Michael van Gerwen will face Raymond van Barneveld in a blockbuster first-round match on the World Matchplay Darts, whereas Luke Littler will open his marketing campaign in opposition to Ryan Searle.
The draw for one of many greatest darts occasions of the yr befell on Thursday and sees three-time winner Van Gerwen paired with five-time world champion Van Barneveld within the headline match on Monday July 21.
The opening night time of the match on Saturday July 19 sees defending champion Luke Humphries face rising Dutch star Gian van Veen, whereas world champion Littler takes on world No 19 Searle on the primary Sunday of the match.
The 32 qualifiers for the World Matchplay had been confirmed this week with former world champion Michael Smith, who reached the semi-finals in Blackpool final yr, lacking out on a spot.
The match on the Winter Gardens in Blackpool will run from Saturday July 19 with the ultimate going down on the night of Sunday July 27. The Ladies’s World Matchplay will happen earlier that day.
Each session might be stay on Sky Sports activities.
World Matchplay Darts 2025 first-round draw
Luke Humphries (1) vs Gian van Veen
Danny Noppert (16) vs Cameron Menzies
Nathan Aspinall (8) vs Wessel Nijman
James Wade (9) vs Joe Cullen
Stephen Bunting (4) vs Ryan Joyce
Gary Anderson (13) vs Luke Woodhouse
Jonny Clayton (5) vs Martin Schindler
Dave Chisnall (12) vs Mike De Decker
Luke Littler (2) vs Ryan Searle
Peter Wright (15) vs Jermaine Wattimena
Damon Heta (7) vs Andrew Gilding
Rob Cross (10) vs Dirk van Duijvenbode
Michael van Gerwen (3) vs Raymond van Barneveld
Ross Smith (14) vs Josh Rock
Chris Dobey (6) vs Ricardo Pietreczko
Gerwyn Worth (11) vs Daryl Gurney
Session Schedule
Saturday July 19 (1900-2300)
First Spherical x4
James Wade v Joe Cullen
Danny Noppert v Cameron Menzies
Luke Humphries v Gian van Veen
Nathan Aspinall v Wessel Nijman
Sunday July 20
Afternoon Session (1300-1700)
First Spherical x4
Damon Heta v Andrew Gilding
Rob Cross v Dirk van Duijvenbode
Peter Wright v Jermaine Wattimena
Dave Chisnall v Mike De Decker
Night Session (1900-2300)
First Spherical x4
Gary Anderson v Luke Woodhouse
Jonny Clayton v Martin Schindler
Luke Littler v Ryan Searle
Stephen Bunting v Ryan Joyce
Monday July 21 (1900-2300)
First Spherical x4
Chris Dobey v Ricardo Pietreczko
Gerwyn Worth v Daryl Gurney
Michael van Gerwen v Raymond van Barneveld
Ross Smith v Josh Rock
Tuesday July 22 (1900-0000)
Second Spherical x4 – Match Order TBC
Humphries/Van Veen v Noppert/Menzies
Aspinall/Nijman v Wade/Cullen
Bunting/Joyce v Anderson/Woodhouse
Clayton/Schindler v Chisnall/De Decker
Wednesday July 23 (1900-0000)
Second Spherical x4 – Match Order TBC
Littler/Searle v Wright/Wattimena
Heta/Gilding v Cross/Van Duijvenbode
Van Gerwen/Van Barneveld v Smith/Rock
Dobey/Pietreczko v Worth/Gurney
Thursday July 24 (2000-2300)
Quarter-Finals x2
Friday July 25 (2000-2300)
Quarter-Finals x2
Saturday July 26 (2000-2300)
Semi-Finals
Sunday July 27
Afternoon Session (1300-1700)
Betfred Ladies’s World Matchplay
Night Session (2000-2200)
Betfred World Matchplay Remaining
Format
First Spherical Better of 19 legs
Second Spherical Better of 21 legs
Quarter-Finals Better of 31 legs
Semi-Finals Better of 33 legs
Remaining Better of 35 legs
Prize Fund
Winner £200,000
Runner-Up £100,000
Semi-Finalists £50,000
Quarter-Finalists £30,000
Second Spherical Losers £15,000
First Spherical Losers £10,000
Whole £800,000
Watch the World Matchplay stay on Sky Sports activities from July 19-27 or stream with out a contract.