World Matchplay 2025 -📍 Where and When?
The 2025 Betfred World Matchplay takes place at the legendary Winter Gardens in Blackpool from Saturday, July 20 to Sunday, July 28.
Held every summer, the Matchplay is one of the most iconic and respected events in the professional darts calendar—renowned for its atmosphere, prestige, and high-stakes pressure.
🔢 Tournament Format
The World Matchplay uses a legs format (not sets), with each round increasing in length:
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
🎯 Two-leg margin rule: Players must win by two clear legs. If scores are level near the limit, a tie-break leg is used to decide the match.
👀 Who’s Playing?
The top 16 players in the PDC Order of Merit are seeded, and they're joined by the top 16 from the ProTour Order of Merit. This brings together:
Former champions
Rising stars
Seasoned matchplay specialists
Players are drawn in a 1 v 32 format (seed vs unseeded), making for some thrilling first-round encounters.
Heres the draw and our ones to watch:
Quarter One
(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
Quarter Two
(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
Quarter Three
(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
Quarter Four
(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
World Matchplay 💷 Prize Fund
The total prize pool for 2025 is £800,000, with £200,000 going to the winner. It remains one of the most lucrative non-World Championship events on the circuit.
📺 How to Watch
UK Coverage: Live on Sky Sports Darts
Streaming: Via PDC’s global partner services
Social Media: Match clips, analysis & results shared daily on PDC’s and players’ feeds
The World Matchplay is more than just another tournament—it’s where legends are made, rivalries are reignited, and darts reaches a global audience.
🏁 Final Thoughts – Ready for Matchplay?
🔮 Fan Predictions
Whose our pick? Although we think its gonna be tight and between Luke Littler, Luke Humphries and Gerwyn Price, we are picking Gezzy to sneak this one and continue his winning ways this season.
Whose your pick? Let us know who you think will win the 2025 World Matchplay in the comments?
Whatever happens the 2025 World Matchplay is set to deliver elite competition, iconic moments, and unforgettable darts under the lights of Blackpool’s Winter Gardens. With a stacked draw, rising talent, and global viewership, this tournament proves once again why darts is one of the most dynamic year-round sports.
📚 References & Sources
All tournament information, player matchups, and scheduling details have been sourced from official and reputable darts outlets, including:
Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) – Official tournament preview, player line-up, and dates
Sky Sports Darts – First round draw and analysis
talkSPORT Darts – Full schedule, format, prize fund, and broadcast info
DartsNews.com – Key matchups and form guide
William Hill News – Matchplay insights and betting favourites
For live updates, visit the official PDC site.