World Matchplay Darts Day One Preview: Littler Headlines Explosive Opening Night

The wait is finally over. Tonight from 19:00 BST, the Winter Gardens opens its doors for the opening session of the 2026 World Matchplay Darts. The PDC has packed the opening night with four massive first-round ties, featuring the return of the defending champion, former winners, and elite Premier League stars.

Here is your full match-by-match breakdown for Day One in Blackpool.

Match 1: Josh Rock vs. Luke Woodhouse

Opening the tournament is a highly intriguing tie between eighth seed Josh Rock and the unseeded Luke Woodhouse. Rock brings explosive scoring power but has drawn a notoriously difficult assignment for a first-round match. Whilst Woodhouse may not be a seed, he qualified in the number one spot of the Pro Tour Order of Merit qualifiers, 30k ahead of his nearesr rival. “Woody” enters Blackpool in superb form, having captured both a Players Championship and a European Tour crown over the last few months.

Rock,who is looking to kickstart his season after a disapointing Premier League campaign, holds a 5-2 lead in their career head-to-head records, but Woodhouse won their sole previous televised major meeting at the 2023 UK Open. Expect this to go deep into extra legs.

Match 2: Stephen Bunting vs. Niels Zonneveld

The popular “Bullet” Stephen Bunting takes the stage next against Dutch debutant Niels Zonneveld. Bunting has established himself as one of the most consistent maximum-hitters on the tour this season and loves the rapid leg-play format. Zonneveld has shown massive scoring bursts on the floor to qualify, but handling the intense heat and deafening atmosphere of a packed Saturday night in Blackpool is an entirely different challenge. Bunting starts as a heavy favorite here.

Match 3: Luke Littler vs. Niko Springer

The headline act of the evening. Defending champion and world number one Luke Littler begins his quest to retain the Phil Taylor Trophy against German debutant Niko Springer. The Nineteen year old sensation is hoping to do what no player has managed for a decade in claiming back to back World Matchplay Darts titles. Littler is in historically dominant form, having captured every single televised major on the 2026 calendar so far. However, Springer cannot be taken lightly; he recently secured the Hungarian Darts Trophy and possesses the fearless pace to match Littler’s rhythm. Springer will throw everything at the champion, but Littler’s major stage composure gives him the clear edge.

Match 4: Nathan Aspinall vs. Joe Cullen

The opening night concludes with a blistering, high-octane rematch. 2023 champion Nathan Aspinall faces off against Joe Cullen in an exact repeat of their classic semi-final battle from three years ago. Both players are renowned for wearing their hearts on their sleeves, meaning the Empress Ballroom crowd will be treated to theater. Neither player has been in flawless form on the floor recently and both are looking to drag themselves back up the rankings, making this an entirely unpredictable, pure gut-check battle to close out the session.

Tournament Schedule At A Glance

Today’s Games (Saturday, July 18 – 19:00 BST)

• Josh Rock vs. Luke Woodhouse

• Stephen Bunting vs. Niels Zonneveld

• Luke Littler vs. Niko Springer

• Nathan Aspinall vs. Joe Cullen

Fixtures Tomorrow (Sunday, July 19)

Afternoon Session (13:00 BST)

• Chris Dobey vs. Dirk van Duijvenbode

• Gary Anderson vs. Ryan Joyce

• Michael van Gerwen vs. Andrew Gilding

• Jonny Clayton vs. Damon Heta

Evening Session (19:00 BST)

• Ryan Searle vs. William O’Connor

• James Wade vs. Jermaine Wattimena

• Gian van Veen vs. Krzysztof Ratajski

• Wessel Nijman vs. Dave Chisnall