Schedule confirmed for 2019 World Matchplay: Defending champion Anderson, Price and Cross to headline first night

The schedule has been confirmed for the World Matchplay after the draw was completed on Tuesday evening with defending champion Gary Anderson among the line-up for the first night.

Anderson will be the penultimate game on Saturday night with Rob Cross against Chris Dobey capping it off. It is a night of major champions with Nathan Aspinall and Gerwyn Price, the UK Open and Grand Slam of Darts champions both also set to appear.

The afternoon session on the Sunday will see Michael Smith face Jamie Hughes with the latter set for his debut having won the Czech Darts Open in the last event to grab a place. Ian White who will know that a good run will bolster his Premier League chances is also in action.

Michael van Gerwen will be involved in the evening session on Sunday taking on Steve Beaton with last year's finalist Mensur Suljovic and also James Wade also in action. Adrian Lewis vs Glen Durrant will headline the session in what is a standout first round tie.

Finally Peter Wright and Daryl Gurney will headline the final session of the first round with ties against Vincent van der Voort and Ricky Evans respectively. Simon Whitlock and Jonny Clayton are also involved. The second round will be the focus from Tuesday-Wednesday with the rest of the tournament played out between Thursday and Sunday which is when the final will take place in Blackpool.

2019 Betfred World Matchplay
Schedule of Play
Saturday July 20 (1900 BST)
First Round
Nathan Aspinall v Mervyn King
Gerwyn Price v Stephen Bunting
Gary Anderson v Danny Noppert
Rob Cross v Chris Dobey

Sunday July 21 (1300 BST)
First Round
Darren Webster v Krzysztof Ratajski
Dave Chisnall v Max Hopp
Ian White v Joe Cullen
Michael Smith v Jamie Hughes

Evening Session (1930 BST)
First Round
James Wade v Jeffrey de Zwaan
Mensur Suljovic v Jermaine Wattimena
Michael van Gerwen v Steve Beaton
Adrian Lewis v Glen Durrant

Monday July 22 (1900 BST)
First Round
Jonny Clayton v Keegan Brown
Simon Whitlock v John Henderson
Daryl Gurney v Ricky Evans
Peter Wright v Vincent van der Voort

Tuesday July 23 (1900 BST)
Second Round
Smith/Hughes v Chisnall/Hopp
Wade/De Zwaan v Suljovic/Wattimena
Anderson/Noppert v Aspinall/King
Van Gerwen/Beaton v Lewis/Durrant

Wednesday July 24 (1900 BST)
Second Round
Gurney/Evans v Clayton/Brown
Price/Bunting v White/Cullen
Cross/Dobey v Webster/Ratajski
Wright/Van der Voort v Whitlock/Henderson

Thursday July 25 (1900 BST)
Quarter-Finals x2

Friday July 26 (1900 BST)
Quarter-Finals x2

Saturday July 27 (1900 BST)
Semi-Finals

Sunday July 28 (1900 BST)
Final