BOYLE Sports World Grand Prix 2026 | Day Two Preview and Order of Play

The first round action continues at the 2026 World Grand Prix on Tuesday as more big names aim to avert an early exit in Leicester.

The opening night of the prestigious double-start major saw defending champion Luke Littler suffer a shock defeat at the hands of Luke Woodhouse, while Ryan Joyce sent six-time champion Michael van Gerwen packing.

With the top half of the drawn having already been blown wide open, focus now shifts to the bottom half as a host of decorated darters get their campaigns under way.

Littler’s early departure has seen Luke Humphries’ outright odds halved overnight, and the number two seed starts out against former finalist Dave Chisnall.

Humphries famously claimed the first of his eight major titles here in 2023 and has finished runner-up in each of the last two years.

After losing in four of his last five major finals to Littler, Humphries will be determined to grasp this golden opportunity to regain the crown in the absence of his rival.

Chisnall, meanwhile, returns to the fold after failing to qualify last year for the first time since joining the PDC in 2011, and the two-time runner-up will be out to catch Humphries cold over the short format.

James Wade continues to boast the most consecutive appearances in this event, and the two-time champion begins his latest campaign against Joe Cullen.

Wade, winner in Dublin 2007 and 2010, has enjoyed a terrific season so far, securing the Australian Masters and Flanders Darts Trophy titles whilst also finishing runner-up at the UK Open for the second successive year.

Cullen is gearing up for an 11th consecutive appearance at the World Grand Prix, having reached the semi-finals in 2023, though he has not been beyond the Last 16 stage of any televised ranking event since this competition two years ago.

Gary Anderson, runner-up in Dublin a decade ago, starts out against Aussie number one – Damon Heta.

Anderson enjoyed a resurgent run to the semi-finals of the World Championship in January and also reached the final of the Hungarian Darts Trophy last month, though he has carefully handpicked his schedule on both the European Tour and ProTour this season and could miss out on the European Championship, Grand Slam and Players Championship Finals.

Heta, a four-time European Tour event semi-finalist this season, is bidding to end a wretched record in Leicester which has seen him suffer first round exits in all five previous appearances.

A tantalising all-Dutch clash sees world number three Gian van Veen take on 2020 finalist Dirk van Duijvenbode.

Reigning European Champion Van Veen is seeking his first win on this stage at the third time of asking, having enjoyed a superb season so far which has seen him reach the semi-finals of the World Masters, World Matchplay and World Series Finals.

Van Duijvenbode, who also reached the semi-finals of the World Matchplay this summer, finished runner-up to Gerwyn Price on his Grand Prix debut behind closed doors six years ago and was a quarter-finalist here last time out.

Former Masters champion Chris Dobey faces a tough opening assignment against Jermaine Wattimena – a finalist on the European Tour and a Players Championship event winner this season.

Seventh seed Josh Rock, Austrian Open champion and a UK Open semi-finalist this season, takes on Dutch debutant Niels Zonneveld – twice a semi-finalist on the European Tour in 2026.

Two-time semi-finalist Stephen Bunting opens up with a tricky tie against former UK Open champion Andrew Gilding, while World Championship semi-finalist Ryan Searle meets Irish ace William O’Connor – who returns to this event for the first time since 2015.

First Round matches are to be contested over the best of three sets.  All sets are the best of five legs and there will be no tie break in any set. All legs must begin and end with a double, meaning that a player must hit a double before they can begin scoring in each leg.

WATCH THE WORLD GRAND PRIX STREAMED LIVE HERE

18+ | Geo Restrictions may apply | Please Gamble Responsibly

World Grand Prix 2026 Day Two Schedule

Tuesday September 29

First Round

6pm-11pm
Chris Dobey v Jermaine Wattimena
Ryan Searle v William O’Connor
Josh Rock v Niels Zonneveld
James Wade v Joe Cullen
Gary Anderson v Damon Heta
Gian van Veen v Dirk van Duijvenbode
Luke Humphries v Dave Chisnall
Stephen Bunting v Andrew Gilding