2026 World Matchplay of Darts: Essentials, Draw and Prize Money

Tournament Overview

The 2026 World Matchplay brings together 32 of the world’s top darts talent at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens. Only one player will walk away on Sunday night with the top prize of £225,000, while the total purse reaches £1 million. This event sits just below the World Championship in prestige, offering long‑format battles that often decide the season’s standout performers. Fans can expect high‑stakes action from the opening round through to the final best‑of‑35‑leg showdown.

First Round Matchups

• Luke Littler faces Niko Springer.
• Nathan Aspinall is set to play Joe Cullen.
• Josh Rock takes on Luke Woodhouse.
• Stephen Bunting squares off against Niels Zonneveld.
• Michael van Gerwen meets Andrew Gilding.
• Chris Dobey goes head‑to‑head with Dirk van Duijvenbode.
• Jonny Clayton takes on Damon Heta.
• Gary Anderson is matched with Ryan Joyce.
• Luke Humphries plays Cameron Menzies.
• Ross Smith faces Kevin Doets.
• Gerwyn Price confronts Martin Schindler.
• Danny Noppert meets Rob Cross.
• Gian van Veen is paired with Krzysztof Ratajski.
• Wessel Nijman takes on Dave Chisnall.
• James Wade faces Jermaine Wattimena.
• Ryan Searle goes up against William O’Connor.

Second Round Schedule

The winners of those 16 contests will meet in the second round over the following evenings. Tuesday, July 21 and Wednesday, July 22 each hold four matches starting at 7:15 p.m., 8:15 p.m., 9:15 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. local time in Blackpool. The pairings are yet to be finalised, but they will be drawn from the qualifiers above.

Quarterfinals and Semifinals

After the second round, the field narrows to eight players for the quarterfinals on Thursday, July 23 and Friday, July 24. Each day features two best‑of‑31‑leg ties beginning at 8:15 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. The semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, July 25 and Sunday, July 26, with start times of 8:15 p.m. and 9:40 p.m. respectively. The two remaining contenders will then face off in the ultimate best‑of‑35‑leg final.

Prize Money Breakdown

• Champion – £225,000
• Runner‑up – £125,000
• Each Semi‑finalist – £65,000
• Each Quarter‑finalist – £35,000
• Each Second‑round qualifier – £22,500
• Each First‑round participant – £12,500

Match Format and Rules

First‑round contests are best‑of‑19 legs, escalating to best‑of‑21 for the second round. The quarterfinals jump to best‑of‑31 legs, while the semifinals rise to best‑of‑33 and the final to best‑of‑35. A tie‑break clause applies: matches must be decided by a two‑leg margin; if the score remains level after the prescribed legs plus six additional legs, a sudden‑death leg determines the winner. This rule has been used previously, such as in the 2018 final between Gary Anderson and Mensur Suljovic.