From Saturday, July 19 to Sunday, July 27, the world’s top darts stars descend on the iconic Winter Gardens in Blackpool for the 2025 Betfred World Matchplay—one of the most prestigious tournaments on the PDC calendar.
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Thanks to the tournament’s elite qualification criteria, the opening round regularly delivers high-quality contests, and this year is no exception. Here, we preview five must-watch first-round matches that promise fireworks from the very start.
1. Michael van Gerwen vs Raymond van Barneveld
Undoubtedly the headline clash of the first round. Two legends of Dutch darts—Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld—face off in a major tournament once again. While Van Gerwen, a three-time World Matchplay champion, hasn't hit top form lately, he remains a formidable force and perennial title contender. Van Barneveld, now in the twilight of his career, qualified 15th via the Pro Tour Order of Merit and comes in as the underdog.
This is a nostalgic showdown between two of the sport’s biggest names and former World Cup teammates. While Van Barneveld has reached the final in Blackpool only once (2010), the atmosphere and history between the pair ensure this will be a match no darts fan will want to miss.
The last time Michael van Gerwen managed to win the World Matchplay was in 2022
2. Luke Humphries vs Gian van Veen
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Current world No. 1 Luke Humphries opens his title defence against rising star Gian van Veen, and it could prove to be one of the most explosive ties of the round. Humphries stormed to his first World Matchplay title in 2024, defeating Michael van Gerwen 18-15 in a thrilling final after an impressive run through the field.
Van Veen, the reigning PDC World Youth Champion, returns for his second appearance at the Winter Gardens after narrowly losing a 13-12 thriller to Rob Cross in last year’s first round. At just 23, Van Veen is widely regarded as one of the PDC’s most promising talents and will be desperate to make his breakthrough on the big stage.
Can ‘Cool Hand Luke’ start strong in his bid to retain the title, or will Van Veen deliver a major upset?
3. Nathan Aspinall vs Wessel Nijman
Reigning 2023 World Matchplay champion Nathan Aspinall takes on debutant Wessel Nijman in what could be another thrilling contest. Aspinall produced a dominant display last year, crushing Jonny Clayton 18-6 in the final, and enters Blackpool in excellent form.
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Nijman, 25, is enjoying a breakout season and, like Van Veen, is seen as a future major winner. The Dutchman has shown he can mix it with the best, and his fearless style could pose a real challenge for ‘The Asp’, who will have the Blackpool crowd firmly behind him.
Aspinall managed to seize the Phil Taylor Trophy in 2023
This could be a classic "experience vs youth" battle—and Nijman will be hoping to make an emphatic statement on debut.
Aspinall claimed the 2023 Phil Taylor Trophy in emphatic fashion.
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4. Jonny Clayton vs Martin Schindler
Perhaps a sleeper pick for match of the round, this encounter between Jonny Clayton and Martin Schindler has the potential to be a hidden gem. Both players come into the tournament in impressive form. Schindler topped the Pro Tour Order of Merit, underlining his consistency, and has already captured both a Players Championship title and a European Tour crown in 2025.
Clayton, meanwhile, has also been thriving, claiming a Players Championship and Euro Tour title of his own. The Welshman impressed at the recent Baltic Sea Darts Open, averaging over 103 in the quarterfinals despite defeat to Gary Anderson, and over 106 in a previous round.
With both men in red-hot form, this one could go down to the wire—form on the day will likely decide it.
5. Gerwyn Price vs Daryl Gurney
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Rounding out our list is a high-stakes clash between Gerwyn Price and Daryl Gurney. ‘The Iceman’ is back in top form and, while his last individual major came at the 2022 Players Championship Finals, he’s hungry to add more silverware. Price, currently ranked No. 9 in the world, looks well-positioned to launch a serious title challenge.
But Gurney shouldn’t be overlooked. The Northern Irishman recently partnered Jonny Clayton to victory in the PDC World Cup of Darts and has shown he can still perform on the big stage. A former major winner himself, ‘Superchin’ could cause a shock if he brings his best game to Blackpool.
A Tournament That Delivers From the Start
With 16 top-tier matchups in the first round alone, the 2025 World Matchplay is once again set to deliver high drama from the very first dart. These five fixtures headline the early action, but plenty more potential upsets and classics lie in wait.
Which match are you most looking forward to? Vote in our poll and join the conversation!
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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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- 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
- Fair play to Fallon. But...shows the mockery when a professional players wins what was meant to be an amateur v Pro event, Littlers performance was poor, and what about the players who didn't get a game? Would have been better if the pot was split amoungst all the winners and they all got a leg.BandB31-10-2026