The schedule has been released ahead of the 2021
World Matchplay which is set to return home to its spiritual venue of the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.
A venue that has not seen
Dimitri van den Bergh adorn its stage with the defending champion set to headline the opening night which will include minimal fans before wide scale restrictions are lifted in time for Monday July 19 in the UK.
He will face Devon Petersen in a battle of the walk-ons and on the oche too in a night that will also include World Number One,
Gerwyn Price returning in front of fans for the first time after his Premier League withdrawal. He faces late replacement Jermaine Wattimena.
As well as Dave Chisnall and Vincent van der Voort who will open proceedings up followed by a tantialising tungsten tussle between Premier League champion
Jonny Clayton and World Grand Prix finalist and debutant, Dirk van Duijvenbode.
Sunday's double session sees
James Wade and
Rob Cross, two former champions in action against Luke Humphries in Ross Smith as well as Glen Durrant v Callan Rydz and the in-form History Maker, Brendan Dolan taking on Krzysztof Ratajski.
As well as in the evening,
Peter Wright and Jose de Sousa, two of the favourites for the title facing Danny Noppert and Gabriel Clemens.
The first round is set to conclude on Monday in front of a capacity crowd, with
Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson in action against debutant Damon Heta and recent ProTour winner and in-form Stephen Bunting.
The second round is set for Tuesday July 20 and Wednesday July 21, before the quarter-finals are staged across Thursday July 22 and Friday July 23.
While Saturday July 24 is where the semi-finals will take place, before the final is held on Sunday July 25 with the Phil Taylor Trophy on the line.
2021 World Matchplay
Schedule of Play
Saturday July 17 (1900 BST)
4x First Round
Dave Chisnall v Vincent van der Voort
Jonny Clayton v Dirk van Duijvenbode
Gerwyn Price v Jermaine Wattimena
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Devon Petersen
Sunday July 18
Afternoon Session (1300 BST)
4x First Round
Krzysztof Ratajski v Brendan Dolan
Glen Durrant v Callan Rydz
Rob Cross v Ross Smith
James Wade v Luke Humphries
Evening Session (1930 BST)
4x First Round
Joe Cullen v Chris Dobey
Michael Smith v Ryan Searle
Peter Wright v Danny Noppert
Jose de Sousa v Gabriel Clemens
Monday July 19 (1900 BST)
4x First Round
Daryl Gurney v Ian White
Nathan Aspinall v Mervyn King
Michael van Gerwen v Damon Heta
Gary Anderson v Stephen Bunting
Tuesday July 20 (1900 BST)
4x Second Round
Cross/R Smith v Durrant/Rydz
Wade/Humphries v Ratajski/Dolan
Price/Wattimena v Clayton/Van Duijvenbode
Van den Bergh/Petersen v Chisnall/Van der Voort
Wednesday July 21 (1900 BST)
4x Second Round
M Smith/Searle v De Sousa/Clemens
Anderson/Bunting v Aspinall/King
Van Gerwen/Heta v Gurney/White
Wright/Noppert v Cullen/Dobey
Thursday July 22 (1900 BST)
2x Quarter-Finals
Friday July 23 (1900 BST)
2x Quarter-Finals
Saturday July 24 (1900 BST)
Semi-Finals
Sunday July 25 (2030 BST)
Final
