The Mattioli Arena in Leicester will host the World Grand Prix this week. This PDC major is known for its unique "double in-double out" format. This format always causes nerves among the players and therefore often brings surprises.
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The field of participants at the World Grand Prix consists of 32 players. In addition to the top 16 of the world rankings, the sixteen best Pro Tour players also compete in this major tournament. Mike de Decker is the defending champion at the World Grand Prix after he defeated Luke Humphries in the 2024 final.
Follow the 2025 World Grand Prix via our live scores!
Follow the 2025 World Grand Prix via our live scores!
Leading the lineup is world number one Humphries. New this year at the World Grand Prix is that the top-16 players in the world rankings are seeded at this tournament. In previous editions, this only applied to the top eight players.
Top players such as Michael van Gerwen, Luke Littler and Gerwyn Price are also among the seeded players and cannot meet until later in the tournament. They are paired with one of the players who qualified for this event via the Pro Tour in the first round.
In this article we give you a preview of the last eight matches from the first round scheduled for Tuesday night. Each will be played to best-of-3 sets.
Damon Heta vs. Luke Woodhouse
Australian Damon Heta starts this tournament as a man in form. His solid season with multiple quarterfinals and an average consistently above 95 makes him a dangerous opponent for anyone. Still, he knows that the World Grand Prix does not always suit him well; the double-in format requires patience and precision, and that is not always Heta's strongest weapon. For example, the 38-year-old Australian has never made it past the opening round at this tournament.
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Luke Woodhouse, on the other hand, is playing without pressure. The Englishman has quietly made a strong advance this year, thanks in part to a couple of surprising wins over big names. His quiet demeanor on the podium could come in handy here. If Woodhouse is right on target from the start, Heta could just be in trouble right away.
Player Details: Damon Heta
| Total Earnings: | £1,232,509 |
| Order of Merit: | 10 |
| 9 Darters: | 2 |
| Tour Card Years: | 5 |
| Highest Average: | 117.48 |
| Highest TV Average: | 106.09 |
Ross Smith vs. Daryl Gurney
This duel is one between two darters who have both already won one or more majors. Ross Smith recently showed his good form by winning a Players Championship. Although he desperately needs another good performance at a major.
Daryl Gurney has shown signs of recovery in recent months. The Northern Irishman won the World Cup of Darts alongside Josh Rock and looks relaxed again. When his timing is right, he is still lethal. In the double-in format, his experience can be an important weapon; besides, Gurney already won this tournament once in 2017.
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Player Details: Ross Smith
| Total Earnings: | £1,050,720 |
| Darts: | |
| Order of Merit: | 12 |
| 9 Darters: | 7 |
| Tour Card Years: | 13 |
| Highest Average: | 113.23 |
| Highest TV Average: | 107.92 |
Jonny Clayton vs. Andrew Gilding
A meeting between two very seasoned players. Jonny Clayton is having a strong year, reaching the final at the Masters and the semifinals at the UK Open. Clayton is one of the most natural double-hitters on the circuit - a sizeable advantage at a tournament like this. He previously won this tournament in 2021 and dreams of another final victory.
Still, Gilding is no easy customer. His slow pace and unpredictable finishes can frustrate any opponent. Moreover, he has proven he can perform on big stages, with his surprise UK Open title as proof. If Gilding manages to get Clayton out of his rhythm, a shock is in the offing. But with the form of 'The Ferret' in recent months, a 2-0 win for the Welshman seems most likely.
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Player Details: Jonny Clayton
| Total Earnings: | £2,832,250 |
| Order of Merit: | 8 |
| 9 Darters: | 3 |
| Tour Card Years: | 10 |
| Highest Average: | 112.77 |
| Highest TV Average: | 112.77 |
Gerwyn Price vs. Ryan Searle
An absolute cracker. Gerwyn Price and Ryan Searle have played several compelling duels in recent years. Both players keep a nice pace and are known for their high scoring ability.
Price has won the tournament before and knows exactly what it takes to perform in this unique format. Once he gets into rhythm, he is hard to stop. Searle - winner of a Players Championship just last week - has the weapons to hurt Price, however, but sometimes lacks that extra bit of killer instinct in decisive legs. When it comes to consistency and mentality. An exciting match announces itself, with Price still the favorite.
Player Details: Gerwyn Price
| Total Earnings: | £4,672,750 |
| Order of Merit: | 6 |
| 9 Darters: | 8 |
| Tour Card Years: | 11 |
| Highest Average: | 117.88 |
| Highest TV Average: | 117.88 |
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Luke Littler vs. Gian van Veen
The clash of the evening! Luke Littler, the prodigy who rocked the darts world over the past year and a half, against Gian van Veen, the Dutch promise who is rocketing himself. The main question is how Littler will perform at this year's World Grand Prix. Last year turned to disappointment after a defeat in his opening match against Rob Cross.
Van Veen - who has proven before that he can match his English opponent in scoring - can be dangerous if he finds the doubles early. Expect fireworks, high averages and lots of emotion in what could be a very exciting match.
Michael van Gerwen vs Dirk van Duijvenbode
A purely Dutch titanic battle. Michael van Gerwen against Dirk van Duijvenbode - a spectacle that is always fraught. Van Gerwen already won the World Series of Darts Finals and the German Darts Grand Prix this year, but still yearns for a real major title such as the World Grand Prix - a tournament he has already managed to win six times, tentatively for the last time in 2022.
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Van Duijvenbode is emotion itself, and that can work both to his advantage and disadvantage. When his game is running, he is one of the few who can overwhelm Van Gerwen. But when the doubles don't fall, frustration can set in.
Player Details: Michael van Gerwen
| Total Earnings: | £11,857,300 |
| Order of Merit: | 3 |
| 9 Darters: | 31 |
| Tour Card Years: | 14 |
| Highest Average: | 123.40 |
| Highest TV Average: | 123.40 |
Peter Wright vs. Mike De Decker
For Peter Wright, this tournament is a chance to save his year. After all, the colorful Scot has had a difficult year, in which he once again changed equipment frequently but failed to deliver good performances. But it is still Peter Wright: once the right setup is found, he can still play world-class.
Mike De Decker, however, is no slouch. The Belgian starts this tournament as the defending champion and exudes determination to succeed himself. His average is consistently high and his composure on the doubles make him dangerous.
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Josh Rock vs. Ryan Joyce
Two players who rarely give up. Josh Rock remains one of the circuit's greatest talents. His ability to produce 180s is downright terrifying. But the double-in format is tricky for him - he tends to want to start fast, which sometimes plays tricks on him.
Ryan Joyce, on the other hand, is a master of control. Rather, he plays slowly, methodically and waits patiently for mistakes. His style can be frustrating for a player like Rock, who likes to pace himself. This will be a contest of rhythm: if Rock finds the doubles quickly, he can outplay Joyce. If not, it could also tip the other way. Still, it seems Rock's scoring ability will be the deciding factor.
Player Details: Josh Rock
| Total Earnings: | £752,150 |
| Order of Merit: | 11 |
| 9 Darters: | 6 |
| Tour Card Years: | 3 |
| Highest Average: | 121.88 |
| Highest TV Average: | 112.27 |
Samuel GillChief Content Officer
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
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- And why should he listen to you?Deduce635807-11-2026
- Ultimately it is a bye for whoever draws Barney. It will be another stroppy and sulky performance once he goes behind. Barney was excellent but really must completely call it a day now.richieburnettrocks07-11-2026
- I'm disappointed he was not able to secure a spot at the Grand Slam. With Carl Sneyd taking care of Daryl Gurney, he would have had to beat Andy Boulton before facing the winner of Sneyd vs Mensur Suljović for a Grand Slam spot. Unfortunately, after beating Filip Bereza comfortably, he succumbed to Boulton, and the board would ultimately be won by the highly inconsistent Carl Sneyd. Since he could instead have been drawn against the likes of Cristo Reyes, Dirk van Duijvenbode and Stephen Bunting, I think once Gurney was out of the picture he would have been favourite to win his board, and it seems like a massive missed opportunity to put 5 grand on his ranking and seal another major TV appearance ahead of the Worlds. The highs and lows of following Raymond van Barneveld!Deduce635806-11-2026
- Probably i will receive a lot of backlash and hate for this reaction, but well, so be it. I am more than sick and tired of those lies of you Barry Hearn. How dare you defend yourself over the back of Fallon’s son! He has a disability and not an illness, so let me correct that for you! I know because I have the exact same disability. I have tried to reach out to Fallon in the past, and offered her to help her and her son, because I was struggling with the same problems, and I understood the boy. I wanted him to have finally someone who understood him. However she told me that she did not want my help, and I have respected Fallon’s choice. I have never asked Fallon for money. They don’t need money in that case. I only ever wanted the best for Fallon and Rory, but I have to be honest about the situation. Fallon should tell the true story and not be forced to tell lies. I don’t hate Fallon, and I don’t begrudge or envy a single penny that she gets, but this situation/case is just not fair. I hate the lies and the dishonesty and injustice. I don’t want Fallon to be hated because there is an unfair disadvantage created. Don’t proclaim your false lies over the back of Rory! I only stand for integrity and justice. I am precisely the one who always sticks up for Fallon. And you don't, you don't give a damn about them. You were never there for them, and now you only want to save your own position! You are just trying to talk your way out of your own bad behavior at the expense of someone with a disability. And to Fallon, I don’t know if this may ever reach you, and you read it, but I want you to know I love you and I love your son Rory very much, I am sorry how things developed and went. I hope you and Harriet are still friends. I am sorry if I were too persistent to you, or you experienced it that way, but it was never my intention. Please understand I have autism as well. As Barry Hearn would say, I am only just a human being too, and I also make mistakes and misjudge things sometimes. I promise you I did everything out of the deepest love and care for you and Rory. If I were you, I should just keep all the money, only please never be dishonest or tell lies anymore for Barry Hearn, or anyone else. I hope you have the best life, and I wish nothing more than the best for you. I have always loved the two of you. Farewell.Hiddo05-11-2026
- She is a professional. If darts is her income, she is a professional. Same as Adrian Lewis, Martin Adams. A tour card just means someone can play on the PDC tour. You could even make a case that Clayton wasn't a professional (until recently I believe) because he had employment elsewhere.BandB04-11-2026
- She's technically not a professional though as she doesn't hold a pro tour card.mr-pablo04-11-2026
- Such a shame that lakeside has been reduced to this. Fantastic venue,and previously a great tournament. Not any morerick6703-11-2026
- Seems to me that the top 16 players pick and choose whatever they want to play. Good,all the money will get spread out more. They get more money from exhibitions than tournaments so let them all withdrawrick6703-11-2026
- Play all legs and the winners split the pot. Luke gets the lot of he wins them all. If your occupation is darts player you can't enter, regardless of ability.BandB01-11-2026
- I'm quite a jaded person all things considered, but to be honest I found Beat Luke Littler to be pretty entertaining. It certainly wasn't seamless, which is to be expected given the lack of precedence, but I actually think the pacing was pretty good, the production was impressive, and there was a good sense of humour and levity to it. I think it was a very ambitious undertaking but one that, for the most part, paid off. I liked the system with the four pots and I think it added to the drama and intrigue. I enjoyed seeing the diverse range of entrants and learning about their backstories. I think the interactivity was pretty clever and well-integrated. The panel was a little incoherent at times; Lee Mack shone however, and his improvisational skills were appreciated during some more awkward interstitial moments. As far as the darts is concerned, it was a shame that the format didn't allow Littler to get into full flow. You obviously don't want him to steamroll everyone but you want to feel like you're getting the full Littler package rather than seeing him struggling to get out of first gear. I will say that his leg against Jayden Walker was very impressive, but it was mostly downhill from there. The attraction revolves around Littler being this untouchable, indomitable force, yet the format doesn't really allow him to fulfil that characterisation. As for Fallon Sherrock, she was mightily impressive and deserved the victory. It is a testament to her unshakeable character that she was able to bang in a 14-darter under such mind-bending pressure. Everything that has been said about the misleading marketing is valid, though they were clear about their eligibility criteria and were able to offload the responsibility somewhat by bringing the viewers into the decision-making process in real time. What is clear though, is that Fallon played the game according to the rules, and she should not be criticised for that, much less abused. I will admit though that it is a kick in the teeth for those true amateurs who committed time and money to the course, and I would also question those who think pub players would have no chance, given that some of Littler's winning legs were dispatched in 7 visits to the board! The great thing about darts is that it isn't so much that amateurs cannot replicate the feats of brilliance pulled off by professionals of the sport, than it is that they simply cannot replicate the consistency of their output, something that this format almost entirely removes from the equation. It should also be noted that, financially, Fallon certainly stands to benefit much less in relative terms from the paycheque than would your average pub thrower, as I'm sure she nets a fair income from the lucrative exhibition circuit alone. What I do hope is that she might use this as an opportunity to really build up a head of steam heading into the new season, as it seems long overdue that she come through Q-School and really take it to the pros on a week-in week-out basis, but whatever she chooses to do, she has certainly achieved enough already for one if not several lifetimes, so who am I to dictate terms? To conclude though, I will state once again that I found Beat Luke Littler to be a pretty enjoyable evening of entertainment. I do feel for the contestants who never actually had the chance to try their luck against the world #1, although I suppose it comes with the format, but all which inevitably raises the question: will Netflix be tempted to do it all again next year? It's hard to say. Whether it would be financially viable, I can't weigh in there. One point I have been making though, and which I touched on earlier, is that the entire concept relies on a public perception that Littler is more or less unbeatable, and that certainly hasn't been the case of late. If the execs had been trying to pitch the show in recent months while Littler has seemed vulnerable, rather than when he was mopping up almost every major title on the calendar, it would certainly be a tougher sell. We will have to see in about 6 months' time whether Littler can still reliably command perception as a near-unstoppable force in darts, and then we'll have a clearer idea about whether we should expect a second helping. Even as a one-off experiment though, and with all the controversy taken into account, I still don't think they disgraced themselves by any means, and that will probably be my lingering assessment of the event when all is said and done.Deduce635801-11-2026