Preview Friday afternoon 2026 PDC World Darts Championship: Rob Cross and White-King among highlights

After the World Darts Championship finally got underway last night, the first afternoon session is already on the schedule this Friday afternoon, 12/12, at Alexandra Palace. Among the top ties include a match of the veterans as Ian White faces Mervyn King.

Former World Champion Rob Cross returns to Ally Pally against Cor Dekker, while Ryan Searle also opens his account.

It kicks off with a clash between Niels Zonneveld and New Zealander Haupai Puha. Zonneveld has had an excellent year. He was especially strong on the Players Championship circuit. He reached three semi-finals and even made the final at Event 22, where he lost 8-6 to Poland’s Sebastian Bialecki. Unfortunately, he narrowly missed out on the World Grand Prix and World Matchplay after finishing just outside the top 16 on the Pro Tour Order of Merit.

His opponent Haupai Puha booked his World Championship spot at the last possible moment. “Hopes” entered the final World Championship Tour Card Holder Qualifier and claimed one of the last five tickets. He defeated Rhys Griffin (7-3), Greg Ritchie (7-3), and Brett Claydon (7-6) to earn his third trip to Ally Pally. Zonneveld and Puha have met four times before, three on the floor and once on the European Tour. The Dutchman has won three of those four encounters. “Triple Z” can therefore approach his first-round match in London this year with confidence.

Next up are two seasoned campaigners. The 55-year-old Ian White takes on the 59-year-old Mervyn King. Between them, they boast 29 World Championship appearances, with King playing 16 times at Alexandra Palace and White accounting for 13 outings. “Diamond” White reached the third round last year, where he ultimately lost to eventual world champion Luke Littler. His best run came in 2014, when he made the quarter-finals.

“The King” is set for his seventeenth World Darts Championship appearance. After a two-year absence, King finally returns to Alexandra Palace. On his last outing in 2023, he reached the third round before Cross proved too strong in a 4-1 win. King’s best result came in 2009, when he reached the semi-finals, only to find Phil Taylor a step too far. The pair have met no fewer than 16 times in ranking events over the years. White holds a slight edge, winning nine of those matches, with King prevailing seven times. It promises to be a tight battle between two experienced operators.

After that clash of veterans, the next Dutchman steps onto the stage. Chris Landman faces world number 20 Ryan Searle. For Landman, 2026 has been a lean year. He failed to impress on the floor and qualified for only two European Tour events. On both occasions he won his opener but fell in the last 32. His draw here is anything but straightforward.

Ryan Searle is known for consistency on the floor and the Euro Tour stage. “Heavy Metal” won two Players Championship titles this year and also reached two semi-finals. His Euro Tour results were more modest, with just two quarter-finals. What’s still missing for Searle is a serious run on TV. For his best recent major result, we have to go back to the 2023 World Matchplay, where he made the quarter-finals. At the World Championship he has never gone beyond the last 16. While Landman is not without a chance, the Englishman looks the clear favorite on paper to possibly make deeper inroads at Ally Pally this year.

Finally, former world champion Rob Cross faces Norway’s Dutchman Cor Dekker. “Voltage” stunned the darts world in 2018 by claiming the world title on his Alexandra Palace debut. He beat Michael van Gerwen 6-5 in the semi-finals, then eased past Phil Taylor 7-2 in the final. This year, however, things have been much tougher for Cross. The Englishman has struggled for form and failed to convince at any major. To make matters worse, he has now dropped out of the world’s top 16.

He takes on Cor Dekker, the Dutchman with Norwegian nationality. Dekker made headlines late last year by throwing a nine-darter out of nowhere at the Hungarian Darts Trophy in his match against Stephen Bunting. Early this year he won his Tour Card via Q-School and immediately delivered solid results. His highlight was a semi-final at European Tour 13, where Luke Woodhouse ultimately beat him. While Cross would normally be favored to reach the second round, that is no certainty in his current form. Dekker has already gained big-stage experience this year, so if he can keep the nerves in check, a major upset could be on the cards.