The Darts World Matchplay- all you need to know
If you are new to darts then you are bound to have been caught up in the hype around the PDC World Matchplay. A fixture in the darts schedule since 1994, fans frequently refer to it as the summer equivalent of the darts World Championships‘. Held in the Winter Gardens in Blackpool, England, it is a must-watch event for any darts fan. 9 days of action featuring 32 of the best darts players in the world, it never fails to deliver.
Qualifying Criteria
In order to compete in the 2025 PDC World Matchplay, players qualify based on one of two ways. Those in the top 16 of the PDC Order of Merit receive automatic invitations so that the world’s best players are guaranteed a place in the tournament. A further 16 spots go to the 16 highest ranking players (not already qualified through their world ranking) on the one year order of merit. This system of dynamic qualification makes the tournament extremely competitive and ensures a true balance of the best players over two full seasons in the event.
Draw for the 2025 Betfred World Matchplay
The draw has served up some fascinating first round ties as you would expect from a tournament with the best 32 players in the world. World champion Luke Littler will be looking to win his first match on the Blackpool stage and faces a tough opponent in “Heavy Metal” Ryan Searle
Dutch darts fans will be licking their lips at the thought of the match between Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld. Neither MvG nor Barney will want to lose to their fellow Dutch legend and could be a big boost to their so far dissapointing seasons.
Draw Bracket
(1) Luke Humphries v Gian van Veen
(16) Danny Noppert v Cameron Menzies
(8) Nathan Aspinall v Wessel Nijman
(9) James Wade v Joe Cullen
(4) Stephen Bunting v Ryan Joyce
(13) Gary Anderson v Luke Woodhouse
(5) Jonny Clayton v Martin Schindler
(12) Dave Chisnall v Mike De Decker
(2) Luke Littler v Ryan Searle
(15) Peter Wright v Jermaine Wattimena
(7) Damon Heta v Andrew Gilding
(10) Rob Cross v Dirk van Duijvenbode
(3) Michael van Gerwen v Raymond van Barneveld
(14) Ross Smith v Josh Rock
(6) Chris Dobey v Ricardo Pietreczko
(11) Gerwyn Price v Daryl Gurney
Schedule of play
Session Schedule
Saturday July 19 (1900 BST)
First Round x4
James Wade v Joe Cullen
Danny Noppert v Cameron Menzies
Luke Humphries v Gian van Veen
Nathan Aspinall v Wessel Nijman
Sunday July 20
Afternoon Session (1300 BST)
First Round x4
Damon Heta v Andrew Gilding
Rob Cross v Dirk van Duijvenbode
Peter Wright v Jermaine Wattimena
Dave Chisnall v Mike De Decker
Evening Session (1900 BST)
First Round x4
Gary Anderson v Luke Woodhouse
Jonny Clayton v Martin Schindler
Luke Littler v Ryan Searle
Stephen Bunting v Ryan Joyce
Monday July 21 (1900 BST)
First Round x4
Chris Dobey v Ricardo Pietreczko
Gerwyn Price v Daryl Gurney
Michael van Gerwen v Raymond van Barneveld
Ross Smith v Josh Rock
Tuesday July 22 (1900 BST)
Second Round x4 – Match Order TBC
Humphries/Van Veen v Noppert/Menzies
Aspinall/Nijman v Wade/Cullen
Bunting/Joyce v Anderson/Woodhouse
Clayton/Schindler v Chisnall/De Decker
Wednesday July 23 (1900 BST)
Second Round x4 – Match Order TBC
Littler/Searle v Wright/Wattimena
Heta/Gilding v Cross/Van Duijvenbode
Van Gerwen/Van Barneveld v Smith/Rock
Dobey/Pietreczko v Price/Gurney
Thursday July 24 (2000 BST)
Quarter-Finals x2
Friday July 25 (2000 BST)
Quarter-Finals x2
Saturday July 26 (2000 BST)
Semi-Finals
Sunday July 27
Afternoon Session (1300 BST)
Betfred Women’s World Matchplay
Quarter-Finals
Beau Greaves v Kirsi Viinikainen
Lisa Ashton v Robyn Byrne
Noa-Lynn van Leuven v Lorraine Winstanley
Fallon Sherrock v Gemma Hayter
Semi-Finals
Greaves/Viinikainen v Ashton/Byrne
Van Leuven/Winstanley v Sherrock/Hayter
Final
v
Evening Session (2000 BST)
Betfred World Matchplay Final
Format of play
With the best players in the world toeing the oche it is understandable that the matches are of a longer format than floor events. Players in the Top 16 of the world are drawn against the 16 players from the one year ranking and this often throws up winners who have shown their form over the past 12 months.
Played in leg format of 501 the length of matches gets longer as the tournament progresses:
- First Round: First to 10 legs (match must be won by 2 clear legs; sudden death leg at 12–12)
- Second Round: First to 11 legs (match must be won by 2 clear legs; sudden death leg at 13–13)
- Quarter Finals: First to 16 legs (match must be won by 2 clear legs; sudden death leg at 18–18)
- Semi Finals: First to 17 legs (match must be won by 2 clear legs; sudden death leg at 19–19)
- Final: First to 18 legs (match must be won by 2 clear legs; sudden death leg at 20–20)
Where to watch
CVatch all of the action live through the extensive network of broadcast partners. These are Sky Sports in the UK, and through the PDC’s worldwide broadcast partners:
Viaplay – Netherlands, Poland, Norway, Denmark, Bulgaria & Baltic States
DAZN – Germany, Austria, Switzerland
Sport1 – Germany
Fox Sports – Australia
Sky – New Zealand
Nova – Czech Republic & Slovakia
Prago Sport – Hungary
VTM – Belgium
PDC TV subscribers in countries not covered by TV broadcasters
Prize money over the years
The PDC World Matchplay boasts a massive prize fund as you would expect for such a premier darts event. Prize money at the event has increased tremendously over the years, a reflection of the development of darts into a professional sport. In 1994, prize money stood at a mere £42000 with American Larry Butler pocketing £10000 for lifting the title, but in 2025, the figure will be a staggering £800,000. The winner takes home £200,000 with the runner up receiving exactly half that.
The 2026 World Matchplay has already been assigned a further increase to £1m and will see the winner taking home £225,000!
List of Past Winners
The PDC World Matchplay has been won by some great players in the past. The list of past winners reads like a definitive who’s who of the greatest players to ever play the game:
1994 – Larry Butler
1995 – Phil Taylor
1996 – Peter Evison
1997 – Phil Taylor
1998 – Rod Harrington
1999 – Rod Harrington
2000 – Phil Taylor
2001 – Phil Taylor
2002 – Phil Taylor
2003 – Phil Taylor
2004 – Phil Taylor
2005 – Colin Lloyd
2006 – Phil Taylor
2007 – James Wade
2008 – Phil Taylor
2009 – Phil Taylor
2010 – Phil Taylor
2011 – Phil Taylor
2012 – Phil Taylor
2013 – Phil Taylor
2014 – Phil Taylor
2015 – Michael van Gerwen
2016 – Michael van Gerwen
2017 – Phil Taylor
2018 – Gary Anderson
2019 – Rob Cross
2020 – Dimitri Van den Bergh
2021 – Peter Wright
2022 – Michael van Gerwen
2023 – Nathan Aspinall
2024- Luke Humphries
The Phil Taylor Trophy
As you can see in the list of World Matchplay winners above, ‘The Power’ won the tournament an incredible 16 times (he made 17 finals!) – a feat unlikely to ever be matched.
As a result of Phil Taylor’s domination in the World Matchplay, the tournament’s trophy was renamed after him when he retired from professional darts in 2018.
Women’s Darts World Matchplay
The Main tour isn’t the only one that offers qualification to the matchplay in Blackpool. The Women’s Series offers the top 8 players over a 12 month period entry to the Womens World Matchplay. In 2025 the details for this are as follows:
2025 Betfred Women’s World Matchplay
Sunday July 27
Draw Bracket
(1) Beau Greaves v (8) Kirsi Viinikainen
(4) Lisa Ashton v (5) Robyn Byrne
(2) Noa-Lynn van Leuven v (7) Lorraine Winstanley
(3) Fallon Sherrock v (6) Gemma Hayter
Format
Quarter-Finals – Best of seven legs
Semi-Finals – Best of nine legs
Final – Best of 11 legs
Prize Money
Winner: £10,000
Runner-Up: £5,000
Semi-Finalists: £2,500
Quarter-Finalists: £1,250
Total: £25,000
Qualification was dominated by Beau Greaves who finished with more than double the prize money of the nr.2 and will be an long odds on favourite to lift the title for the third year in a row.
Women’s World Matchplay Order of Merit Top Eight
1 – Beau Greaves £33,800
2 – Noa-Lynn van Leuven £16,200
3 – Fallon Sherrock £15,400
4 – Lisa Ashton £11,400
5 – Robyn Byrne £9,400
6 – Gemma Hayter £9,200
7 – Lorraine Winstanley £7,900
8 – Kirsi Viinikainen £7,200
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