with fans seated at tables or in tiered seating overlooking the stage.

When is the tournament taking place?

The Grand Slam began on Saturday, November 14, and will continue until Sunday, November 22.

There are 12 sessions scheduled across the tournament, with the opening weekend featuring afternoon sessions beginning at 1pm and evening sessions starting at 7pm.

The remaining schedule is as follows:

• Sunday, November 15: Group-stage matches at 1pm and 7pm.
• Monday, November 16: Group-stage matches from 7pm.
• Tuesday, November 17: Group-stage matches from 7pm.
• Wednesday, November 18: Second-round matches from 7pm.
• Thursday, November 19: Second-round matches from 7pm.
• Friday, November 20: Quarter-finals from 7pm.
• Saturday, November 21: Quarter-finals.
• Sunday, November 22: Semi-finals from 1pm, followed by the final at 7.30pm.

How does the new format work?

The 2026 tournament has seen the biggest change to the Grand Slam format in years, with the number of competitors increasing from 32 to 48.

Players have been divided into 16 groups of three, with each player facing the other two competitors in their group.

Unlike previous editions, when the top two players from each four-player group progressed, only the winner of each group will advance to the last 16.

The group-stage matches are played over the best of nine legs, with the second round increasing to the best of 19 legs.

The quarter-finals, semi-finals and final are all contested over the best of 31 legs.

Can I still get tickets?

The tournament was almost sold out before the opening weekend, although any remaining tickets can be purchased through the official PDC ticketing website.

Tickets for the opening weekend were priced at £48.60 for a table seat and £37.80 for tiered seating.

For sessions from Monday onwards, prices start at £43.20 for table seats and £32.40 for tiered seating.

Fans can check availability and purchase tickets through the official ticketing website.

What parking restrictions are in place?

Fans travelling to Aldersley are being warned of strict parking restrictions around the venue during the tournament.

Although no road closures are planned, no-parking measures will be enforced along Aldersley Road and adjoining streets.

There is limited parking available at the stadium itself, with tickets costing £13 per session. Proof of parking will be required to enter the stadium grounds.

Shuttle buses will also operate between Wolverhampton city centre and Aldersley before and after each session.

A return ticket costs £5 per person.

What food and drink is available?

Fans attending the tournament will have access to a range of food and drink options throughout the event.

A large bar is located at the back of the arena, behind the tiered seating, while food outlets include the Costa Coffee unit at Aldersley and takeaway vendors positioned outside near the athletics track.

Beer prices at PDC events are typically around £7.25 for a pint or £29 for a four-pint jug, although prices at the venue may vary.

Merchandise stalls will also be available for fans looking to purchase darts-related souvenirs.

Who are the favourites to win?

Luke Littler will be among the leading contenders as he looks to complete a hat-trick of Grand Slam titles.

The world champion defeated Luke Humphries 16-11 in last year's final and has already made an impressive start to his latest campaign.

Humphries, Michael van Gerwen and Gerwyn Price are also among the former champions competing in Wolverhampton.

Other notable names in the field include James Wade, Stephen Bunting, Nathan Aspinall, Rob Cross and Jonny Clayton.

However, the expanded format has given several emerging players the chance to make their mark, with the opening day's surprise results already showing that some of the sport's biggest names could face an early exit.

The tournament concludes on Sunday, November 22, when the remaining two players will battle for the £200,000 top prize and the Eric Bristow Trophy.