Live Darts on Sunday | World Matchplay 2026 Day Two Preview and Order of Play

The First Round action continues at the 2026 Betfred World Matchplay on Sunday with a bumper double session in Blackpool.

The opening night of the sport’s summer showpiece saw all four seeded players safely progress to the second round, including defending champion Luke Littler and 2023 winner Nathan Aspinall.

Three former champions are amongst the star attractions in an unmissable double-header on Day Two, including three-time winner Michael van Gerwen.

Van Gerwen, who has lifted this trophy in 2015, 2016 and 2022, most recently reached the final in 2024 when he finished runner-up to Luke Humphries.

However, that final run has been sandwiched between first and second round exits at the Winter Gardens, and he has reached just one semi-final in his last nine televised ranking majors.

The Dutch icon faces a tricky opener against Andrew Gilding – who famously triumphed when the pair met in the 2023 UK Open final and also came out on top in last month’s Slovak Darts Open.

Gilding has reached back-to-back quarter-finals in Blackpool and has also picked up a Players Championship title this season.

The afternoon session also sees 2018 champion Gary Anderson take on two-time major semi-finalist Ryan Joyce.

Anderson, who also finished runner-up behind closed doors in 2020, has failed to progress beyond the second round in his last five appearances at the Winter Gardens.

However, he enjoyed a resurgent run to the semi-finals of this year’s World Championship, as well as partnering Cameron Menzies to the semi-finals of last month’s World Cup of Darts.

Joyce is bidding for his first win on the World Matchplay stage at the fourth time of asking, having narrowly lost out to Stephen Bunting in each of his last two outings here.

Former Masters champion Chris Dobey faces a showdown with former World Grand Prix finalist Dirk van Duijvenbode.

Dobey, the number 13 seed, has not lost in the opening round here since 2022 and has already racked up two Players Championship titles this season.

Van Duijvenbode reached the quarter-finals at the Empress Ballroom in 2022 and has also reached the final of a ProTour event this season.

Jonny Clayton, runner-up in 2023, starts out with a tie against Australian number one – Damon Heta.

Clayton reached the Last Four here 12 months ago – one of three consecutive major ranking semi-final appearances in 2025 and also enjoyed a memorable return to the Premier League this season which culminated in a semi-final defeat.

Heta was a quarter-finalist here in 2023 but has suffered first round exits in his four other appearances, including an agonising 12-10 defeat to Gilding last year despite registering a ton-plus average.

The evening session includes a stand-out tie between 2007 champion James Wade and Jermaine Wattimena.

Wade is embarking upon a record-extending 21st consecutive campaign at the World Matchplay, having reached the final in five of his first seven appearances.

The decorated left-hander has gone on to reach the final on a further two occasions, including last year when he was narrowly denied by Luke Littler after statistically enjoying his best-ever World Matchplay campaign.

Wade, who has also finished runner-up at this year’s UK Open, has picked up a Players Championship title and will be out to continue his love affair with this famous darting stage.

Wattimena, meanwhile, recorded his first win on the World Matchplay stage at the fifth time of asking in 2025 and reached the final of the recent European Darts Open, in addition to a further two Players Championship finals earlier this season.

World Championship finalist Gian van Veen faces a formidable opener against newly-crowned European Darts Open champion Krzysztof Ratajski.

Van Veen, the reigning European champion, is making his third consecutive World Matchplay appearance, having reached the quarter-finals 12 months ago.

The world number three finished second from bottom in his debut Premier League campaign but bounced back with a run to the final of the World Cup alongside Van Gerwen for the Netherlands.

Ratajski, semi-finalist in 2021, returns to the field after missing out on last year’s World Matchplay, and the Polish talisman is riding high after landing his second European Tour title in Leverkusen last weekend with victory over Wattimena in the final.

Wessel Nijman heads to Blackpool as a seed for the first time, and the Dutch superstar opens up against veteran Dave Chisnall.

Nijman has been undoubtedly the stand-out performer on the ProTour this season, racking up a staggering six titles, in addition to two European Tour triumphs.

Now ranked world number 14, Nijman is bidding to transfer that blistering run of form onto the sport’s biggest stages – where he is yet to reach a major quarter-final.

Chisnall secured his qualification in dramatic fashion, clinging on to the final ProTour spot to ensure he maintains his ever-present record in Blackpool dating back to 2011.

A five-time quarter-finalist, ‘Chizzy’ is out to end a run of three straight first round exits at the Winter Gardens and tear up the form guide.

The opening match of the night sees World Championship semi-finalist Ryan Searle take on William O’Connor – one of four debutants in this year’s tournament.

Searle sealed an eighth Players Championship title back in March and is making his sixth successive World Matchplay appearance, having reached the quarter-finals in 2023.

Irish stalwart O’Connor takes to the iconic Winter Gardens stage for the first time at the age of 40, courtesy of two Players Championship final appearances within the last 12 months, the most recent of which coming in June.

The action gets under way from 1pm BST, with first round matches to be contested over the best of 19 legs.

Matches will be extended if necessary for a maximum of six extra legs before a sudden death leg is required. For example, in a first to ten first round match, if the score reaches 12-12 then the 25th leg will be the sudden death decider.

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World Matchplay 2026 Day Two Schedule

Sunday July 19

First Round

Afternoon Session (1pm-5pm)
Chris Dobey v Dirk van Duijvenbode
Gary Anderson v Ryan Joyce
Michael van Gerwen v Andrew Gilding
Jonny Clayton v Damon Heta

Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
Ryan Searle v William O’Connor
James Wade v Jermaine Wattimena
Gian van Veen v Krzysztof Ratajski
Wessel Nijman v Dave Chisnall