World Matchplay: Luke Littler vs Michael van Gerwen in action, schedule, results, format and round 1 | Darts News

Current champion Nathan Aspinall and world champion Luke Humphries will headline the inaugural World Match Play on Saturday, July 13, 2024, with the fixture list for the iconic event now confirmed.

Aspinall will begin his title defence with a debut. Luke Woodhouse The £800,000 tournament gets underway as the Stockport star joins Rod Harrington, Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen in their bid to win back-to-back World Matchplay titles.

World champion Humphreys (seeded No. 1) will take on Germany's Riccardo Pietrecko in the opening match at Blackpool's Winter Gardens, while former finalists Gerwin Price, Jonny Clayton and Raymond van Barnevelt are also in action.

2023 runner-up Clayton will face five-time world champion Van Barneveldt for a place in the last 16, while 2022 finalist Price will face two-time semi-finalist Daryl Gurney in the tournament's opening match.

The first round concludes with an evening session on Monday 15 July, when three-time winner Michael van Gerwen takes on debutant Luke Littler in one of the most anticipated first round matches in World Match Play history.

World number three Michael Smith and 2018 champion Gary Anderson clash in another heavyweight showdown, while Australian number one Damon Hetta takes on Ryan Searle in a match between last year's quarter-finalists.

Chris Dobey reached the quarter-finals 12 months ago and will face Richie Edhouse, one of five debutants in this year's 32-man field, in the first round.

Round 2 will be played on Tuesday, July 16 and Wednesday, July 17, with the quarterfinals taking place on Thursday, July 18 and Friday, July 19.

The semi-finals will take place on Saturday 20th July and the final will be held on Sunday 21st July, with the remaining two players competing for £200,000 and the coveted Phil Taylor Trophy.

Visitors to the Winter Garden this year will once again be treated to the Betfred Women's World Matchplay, the third edition of which will see eight players compete on Sunday afternoon, July 21.

World Match Play Schedule:

Saturday, July 13th (7:30pm)

First round

Gerwin Price v Daryl Gurney

Johnny Clayton v Raymond Van Barneveld

Luke Humphries vs Ricardo Pietrezko

Nathan Aspinall vs Luke Woodhouse

Sunday July 14th

Afternoon Session (1pm)

First round:

Ross Smith vs Josh Lock

Danny Noppert v James Wade

Dimitri van den Berg v Martin Schindler

Stephen Bunting vs Ryan Joyce

Evening Session (7pm)

First round:

Rob Cross v Gian Van Veen

Joe Cullen vs. Brendan Dolan

Peter Wright vs Andrew Gilding

Dave Chisnell vs. Krzysztof Ratajski

(Session time will be changed to Sunday 14 July if England reach the Euro 2024 final)

Monday, July 15th (7pm)

First round:

Damon Hetta vs Ryan Searle

Michael Smith vs. Gary Anderson

Michael van Gerwen v Luke Littler

Chris Dovey vs. Richie Edhouse

Tuesday, July 16th (7pm)

2 rounds x4

Wednesday, July 17th (7pm)

2 rounds x4

Thursday, July 18th (8pm)

Quarterfinals x2

Friday, July 19th (8pm)

Quarterfinals x2

Saturday, July 20th (8pm)

semifinal

Sunday July 21st

Afternoon Session (1pm)

Women's World Match Play:

Quarterfinals:

Beau Greaves vs Katie Sheldon

Mikuru Suzuki v Noah-Lynn Van Ruben

Polon Sherrock vs Anastasia Dobromislova

Lisa Ashton v Rhian O'Sullivan

semifinal:

Greaves/Sheldon vs. Suzuki/Van Reuben

Sherlock/Dobromislova v Ashton/O'Sullivan

critical

Evening Session (8pm)

World Match Play Finals

When and where will the World Match Play take place?

The World Match Play begins on Saturday 13 July and runs until Sunday 21 July, with all darts being streamed live. Sky Sports.

The tournament takes place in Blackpool’s iconic Winter Gardens and 2024 marks the 31st edition of the Match Play, the ballroom that showcases some of darts’ most iconic moments.

With the darts calendar in full swing, the World Match Play is the second major of the season after the UK Open, which was won by Dimitri van den Bergh, beating world champion Luke Humphries 11-10.

Don't miss this prestigious tournament featuring the world's top 32 teams!

What format is it?

World Match Play is a leg-based format, with the number of legs needed to win increasing as the round progresses.

Each game must be won in its second game unless the score is tied after six games.

• Round 1: First to pass 10 bridges (sudden death at 12-12)
• Round 2: First to 11th leg (sudden death at 13-13)
• Quarterfinals: Round of 16 (sudden elimination at 18-18)
• Semi-finals: 1st place in Round of 17 (sudden elimination at 19-19)
• Final: 1st place out of 18 legs (sudden death at 20-20)

Who are the previous winners?

The World Match Play has had many notable winners, and Aspinall will enter the 2024 event as the defending champion.

The first winner was Larry Butler in 1994, and then Phil Taylor won his first title in 1995 with 16 wins (yes, 16).

Taylor also won the Match Play in 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2017.

Taylor became the first player in history to have a nine-darts show live on television when he won in 2002, and his dominance was so overwhelming that the trophy was renamed in his honor in 2018.

Other winners include Michael van Gerwen (2015, 2016 and 2022), Gary Anderson (2018), Rob Cross (2019), Dimitri van den Berg (2020) and Peter Wright (2021).

Watch the World Matchplay Darts live from July 13th to 21st. Sky Sports.