The World Matchplay is a staple of the darting calendar, a pillar of consistency. In 2020, a giant question mark of a year, there is no chance of more of the same.

There are plenty of questions to be asked and answered over eight days of hectic World Matchplay action. For one, how will one of the biggest majors in the game fare away from its spiritual home? The fabled atmosphere and colour of Blackpool's Winter Gardens won't be part of the festivities this time. When atmosphere and colour aren't an option, where do you go? That's right, Milton Keynes.

https://twitter.com/mmleak1605/status/1283309352607195136

Players will have to contend with life in the bubble, in what we can only hope will be a truly unique major experience. Once on the oche, the regular routine will set in, but the idiosyncrasies of the new procedures and the deafening noiselessness of it all might set a few players on edge.

That being said, there's at least been some precedent for what's to come. The PDC Summer Series went swimmingly, which bodes well for the Matchplay. And who could forget that frost-addled UK Open?

The question of the amount of quality we can expect may have been answered by the Summer Series, too. The overall average didn't suffer at all, even after a long hiatus, possibly meaning that stage-based darts will also thrive.

The big question is simple: who wins? There have been four different champions in the past four years. Even without the wholly unavoidable context this tournament is played in, those after a safe bet would be best off looking elsewhere.

Calling Michael van Gerwen the favourite is like wearing a mask at the shops; it's just obvious, and those not doing it are either out for attention or aren't thinking straight (wear your masks, folks). Skipping the Darts At Home event didn't nudge van Gerwen from his Bolt-esque stride, it would seem, based off his Summer Series showings.

But Van Gerwen has to get used to Peter Wright being on his case every step of the way. Snakebite looks in good nick, while Gerwyn Price continues to make waves. Then there's Gary Anderson, who stands to lose a lot of ranking money, and needs a successful run to keep the wolves from the top-ten door.

All of that is without mentioning Rob Cross, the defending champion. Voltage seems to blossom most when tipped to wilt, and so approaching the World Matchplay from under the radar might be exactly what he needs.

For the notable absences (Mervyn King, Stephen Bunting and John Henderson stand out in that regard), there are some intriguing debuts in the offing. Jose de Sousa is a star on the floor, but his spark has flickered out too often on the stage. Without the double-edged sword of the crowd, perhaps the Portuguese ace will flourish.

The same goes for Gabriel Clemens; one issue may be that the pair have Wright and Cross respectively. Ryan Joyce - a winner at the Summer Series - is worth keeping tabs on.

Elsewhere, Glen Durrant returns to an event where he reached the semi-finals on debut. This time, Duzza may do it for everyone. Michael Smith and Adrian Lewis are after a World Matchplay redemption arc, and Nathan Aspinall will be a danger to every opponent at the Marshall Arena.

To cut a long story short; there are 32 potential winners, a completely bizarre backdrop and an oche-load of known unknowns.

One question stands out for now: Are you excited for the 2020 World Matchplay? There's one question that at least has an obvious answer.

Event info

All the useful information about the 2020 World Matchplay can be found below.

Draw

Prize money

TV Coverage

Schedule of play