World number one Luke Littler and reigning champion Luke Humphries are scheduled to open the 2026 bet365 US Darts Masters today. The eighth staging of the tournament takes place at The Infosys Theater at the Madison Square Garden venue in New York.
The two-day event runs from June 25 to June 26. The format pits eight elite Professional Darts Corporation professionals against eight North American qualifiers competing for a £100,000 total prize fund. The eventual winner takes home £30,000.
Humphries enters the competition ranked world number two after defeating Nathan Aspinall 8-6 in the 2025 final. He is aiming to become the first player in the sport’s history to win back-to-back US Darts Masters titles in New York. The 19-year-old Littler arrives looking for his maiden New York crown after recently capturing the 2026 Saudi Arabia Darts Masters.
The field features a prominent gap this year. Michael van Gerwen opted to skip the US leg of the tour, a decision that directly opens the door for other competitors and frames Michael van Gerwen’s absence as a major storyline.
New faces are stepping up to fill the void on the American stage. European Champion Gian van Veen and Northern Ireland’s Josh Rock are making their debuts on American soil. They join a confirmed 16-player lineup that finalizes the pairings ahead of Thursday’s opening matches.