PDC Order of Merit Update during World Matchplay | Luke Littler closes on historic £3m and Gian van Veen eyes world No.2
PDCFriday, 24 July 2026 at 09:55
The World Matchplay quarter-finals will have major consequences for the PDC Order of Merit, with Luke Littler closing on an unprecedented £3 million ranking total and Gian van Veen potentially replacing Luke Humphries as world number two.
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Behind them, James Wade, Gerwyn Price, Josh Rock and Gary Anderson all retain routes towards fourth place. Ross Smith could climb as high as fourth by lifting the Phil Taylor Trophy, while Dirk van Duijvenbode can potentially rise 15 positions from his pre-tournament ranking.
The live Order of Merit has already removed prize money from the 2024 World Matchplay and credited the eight remaining players with the £35,000 guaranteed for reaching this year’s quarter-finals.
Littler on the verge of breaking £3m barrier
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Littler entered the World Matchplay with an enormous advantage at the top of the rankings. His victories over Niko Springer and Nathan Aspinall have increased his provisional Order of Merit total to £2,953,500.
| Player | Provisional ranking | Highest possible ranking |
| Luke Littler | 1st | 1st |
| Gian van Veen | 3rd | 2nd |
| James Wade | 5th | 4th |
| Josh Rock | 7th | 4th |
| Gerwyn Price | 8th | 4th |
| Gary Anderson | 11th | 4th |
| Ross Smith | 15th | 4th |
| Dirk van Duijvenbode | 25th | 13th |
A semi-final place would take that figure to £2,983,500, leaving him just short of the milestone. Reaching Sunday’s final would increase his total to £3,043,500, making him the first player to hold more than £3 million on the two-year PDC Order of Merit.
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Defending the title would take Littler to £3,143,500. His position as world number one is already guaranteed regardless of what happens against Rock in Thursday’s quarter-final.
Littler in action at the World Matchplay
Van Veen can replace Humphries as world number two
Van Veen’s dramatic 14-12 victory over Wessel Nijman moved him to £968,500. He remains third behind Humphries, whose provisional total has fallen to £1,008,000 following his opening-round defeat to Cameron Menzies.
Victory over Wade would lift Van Veen to £998,500. He would remain third and sit only £9,500 behind Humphries.
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Reaching the final would take the Dutchman to £1,058,500, enough to move above Humphries and become the new world number two. It would also make Van Veen the third current player to hold a seven-figure total, alongside Littler and Humphries.
A first World Matchplay title would increase his ranking money to £1,158,500. Van Veen cannot challenge Littler for top spot, but he can leave Blackpool as the leading player in the chasing group.
Wade leads crowded battle for fourth
Jonny Clayton currently occupies fourth place with £684,500, but his 11-7 defeat to Anderson has left that position vulnerable.
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Wade has already climbed provisionally from sixth to fifth despite defending the £100,000 he earned by reaching last year’s final. His current total of £657,250 leaves him £27,250 behind Clayton.
A quarter-final victory over Van Veen would take Wade to £687,250 and move him into fourth by £2,750. Reaching another Blackpool final would increase his total to £747,250, while winning the tournament would leave him on £847,250.
Price has provisionally slipped from seventh to eighth despite reaching the last eight. A semi-final place would move him to £665,000 and potentially as high as fifth, depending on the result between Van Veen and Wade.
The Welshman would be guaranteed to climb to fourth by reaching the final, when his total would stand at £725,000. Winning the title would raise that to £825,000.
Rock is involved in the same congested section of the rankings. He currently sits seventh on £639,500, only £4,500 ahead of Price and £3,500 behind Michael van Gerwen.
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Beating Littler would move Rock to £669,500 and potentially fifth. A place in the final would take him to £729,500, while a first major title would guarantee fourth place with £829,500.
Rock debuts a new shirt at the 2026 World Matchplay
Anderson can surge back into top four
Anderson has moved above Ryan Searle into 11th following his victories over Ryan Joyce and Clayton. His provisional total now stands at £601,750.
Victory over Van Duijvenbode would take the Scot to £631,750 and ninth place. Reaching the final would raise his total to £691,750, giving him a possible route to fourth depending on the identity of his opponent.
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Winning a second World Matchplay title would guarantee Anderson fourth place on £791,750. He began the tournament ranked 12th and carrying questions over his limited schedule, but two more victories would return him to the world’s top four.
Smith and Van Duijvenbode chase biggest rises
Smith remains 15th despite advancing to the quarter-finals following Menzies’ withdrawal. His ranking would not change significantly with a semi-final appearance, but the rewards increase sharply if he defeats Price and then overcomes either Van Veen or Wade.
Reaching the final would lift Smith six positions to ninth with £625,250. Victory in Blackpool would take him to £725,250 and potentially as high as fourth, although he would finish fifth if Rock ended the tournament as runner-up on £729,500.
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Van Duijvenbode has already made the largest provisional climb among the quarter-finalists, moving from 28th to 25th after his extended victories over Chris Dobey and Van Gerwen.
A win against Anderson would move him to 23rd. Reaching the final would lift him to 19th, while the title would propel him to 13th with £585,750.
Van Duijvenbode therefore carries the widest possible ranking range into the quarter-finals. He could leave Blackpool in 25th after Thursday night or complete a title run that moves him 15 places above the position from which he entered the tournament.
PDC Order of Merit as of World Matchplay Quarter-Finals
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| Rk | +/- | Name | Prize Money |
| 1 | Luke Littler | 2953.5 | |
| 2 | Luke Humphries | 1008 | |
| 3 | Gian van Veen | 968.5 | |
| 4 | +1 | Jonny Clayton | 684.5 |
| 5 | +1 | James Wade | 657.25 |
| 6 | -2 | Michael van Gerwen | 643 |
| 7 | +1 | Josh Rock | 639.5 |
| 8 | -1 | Gerwyn Price | 635 |
| 9 | Stephen Bunting | 618.25 | |
| 10 | Danny Noppert | 604.25 | |
| 11 | +1 | Gary Anderson | 601.75 |
| 12 | -1 | Ryan Searle | 597.25 |
| 13 | +1 | Wessel Nijman | 577.25 |
| 14 | -1 | Chris Dobey | 570.5 |
| 15 | Ross Smith | 535.25 | |
| 16 | Nathan Aspinall | 531.75 | |
| 17 | Jermaine Wattimena | 510.25 | |
| 18 | Luke Woodhouse | 492 | |
| 19 | Martin Schindler | 447.75 | |
| 20 | Krzysztof Ratajski | 430.5 | |
| 21 | +2 | Damon Heta | 430.25 |
| 22 | Mike De Decker | 428 | |
| 23 | -2 | Rob Cross | 424 |
| 24 | Ryan Joyce | 396.25 | |
| 25 | +3 | Dirk van Duijvenbode | 395.75 |
| 26 | +1 | Cameron Menzies | 385.75 |
| 27 | -2 | Andrew Gilding | 364.25 |
| 28 | +1 | Dave Chisnall | 361.75 |
| 29 | -3 | Daryl Gurney | 353.5 |
| 30 | Kevin Doets | 343.5 | |
| 31 | Joe Cullen | 316 | |
| 32 | Ritchie Edhouse | 298.75 | |
| 33 | +1 | Peter Wright | 280.75 |
| 34 | +1 | Ricardo Pietreczko | 277.25 |
| 35 | -2 | Michael Smith | 251.5 |
| 36 | Niels Zonneveld | 249 | |
| 37 | William O'Connor | 246.75 | |
| 38 | Martin Lukeman | 214.25 | |
| 39 | +3 | Niko Springer | 209.25 |
| 40 | +1 | Callan Rydz | 200.5 |
| 41 | -1 | Raymond van Barneveld | 198.75 |
| 42 | +1 | Madars Razma | 193.25 |
| 43 | +1 | Mickey Mansell | 188.75 |
| 44 | +1 | Gabriel Clemens | 187.5 |
| 45 | +1 | Connor Scutt | 184 |
| 46 | -7 | Dimitri Van den Bergh | 183.5 |
| 47 | Justin Hood | 180.5 | |
| 48 | Scott Williams | 171.5 | |
| 49 | Ricky Evans | 171 | |
| 50 | James Hurrell | 168 | |
| 51 | Jeffrey de Graaf | 167.25 | |
| 52 | +1 | Kim Huybrechts | 162.75 |
| 53 | +1 | Mensur Suljovic | 158.25 |
| 54 | -2 | Brendan Dolan | 155.25 |
| 55 | Ian White | 154.75 | |
| 56 | Keane Barry | 146 | |
| 57 | Alan Soutar | 139.75 | |
| 58 | Richard Veenstra | 139.5 | |
| 59 | Karel Sedlacek | 139.25 | |
| 60 | Sebastian Bialecki | 130 | |
| 61 | Rob Owen | 128.25 | |
| 62 | Ryan Meikle | 124.5 | |
| 63 | Lukas Wenig | 123.5 | |
| 64 | Nick Kenny | 121.25 |
Kieran WoodDarts Journalist
In his reporting, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles when new, verified information becomes available.
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