BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team looks at everything you need to know about the 2026 World Matchplay Darts men's and women's events in Blackpool.
Advertisement Luke Littler is the defending champion after winning the Phil Taylor Trophy 12 months ago. The teenage world number one has also won the first three majors in 2026.
There is also a women's event played on the final day of the tournament on Sunday, 26 July. Lisa Ashton is the reigning champion following a win over Fallon Sherrock in last year's final. Before the tournament, here is all you need to know on the format, draw, prize money and how the schedule was nearly affected by football's World Cup final.
In 2025, Luke Littler became the ninth different player in as many years to win the World Matchplay The tournament consists of 32 players. They are made up of the 16 highest-ranked players from the PDC's Order of Merit and the 16 best players from this year's ProTour Order of Merit who had not yet qualified. In the women's tournament, the best eight players from the Women's Series tour qualify. The tournament is played in legs rather than sets.
The number of required to win a match increases after every round in the mixed competition and increases after the semi-finals for the women's competition. Victories are by two clear legs, with a sudden death leg to be used in the event that the two players cannot be separated after a certain number of legs.
Second round: Best of 21 legs Semi-finals: Best of 33 legs The trophy is named after Phil Taylor, who is the World Matchplay's most successful player ever with 16 title wins For the World Matchplay competition, the prize money has increased by £200,000 in total to £1m. In 2025, the total prize pot was at £800,000.
The prize pool for the women's competition has significantly increased from £25,000 to £40,000, with the winner taking £15,000. The winner of the women's competition will also qualify for the 2026 Grand Slam of Darts and the 2027 PDC World Darts Championship. With England making the semi-finals of the 2026 Fifa World Cup, the PDC had announced plans to change the schedule if the Three Lions made it to the final.
Had England beat Argentina on Wednesday night to set up a final with Spain on Sunday, the PDC were planning on moving all three sessions from the opening weekend forward. That would have left Sunday evening free so that there was no session which clashed with the final. Luke Littler v Aspinall Jonny Clayton v Gary Anderson Gemma Hayter v Vicky Pruim
Please follow us on Google to support usLuke Littler World Matchplay Darts Fallon Sherrock Prize Money Phil Taylor PDC World Darts Championship World Cup Sudden Death Straight Knockout Professional Darts Corporation Gary Anderson Michael Van Gerwen
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