Everything you need to know ahead of World Matchplay Darts, with Nathan Aspinall the defending champion returning to Blackpool’s Winter Gardens for the 2024 tournament. Watch World Matchplay Darts live on Sky Sports from 13th to 21st July
Teenage darts superstar Luke Littler will face three-time Blackpool champion Michael van Gerwen in a highly anticipated first round clash at the World Matchplay.
When and where is the World Matchplay held?
The World Matchplay begins on Saturday 13 July and runs until Sunday 21 July, with all darts being played live. Sky Sports.
The tournament will take place in Blackpool’s iconic Winter Gardens, which will mark the matchplay’s 31st running in 2024. The ballroom will showcase some of darts’ most iconic moments.
With the darts calendar now in full swing, the World Match Play is the second major tournament of the season after the UK Open, where Dimitri van den Bergh won 11-10 against world champion Luke Humphries.
Featuring the world’s top 32 competitors, this prestigious event is not to be missed!
What is the format?
World Matchplay is a leg-based tournament, with the number of legs needed to win increasing as the round progresses.
Each match must be won in two legs unless the score is tied after six legs.
- Round 1: First to 10 legs (12-12 sudden death)
- Round 2: First to 11 legs (13-13 sudden death)
- Quarterfinals: First to 16 legs (sudden death at 18-18)
- Semi-final: First to 17 legs (sudden death at 19-19)
- Final: First to 18 legs (sudden death at 20-20)
Who is participating?
The World Matchplay will see the world’s best 32 darts players battle it out for victory in Blackpool.
The top 16 players on the PDC Merit Standings will be seeded into the event along with the next top 16 players on the PDC Pro Tour Merit Standings.
The top 16 finishers are Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen, Michael Smith, Gerwyn Price, Nathan Aspinall, Rob Cross, Dave Chisnall, Dimitri van den Bergh, Peter Wright, Jonny Clayton, Damon Heta, Danny Noppert, Ross Smith, Chris Dobey, Joe Cullen and Stephen Bunting.
Luke Littler is among the next 16 players, along with Gary Anderson, Josh Lock, Ryan Searle, Martin Schindler, Jan van Veen, Ricardo Pietreczko, Daryl Gurney, Ryan Joyce, Brendan Dolan, Raymond van Barneveld, Richie Edhuis, Kristof Ratajski, Luke Woodhouse, Andrew Gilding and James Wade.
Who are the past winners?
The World Match Play has a long list of illustrious winners and Aspinall goes into the 2024 tournament as the defending champion.
The first winner was Larry Butler in 1994, followed by Phil Taylor in 1995 for his 16th victory (yes, 16th).
Taylor also won the Match Play in 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2017.
Taylor threw the first ever televised nine-dart when he won in 2002 and was so dominant that the trophy was renamed after him in 2018.
Other winners include 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 live from 13-21 July on Sky Sports.
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