Day seven of the 2026 Paddy Power World Darts Championship saw James Wade move into the second round at Alexandra Palace, while Raymond van Barneveld crashed out.

Today sees the double sessions return, with two sessions per day at Ally Pally from now until the semi finals on 2 January 2026.

A three time World Champion returns to kickstart his bid for the fourth, while The Queen of The Place also returns to the sport’s biggest stage.

There’s also a former World Grand Prix champion, and a multiple TV finalist, among the eight games taking place on day eight at the Paddy Power World Darts Championship.

Van Gerwen and Sherrock headline evening session

It’s been seven long years since Michael van Gerwen won the World Darts Championship. Now, the world number three is bidding to finally add a fourth Sid Waddell Trophy to his glittering trophy cabinet, as he starts his campaign against Japan’s Mitsuhiko Tatsunami, who qualified by finishing fourth place on the PDC Asian Tour.

Van Gerwen has had a very quiet year by his standards, winning only the World Series of Darts Finals on TV, and his only major semi final appearance being the European Championship. He did though make the final of this event 12 months ago, where Luke Littler beat him.

MvG has now lost on his previous three final appearances in this event, but after a difficult 2025, he is looking to silence any doubters and regain this title again. He takes on 52 year old Tatsunami, who is making his debut at Alexandra Palace. In their first ever meeting, can the Japanese player cause one of the biggest shocks of all time? Or will The Green Machine reach the second round for the 15th consecutive occasion?

Before van Gerwen takes to the stage though, another darting star will do so, as Fallon Sherrock, who qualified via the PDC Women’s Series, takes on 21st seed Dave Chisnall.

Chisnall has had a disappointing 12 months, reaching just one Pro Tour final, and not making any TV quarter finals, which has seen him drop in the rankings. His best performance at the World Darts Championship was in 2021 when he reached the semis, thrashing van Gerwen 5-0 in the quarter finals. He’s reached six major TV finals in his career, but has still yet to win one.

Sherrock reached the final of the Women’s World Matchplay for a second consecutive year, but lost out to Lisa Ashton. Her consistency on the Women’s Series punched her ticket to her sixth trip to Alexandra Palace in seven years. She has only gone beyond round one once though, when she beat Ted Evetts and Mensur Suljovic to reach the last 32 in 2020.

Who will set up a meeting with Ricardo Pietreczko in round two, as the pair play against each other for the first time?

De Decker and Wattimena also in action

Belgium’s Mike De Decker is involved in the last game of the afternoon session, as he takes on David Munyua of Kenya, the first player from his country to make the World Darts Championship. De Decker is seeded 18th, while Munuya won the African Darts Group Qualifier.

Since victory in the World Grand Prix back in 2024, The Real Deal has not won a PDC tournament. He failed to qualify for a TV ranking quarter final this year, and only made one final on the Euro Tour in the opening event.

Munuya, who works as a vet in his home town of Murang’a, picked up the game in his local pub, and won the African qualifier this year to make his debut on the sport’s biggest stage.

Can he cause a seismic upset? Or will De Decker, who lost in round two 12 months ago, move on?

Starting the evening session will be Holland’s Jermaine Wattimena, who is the 19th seed for the tournament. He plays Germany’s Dominik Grüllich, who qualified for his first ever World Darts Championship via the Pro Tour Order of Merit.

Wattimena has steadily improved over the past two years, reaching the European Championship final in 2024. He won two Pro Tours this year, and made the last four of the Players Championship Finals, the last TV tournament before the Worlds.

Grüllich won his Tour Card this year at Q-School, and reached a Pro Tour final in Rosmalen back in April. Coming to this stage though, is a huge step up, as he takes on Machine Gun for the first time in their darting careers. The winner plays Scott Williams in round two.

Ratajski, Rydz, Joyce and Tricole all play on Thursday

The last game sees The Polish Eagle Krzysztof Ratajski, take on Alexis Toylo from the Philippines. Ratajski booked his spot via the PDC Order of Merit, while Toylo finished runner up at the PDC Asian Championship, as well as topped the Asian Tour Order of Merit.

Ratajski has slipped down the rankings over the past few years, not reaching a quarter final on TV since 2021. Toylo is one of a number of exciting players from Asia, who returns to Ally Pally for the second straight year. Interestingly, his campaign ended in round two against Ratajski last year, so far the only time they’ve met.

The winner of this game meets the winner of Ryan Joyce against Owen Bates. Joyce, who arguably gave Luke Littler his toughest test at last year’s World Darts Championship, takes on Owen Bates in the afternoon session. Joyce is the 24th seed, while Bates won his spot on the Pro Tour Order of Merit.

Relentless reached the last eight on debut back in 2019, and the fourth round last time out when he lost to The Nuke. He also reached a final and semi final on the Euro Tour this season. Bates, by contrast, has not reached a quarter final this year, but finished third on the Development Tour this year to secure another two year Tour Card.

Bates did not win his only game so far at the Palace, losing in round one in 2024. He also hasn’t beaten Joyce in either of their previous two meetings. Can he change history today?

A quarter finalist from 12 months ago begins another marathon day, as Callan Rydz, who qualified via the Pro Tour Order of Merit, takes on Hungary’s Patrik Kovacs, who won his native country’s Super League to book his spot.

The Riot has been to the last eight twice at Alexandra Palace, losing to Peter Wright in 2022, and Michael van Gerwen on New Year’s Day in 2025. He has not kicked on though, reaching just one Pro Tour semi final.

Debutant Kovacs has been seen at the World Cup of Darts before, but this is his first appearance at the PDC World Darts Championship, after reaching Lakeside the previous two years. It’s also the first time he will play Rydz in his career.

Thibault Tricole also plays this afternoon, as he takes on Japan’s Motomu Sakai. Tricole booked his spot on the Pro Tour Order of Merit, while Sakai finished runner-up on the Asian Tour.

Tricole is the first French player to hold a Tour Card, and has reached two quarter finals on the Pro Tour this year. This is his third straight year at Alexandra Palace, where he’s gone out in round two in each of his previous two visits.

Sakai has made the last four of the PDC Asian Championship on two previous occasions, but this will be first time on the biggest stage of all. Who will win the first game that the two will ever play against one another? Andreas Harryson awaits the winner in round two.

2026 Paddy Power World Darts Championship Day Eight Schedule of Play

Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)

Round One x4

Callan Rydz v Patrik Kovacs

Thibault Tricole v Motomu Sakai

Ryan Joyce v Owen Bates

Mike De Decker v David Munyua

Evening Session (1900 GMT)

Round One x4

Jermaine Wattimena v Dominik Gruellich

Dave Chisnall v Fallon Sherrock

Michael van Gerwen v Mitsuhiko Tatsunami

Krzysztof Ratajski v Alexis Toylo