Live Darts on Thursday | World Grand Prix 2026 Day Four Preview and Order of Play
The second round draws to a close at the 2026 World Grand Prix on Thursday as a host of in-form arrowsmiths collide in Leicester.
Former champions Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton were among those to secure their spot in the quarter-final from the top half of the draw on Wednesday, leaving a host of star names vying to join them from the bottom half.
Second seed Luke Humphries, who secured his first major title here in 2023, faces a tough challenge in prospect from a resurgent Jermaine Wattimena.
Humphries is bidding to reach the final of this event for the fourth consecutive year, having finished runner-up in his last two outings, and began by defeating Dave Chisnall in straight sets.
However, Humphries will be eyeing a marked improvement on his match average of 80.4 – his lowest average in the tournament since 2022 – and a checkout success of just 26 per cent.
Wattimena, meanwhile, swept aside Chris Dobey in straight sets to reach the Last 16 of this prestigious double-start major for the first time since 2019.
Two-time champion James Wade looks to continue his superb run of consistency in major competition this season when he comes up against 11th seed Stephen Bunting.
Champion in Dublin in 2007 and 2010, Wade is one of only three multiple winners of this title and victory here would see him reach a fifth consecutive major quarter-final.
The Australian Masters champion recovered from a set down to battle past Joe Cullen in Round One despite an uncharacteristic checkout success of just 28 per cent.
Bunting also dug deep to dispatch Andrew Gilding in a deciding set and is vying to reach a first televised ranking quarter-final since the 2025 World Matchplay.
The opening match of the night sees 2016 runner-up Gary Anderson face Dutch debutant Niels Zonneveld.
Semi-finalist at the World Championship and quarter-finalist at the World Matchplay this year, Anderson fought back from a set behind to see off Damon Heta in the opening round.
The Scottish veteran is now vying to reach an eighth World Grand Prix quarter-final since 2010 and remain in pursuit of a Grand Slam qualification spot next month.
Zonneveld marked his debut in style by dumping out seventh seed Josh Rock in a deciding set with three ton-plus checkouts to his name, climbing in to the world’s top 32 in the process.
Gian van Veen could end the week as world number two unless Humphries was to win the title, and the Dutch star faces a Last 16 showdown with Ryan Searle.
Van Veen overcame Dirk van Duijvenbode in straight sets to register his first win at the World Grand Prix at the third time of asking, and the European Champion already has four major semi-final appearances to his name this season.
World Championship semi-finalist Searle came through a tough test to edge out William O’Connor in a deciding set and is now eyeing a first quarter-final berth here since 2021.
The action gets under way from 7pm BST, with second round matches to be contested over the best of five sets.
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World Grand Prix 2026 Day Four Schedule
Thursday October 1
Second Round
7pm-11pm
Niels Zonneveld v Gary Anderson
James Wade v Stephen Bunting
Luke Humphries v Jermaine Wattimena
Gian van Veen v Ryan Searle
