Day eight at the 2026 Paddy Power World Darts Championship saw Michael van Gerwen comfortably win his opening game, while Dave Chisnall defeated Fallon Sherrock.

Today, after over a week of action, the first round concludes with the final eight games.

The big names at Alexandra Palace today include a World Youth Championship finalist from last month, a two time major winner, and a former UK Open and World Matchplay champion.

Here’s all you need to know ahead of day nine at the 2026 Paddy Power World Darts Championship.

A view of the Paddy Power World Darts Championship from a fans point of view.
It’s another double session day at the 2026 Paddy Power World Darts Championship. Credit: PDC

Greaves v Gurney, Aspinall v Ilagan headlines evening

Three years on from her first PDC World Darts Championship appearance, two time Women’s World Champion Beau Greaves returns to Ally Pally, as she takes on 22nd seed, 2017 World Grand Prix winner, and 2018 Players Championship Finals champion, Daryl Gurney.

Gurney reached the quarter finals of the European Championship and Players Championship Finals in 2025, and also won the World Cup of Darts for Northern Ireland.

Despite losing in the semi finals of the Women’s World Matchplay, Greaves has had a stunning floor season. She dominated the PDC Women’s Series, winning 86 straight matches and taking 16 titles. She also won two Challenge Tour and three Development Tour titles, gaining a Tour Card for the first time in her career for finishing second on the Development Tour Order of Merit.

After Beau and Arrow’s loss to Gian van Veen in the World Youth Championship Final, she will be looking for her first win at this event, after a straight sets loss to William O’Connor in 2023. Gurney has not been knocked out of round one since 2015. Who will win the first ever competitive meeting between the two?

Beau Greaves on stage at the World Darts Championship.
The last time Greaves appeared on this stage was the 2023 edition, where she lost in round one. Credit: PDC

Immediately after this game, the 2023 World Matchplay Champion gets his latest World Darts Championship campaign underway, as 15th seed Nathan Aspinall faces PDC Asian Championship, Lourence Ilagan of the Philippines.

The Asp, a former two time semi finalist at the Worlds, has had a good year on TV following on from his quarter final appearance here 12 months ago. He made another Premier League semi final, plus quarter finals in the UK Open and World Masters. He also came runner up in the Players Championship Finals last month, losing the final to Luke Littler.

This will be Ilagan’s ninth trip to Alexandra Palace, where he has only won one game in his career. He is though one of a number of highly rated Asian players who people believe could challenge on the main PDC tour.

They’ve met each other once before, in the 2024 Bahrain Darts Masters, where Aspinall won 6-5. What will happen though in their first ever ranked meeting?

Nathan Aspinall on stage at the 2025 Paddy Power World Darts Championship.
Expect an electric atmosphere when Nathan Aspinall walks on stage this evening. Credit: PDC

Rock last on in the afternoon, O’Connor begins evening

Alongside Gurney, the island of Ireland has four more players involved on the final day of round one at the World Darts Championship. Northern Ireland’s Josh Rock, who is 11th seed, is involved in the final game of the afternoon, as he takes on PDC Women’s Series qualifier Gemma Hayter.

Rocky was the other half of the Northern Ireland winning World Cup team with Gurney, but it’s also been a breakout year for him in individual TV events. He made his first ever semi finals on TV at the UK Open and World Matchplay, plus reached the quarter finals in both the last two ranking tournaments.

Hayter made the Women’s World Matchplay for the first time this season, and finished in the final qualification position on the Women’s Series Order of Merit to make her debut appearance here. Can she cause a huge upset? Or will Rocky continue his good TV form?

Josh Rock on stage at the World Matchplay.
Josh Rock has had superb year on TV prior to the World Darts Championship. Credit: PDC

To start the final round one session, Willie O’Connor of the Republic of Ireland takes on Poland’s Krzysztof Kciuk. O’Connor qualified second on the Pro Tour Order of Merit, while Kciuk won the Polish Qualifier in November.

O’Connor, who was a runner up at the World Cup back in 2019, has been steady this season. His best performance saw him reach two Pro Tour semi finals, as well as the last 16 of the UK Open. The Magpie has never been past the last 32 at the Worlds in eight previous attempts.

Kciuk, a former Tour Card holder, has only been to Alexandra Palace once before, losing to Connor Scutt in round one. O’Connor has won both of their previous meetings on the floor, but this is their first match on a TV stage.

William O
William O’Connor is bidding for another deep run at the Paddy Power World Darts Championship. Credit: PDC

Mansell and Barry complete Irish interest, Sálate becomes first Argentinan on stage

Northern Ireland’s Mickey Mansell plays the USA’s Leonard Gates in the third match of the afternoon. Mansell made it via the Pro Tour Order of Merit, while Gates won the CDC Cross-Border Challenge in April.

Mansell, a Grand Slam semi finalist in 2024, has never made it past the last 64 at Ally Pally, with his best performance in 2025 being a trip to the last eight in two Pro Tours. Gates finished fourth on the CDC Order of Merit this year, but won three titles on the Seniors Tour back in 2023. He’s also won both of his opening round matches in his two previous appearances at the World Darts Championship, with his entertaining walk on a highlight for fans. This is the first time the pair will face each other.

The final match of round one sees the Republic of Ireland’s Keane Barry take on Australia’s Tim Pusey. Barry qualified via the Pro Tour Order of Merit, while Pusey won the ADA Tour to book his Ally Pally debut.

Barry won the Tom Kirby Memorial Cup in 2019, but has struggled to kick on. He reached the quarter finals of the World Cup this year alongside O’Connor, but only made one quarter final on the Pro Tour. This will be the first time he takes on the Australian in any game, but he has made the second round in each of the last two years at the Worlds.

Keane Barry playing darts.
Keane Barry wil be looking to reach round two for the third year in a row. Credit: PDC

Jesus Sálate will be the first Argentinian to take to the Alexandra Palace stage, after winning the Championship Darts Latin America and Caribbean Tour. He takes on Ryan Meikle, who returns to the Worlds via the Pro Tour Order of Merit.

Sálate won four events on the CLDC Tour, edging out Rashaad Sweeting for the number one spot and the trip to the Palace. Meikle, who pushed Luke Littler in round two of last year’s event, has won his first game on each of his previous three visits to Muswell Hill. This is also the first game between the pair.

The first game of the day sees Kevin Doets of Holland take on Matty Dennant, with both players qualifying via the Pro Tour Order of Merit.

Doets knocked former champion Michael Smith out 12 months ago, en route to a last 16 berth where he lost to Chris Dobey. He made a semi final on the Pro Tour this season, plus multiple quarter finals.

Dennant is seeking a big run here to keep his PDC Tour Card. He’s reached two quarter finals on the Pro Tour this year, and will be making his World Darts Championship debut in his first game against the Dutchman.

Kevin Doets on stage at the Paddy Power World Darts Championship
Kevin Doets is looking for a second straight deep run at the Worlds. Credit: PDC

2026 Paddy Power World Darts Championship Day Nine Schedule of Play

Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)

Round One x4

Kevin Doets v Matthew Dennant

Ryan Meikle v Jesus Salate

Mickey Mansell v Leonard Gates

Josh Rock v Gemma Hayter

Evening Session (1900 GMT)

Round One x4

William O’Connor v Krzysztof Kciuk

Daryl Gurney v Beau Greaves

Nathan Aspinall v Lourence Ilagan

Keane Barry v Tim Pusey