Overview
- The two-day event runs January 15–16 at the Bahrain International Circuit, with UK coverage live on ITV4 and ITVX and international streaming via DAZN or PDCTV.
- First-round ties include Gerwyn Price v Motomu Sakai, Michael van Gerwen v Alexis Toylo, Luke Humphries v Abdulla Saeed, Gian van Veen v Man Lok Leung, Stephen Bunting v Ryusei Azemoto, Danny Noppert v Basem Mahmood, and Nathan Aspinall v Lourence Ilagan.
- Matches are best of 11 legs in the first round and quarter-finals, best of 13 in the semi-finals, and best of 15 in the final.
- Littler arrives as the reigning two-time world champion and recently signed a reported 10-year, £20m sponsorship with Target.
- Defending champion Stephen Bunting returns, with a £100,000 prize fund on offer and £30,000 to the winner.