Live Darts on December 23rd | World Darts Championship 2025/26 Day 13 Preview and Order of Play
The second round draws to a close at the 2025/26 World Darts Championship on Tuesday the final pre-Christmas double-header at Alexandra Palace.
Eight places remain up for grabs in the Third Round of the £1m showpiece, with three former World Champions among those looking to maintain their title pursuit.
The afternoon session sees two-time World Champion Peter Wright take on German debutant Arno Merk.
Wright is one of only six players to have lifted the Sid Waddell Trophy on more than one occasion, having triumphed in 2020 and 2022.
The eight-time major winner, however, arrived at Ally Pally in his lowest seeded position (30) since 2011/12, having endured a torrid season on both floor and stage.
The flamboyant Scot suffered first round exits in the World Matchplay, World Grand Prix and European Championship, while also failing to qualify for the Grand Slam for the first time since 2012.
However, he did reach a Players Championship final in April, as well as four European Tour quarter-finals during the season, and will seek inspiration from last year’s resurgent run to the quarter-finals at Ally Pally which included an emotional Last 16 win over Luke Humphries.
Wright, who safely saw off Noa-Lynn van Leuven 3-0 in round one, now comes up against German Super League winner Merk – who has had to wait 12 days for his return to the big stage.
The 33-year-old knocked out Kim Huybrechts 3-1 on the opening night of the tournament and is now gearing up for the biggest match of his career to date.
Two-time major champion Daryl Gurney faces a crunch clash with former quarter-finalist Callan Rydz.
Gurney, twice a World Championship quarter-finalist, has enjoyed a resurgent season, reaching the Last Eight of both the European Championship and Players Championship Finals.
The former Premier League star partnered Josh Rock to World Cup glory for Northern Ireland in June and began his 13th World Championship campaign with a thrilling 3-2 win over three-time Women’s World Champion Beau Greaves.
Rydz initially reached the Last Eight at Ally Pally in 2021/22 before replicating that run 12 months ago with a number of ton-plus averages along the way.
The three-time Players Championship event winner began his latest campaign with a commanding straight sets win over Hungary’s Patrik Kovacs.
Former European Championship finalist Jermaine Wattimena faces a showdown with former World Championship semi-finalist Scott Williams.
Wattimena has romped to two Players Championship titles this season, while also reaching the semi-finals of last month’s Players Championship Finals to headed into this tournament as the 19th seed.
The rapid-fire Dutchman has been an ever-present at the World Championship since 2014/15 and is bidding to reach Round Three for the fourth time, having come from 2-1 down to dispatch Dominik Gruellich 3-2 in his opener.
Williams enjoyed a remarkable run to the Last Four two years ago and is bidding to defend the £100,000 from that occasion against his Order of Merit tally after what has been a testing season for ‘The Showman’.
However, he shrugged off any talk of a potential upset in round one by brushing aside Paolo Nebrida in straight sets, averaging 99.2 for the loss of just two legs.
The opening match of the afternoon sees Suffolk left-hander Ryan Meikle take on New Zealand’s Jonny Tata.
Meikle recorded a crucial straight sets win over Argentinian debutant Jesus Salate in round one to stave off any fears of losing his Tour Card come the end of the tournament.
The 29-year-old is bidding to reach the Third Round at Ally Pally for the first time in six attempts but will be braced for a tough test from the DPNZ star.
Tata became the first player to hit a nine-darter on the DPNZ tour this season and pulled off an impressive straight sets victory over 2024 European Champion Ritchie Edhouse in Round One.
Evening Session
Three-time World Champion Michael van Gerwen faces a formidable test against an in-form William O’Connor.
Van Gerwen survived an early scare as he recovered from a set down to defeat Japanese debutant Mitsuhiko Tatsunami in round one but will be eyeing a marked improvement on his match average of 90.8.
The decorated Dutchman first lifted the Sid Waddell Trophy in 2014 before reclaiming the crown in 2017 and 2019.
He has finished runner-up on a further four occasions, including last year when he was denied by Luke Littler, making it seven final appearances in his last 13 appearances at Ally Pally.
The world number three has endured a difficult season on the major stages, with a semi-final run at the European Championship representing his best showing, but did claim the World Series Finals title on home soil in Amsterdam.
Irish ace O’Connor will be hoping to catch MVG cold and follow up a blistering first round display which saw him average 102.3 in a straight sets round of Poland’s Krzysztof Kciuk for the loss of just two legs.
Gary Anderson looks to remain in contention for a third world title a decade on from his second by overcoming two-time Challenge Tour event winner Connor Scutt.
Anderson battled back from 2-1 down to edge out his former protégé Adam Hunt in the opening round, atoning for last year’s shock early exit at the hands of Jeffrey De Graaf.
The Flying Scotsman, who defeated Phil Taylor in the 2015 final and landed a nine-darter a year later before overcoming Adrian Lewis in the final, is one of only six multiple PDC World Champions.
Having celebrated his 55th birthday on Monday, Anderson remains firmly among the sport’s elite but has enjoyed his best results away from the major stages this season, claiming both a European Tour and Players Championship title.
Scutt is appearing in the second round for the third consecutive year at Ally Pally and is now eyeing what would be the most high-profile win of his career to date, having battled past 2010 world finalist Simon Whitlock 3-2 in the first round.
Former UK Open champion Danny Noppert is gearing up for a tricky test against left-handed debutant Justin Hood.
Noppert came into this event in his highest-ever seeded position (6) after a magnificent year of consistency in major televised tournaments.
Although ‘The Freeze’ has not picked up a title on the tour this season, he has reached the semi-finals of four of the seven ranked majors, including the World Grand Prix and Grand Slam.
However, his World Championship record makes for ominous reading, with no runs beyond the third round in any of his seven previous attempts.
Having seen off Dutch compatriot Jurjen van der Velde 3-1 with a 96.6 average, Noppert now faces former Challenge Tour event winner Hood – who enjoyed a dream debut by dispatching Nick Kenny in straight sets with a 99.6 average.
The final match before the three-day Christmas break sees 11th seed Josh Rock take on Australian qualifier Joe Comito.
World Cup of Darts winner Rock produced a professional performance to defeat Women’s Series star Gemma Hayter 3-1 in the first round but will look to improve on his modest average of 90 in a bid to reach the third round for the third time in four appearances at Ally Pally.
The Northern Irish number one starts out as overwhelming favourite to brush aside DPA ProTour winner Comito – who produced one of the biggest upsets of the opening round by dumping out European Tour event winner Niko Springer.
The action gets under way from 12.30pm GMT, with second round ties to be contested over the best of five sets, with a tie break in operation if the score reaches 2-2 in the final set.
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World Darts Championship 2025/26 Day 13 Schedule
Tuesday December 23
Second Round
Afternoon Session (12.30pm-5pm)
Jonny Tata v Ryan Meikle
Daryl Gurney v Callan Rydz
Jermaine Wattimena v Scott Williams
Peter Wright v Arno Merk
Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
Danny Noppert v Justin Hood
Gary Anderson v Connor Scutt
Michael van Gerwen v William O’Connor
Josh Rock v Joe Comito
