Defending champion Nathan Aspinall and world champion Luke Humphreys will headline the opening night time of World Matchplay 2024 on Saturday 13 July, with the fixture listing for the showpiece occasion confirmed.
Aspinall will start his title protection in opposition to the debutant Luke Woodhouse when the £800,000 match kicks off because the Stockport star bids to hitch Rod Harrington, Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen in successful back-to-back World Cups.
World champion Humphries – seeded No.1 – will start his battle in opposition to Germany’s Rikard Petrecko on a star-studded opening night time at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens, which will even characteristic former finalists Gerwin Value, Jonny Clayton and Raymond van Barneveld.
2023 runner-up Clayton will face five-time world champion Van Barneveld for a spot within the final 16, whereas 2022 finalist Value will play two-time semi-finalist Daryl Gurney within the opening match of the match.
The primary spherical will conclude in an thrilling night session on Monday 15 July, when three-time champion Michael van Gerwen will go head-to-head with debutant Luke Littler in one of the vital anticipated first-round matches in World Matchplay historical past.
World No.3 Michael Smith and 2018 champion Gary Anderson will meet in one other heavyweight conflict, whereas Australian primary Damon Hetta takes on Ryan Searle in a battle of final yr’s quarter-finalists.
Chris Dobbie, who additionally made the final eight 12 months in the past, will full the primary spherical motion when he takes on Richie Edhouse, one in every of 5 debutants on this yr’s 32-man discipline.
The second spherical will happen on Tuesday 16 July and Wednesday 17 July, with the quarter-finals going down on Thursday 18 July and Friday 19 July.
The semi-finals will happen on Saturday 20 July earlier than the ultimate on Sunday 21 July, when the remaining two gamers will battle it out for the highest prize of £200,000 and the coveted Phil Taylor trophy.
This yr’s go to to the Winter Gardens will as soon as once more characteristic the Betfred Girls’s World Matchplay, with eight gamers competing within the third version of the occasion on the afternoon of Sunday 21 July.
Schedule of world matches:
Saturday, July 13 (7:30 p.m.)
The primary spherical
Gervin Value vs. Darryl Gurney
Johnny Clayton vs. Raymond van Barneveld
Luke Humphries vs Rikard Petrechko
Nathan Aspinall v Luke Woodhouse
Sunday, July 14
Afternoon session (1:00 p.m.)
First spherical:
Ross Smith vs. Josh Rock
Danny Noppert vs. James Wade
Dimitri Van den Berg vs. Martin Schindler
Stephen Bunting v Ryan Joyce
Night Session (19:00)
First spherical:
Rob Cross vs. Jan van Ven
Joe Cullen vs. Brandon Dolan
Peter Wright v Andrew Gilding
Dave Chisnall vs. Krzysztof Ratajski
(If England qualify for the Euro 2024 finals, the occasions for the Sunday 14th July periods can be rescheduled)
Monday, July 15 (7:00 p.m.)
First spherical:
Damon Hetta vs. Ryan Searle
Michael Smith vs. Gary Anderson
Michael van Gerwen vs Luke Littler
Chris Dobbie vs. Richie Edhouse
Tuesday, July 16 (7:00 p.m.)
Second spherical x4
Wednesday, July 17 (7:00 p.m.)
Second spherical x4
Thursday, July 18 (8:00 p.m.)
Quarterfinals x2
Friday, July 19 (8:00 p.m.)
Quarterfinals x2
Saturday, July 20 (8:00 p.m.)
Semi-final
Sunday, July 21
Afternoon session (1:00 p.m.)
Girls’s World Cup:
Quarterfinals:
Bo Greaves vs Kathy Sheldon
Mikuru Suzuki vs. Noah-Lynn van Leeuwen
Fallon Sharrock vs. Anastasia Dobramyslova
Lisa Ashton v Ryan O’Sullivan
Semi-final:
Greaves/Sheldon vs. Suzuki/Van Leeuwen
Sherrock/Dobramyslova v Ashton/O’Sullivan
Last
Night Session (20:00)
World match-final
When and the place will the World Matchplay happen?
World Matchplay kicks off on Saturday thirteenth July and runs till Sunday twenty first July with each darts match being proven dwell Sky Sports activities.
The match takes place on the iconic Winter Gardens in Blackpool, and with the thirty first version of the Matchplay set to happen in 2024, the ballroom is dwelling to a few of darts’ most iconic moments.
With the darts calendar in full swing, the World Matchplay was the second main of the season after the British Open, which was received by Dimitri Van den Berg with an 11-10 victory over world champion Luke Humphries.
As the highest 32 on this planet put together to satisfy, this prestigious occasion is to not be missed!
What’s a format?
World Matchplay is a stage format the place the variety of levels wanted to win will increase because the rounds progress.
Every match should be received by two clear legs except the rating is tied after six legs.
- Spherical 1: First to 10 legs (sudden demise at 12-12)
- Spherical 2: First to 11 legs (sudden demise at 13-13)
- Quarter Finals: 1st to sixteenth (Sudden Demise at 18-18)
- Semi-Finals: 1st to seventeenth (Sudden Demise 19-19)
- Last: First to 18 Legs (Sudden Demise at 20-20)
Who’re the earlier winners?
The World Matchplay has a protracted listing of stellar winners and Aspinall will head into the 2024 match because the reigning champions.
The primary winner was Larry Butler in 1994, earlier than Phil Taylor took his first win of 16 (sure, 16) in 1995.
Taylor additionally received in 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2017.
Throughout his 2002 victory, Taylor additionally shot the primary ever televised nine-dart, and such dominance led to the trophy being renamed in his honor in 2018.
Different winners embody Michael van Gerwen (2015, 2016 and 2022), Gary Anderson (2018), Rob Cross (2019), Dimitri Van den Bergh (2020) and Peter Wright (2021).
Watch World Matchplay Darts dwell from thirteenth to twenty first July Sky Sports activities.