World Matchplay Darts draw: Van Gerwen meets Van Barneveld in first round

Michael van Gerwen will face Raymond van Barneveld in a blockbuster first-round match at the World Matchplay Darts, while Luke Littler will open his campaign against Ryan Searle.

The draw for one of the biggest darts events of the year took place on Thursday and sees three-time winner Van Gerwen paired with five-time world champion Van Barneveld in the headline match on Monday July 21.

The opening night of the tournament on Saturday July 19 sees defending champion Luke Humphries face rising Dutch star Gian van Veen, while world champion Littler takes on world No 19 Searle on the first Sunday of the tournament.

The 32 qualifiers for the World Matchplay were confirmed this week with former world champion Michael Smith, who reached the semi-finals in Blackpool last year, missing out on a place.

The tournament at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool will run from Saturday July 19 with the final taking place on the evening of Sunday July 27. The Women's World Matchplay will take place earlier that day.

Every session will be live on Sky Sports.

World Matchplay Darts 2025 first-round draw

Luke Humphries (1) vs Gian van Veen
Danny Noppert (16) vs Cameron Menzies
Nathan Aspinall (8) vs Wessel Nijman
James Wade (9) vs Joe Cullen
Stephen Bunting (4) vs Ryan Joyce
Gary Anderson (13) vs Luke Woodhouse
Jonny Clayton (5) vs Martin Schindler
Dave Chisnall (12) vs Mike De Decker
Luke Littler (2) vs Ryan Searle
Peter Wright (15) vs Jermaine Wattimena
Damon Heta (7) vs Andrew Gilding
Rob Cross (10) vs Dirk van Duijvenbode
Michael van Gerwen (3) vs Raymond van Barneveld
Ross Smith (14) vs Josh Rock
Chris Dobey (6) vs Ricardo Pietreczko
Gerwyn Price (11) vs Daryl Gurney

Session Schedule

Saturday July 19 (1900-2300)

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 (1300-1700)

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 (1900-2300)

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 (1900-2300)

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 (1900-0000)

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 (1900-0000)

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 (2000-2300)

Quarter-Finals x2

Friday July 25 (2000-2300)

Quarter-Finals x2

Saturday July 26 (2000-2300)

Semi-Finals

Sunday July 27

Afternoon Session (1300-1700)

Betfred Women's World Matchplay

Evening Session (2000-2200)

Betfred World Matchplay Final

Format

First Round Best of 19 legs
Second Round Best of 21 legs
Quarter-Finals Best of 31 legs
Semi-Finals Best of 33 legs
Final Best of 35 legs

Prize Fund

Winner £200,000
Runner-Up £100,000
Semi-Finalists £50,000
Quarter-Finalists £30,000
Second Round Losers £15,000
First Round Losers £10,000

Total £800,000

Watch the World Matchplay live on Sky Sports from July 19-27 or stream without a contract.