Humphries is looking to remind everyone that he is still the man to beat at Minehead

The 2024 Ladbrokes Players Championship Finals begin on Friday, with incumbent champion Luke Humphries aiming for back-to-back titles at Butlin’s Minehead Resort.

The £600,000 tournament, involving the top 64 players on the Players Championship Order of Merit, will take place over three days on November 22-24.

Day One will be divided into two stages: the Main Stage and Stage Two. All competitors will compete in Friday’s first round, which will be held across two action-packed sessions.

Humphries made a remarkable comeback to upset his great nemesis Michael van Gerwen in last year’s final, and the world number one will highlight Friday evening’s Main Stage action.

The 29-year-old will face German number two Gabriel Clemens in his first match, and after an early departure at last week’s Grand Slam of Darts, he hopes to rebound in style.

“I’m feeling nice and refreshed, and I’m actually looking forward to playing darts again now,” claimed Humphries, who defeated Van Gerwen 11-9 in last year’s showpiece.

“My last three appearances in Minehead have led to a semi-final, a win and a final; I’ve made the final session of the last three events down there, which is a really good feeling for me.

“It gives me great confidence to know that this is a certain place where I go and will always perform.”

Luke Littler, the newly minted Grand Slam champion, will face 2022 runner-up Rob Cross in a heavyweight first round duel as the teenager aims for back-to-back TV ranking crowns.

Littler, a three-time Players Championship champion in 2024, lost to Cross at the same stage of last month’s World Grand Prix, but he hopes to make apologies in Minehead.

“The win at the Grand Slam has given me a lot of confidence,” declared Littler, who has climbed to world number five following his Grand Slam heroics.

“I can relax a bit now I’ve won my first ranking title. I know my game is there, and I know I can come back if I am trailing in matches.

“I’ve let my darts do most of the talking this year, but there’s still another two titles up for grabs, so hopefully it can get even better.”

Michael van Gerwen, chasing a record-extending eighth Players Championship Finals title, faces Ian White in round two, while 2014 champion Gary Anderson takes on Ryan Meikle.

Top seed Chris Dobey will also take center stage on Friday evening, as he renews his rivalry with former World Matchplay winner Nathan Aspinall in one of the day’s most intriguing matches.

Dobey won a hat-trick of Players Championship wins in 2024 to take the top spot on the Order of Merit, and he hopes to carry his impressive ProTour success to the sport’s greatest stages

“My floor form has been impeccable this season,” reflected Dobey, who has featured in five Players Championship finals this year – a record only bettered by Stephen Bunting.

“After a year in the Premier League, I found it tough to perform on the ProTour, but I’ve worked hard to get my game back to where it should be.

“I’ve had no luck on the stage so far this year, but that isn’t going to last for a lifetime. I will get my stage game back, and hopefully it will turn against Nathan [Aspinall].”

Former Players Championship Finals winners Daryl Gurney and Peter Wright will also face off on Friday evening, while 2019 runner-up Gerwyn Price faces French trailblazer Thibault Tricole.

Former finalists Dave Chisnall and Ryan Searle will compete on Friday afternoon’s Main Stage, with ten-time TV championship winner James Wade and European Champion Ritchie Edhouse.

Martin Lukeman, the Grand Slam runner-up, returns to action against Challenge Tour Order of Merit winner Connor Scutt, while Gian van Veen begins this year’s competition against World Championship semi-finalist Scott Williams.

The Stage Two action in Reds, which will be televised worldwide via PDCTV, features a number of well-known personalities, including 2023 World Champion Michael Smith and second seed Bunting.

Smith, the world’s third-ranked player, will face debutant Dom Taylor, while Masters champion Bunting will face Belgian veteran Mario Vandenbogaerde in the second round on Saturday.

Dimitri Van den Bergh and Mike De Decker of Belgium will face Ross Smith and Richard Veenstra, respectively, while Damon Heta, Jonny Clayton, Danny Noppert, Josh Rock, and Raymond van Barneveld will also compete.

Andrew Gilding, the 2023 UK Open winner, begins Friday afternoon’s Stage Two action, which culminates with a match between young Dutchman Wessel Nijman and 2012 runner-up Kim Huybrechts.

Draw Bracket

(1) Chris Dobey v (64) Nathan Aspinall

(32) William O’Connor v (33) Niels Zonneveld

(16) Mike De Decker v (49) Richard Veenstra

(17) Michael van Gerwen v (48) Ian White

(8) Luke Littler v (57) Rob Cross

(25) Ritchie Edhouse v (40) Luke Woodhouse

(9) Danny Noppert v (56) James Hurrell

(24) James Wade v (41) Stephen Burton

(4) Ryan Searle v (61) Jeffrey de Graaf

(29) Gerwyn Price v (36) Thibault Tricole

(13) Wessel Nijman v (52) Kim Huybrechts

(20) Gian van Veen v (45) Scott Williams

(5) Dave Chisnall v (60) Joe Cullen

(28) Andrew Gilding v (37) Kevin Doets

(12) Ross Smith v (53) Dimitri Van den Bergh

(21) Wesley Plaisier v (44) Mensur Suljovic

(2) Stephen Bunting v (63) Mario Vandenbogaerde

(31) Martin Lukeman v (34) Connor Scutt

(15) Daryl Gurney v (50) Peter Wright

(18) Michael Smith v (47) Dom Taylor

(7) Josh Rock v (58) Ricky Evans

(26) Alan Soutar v (39) Jermaine Wattimena

(10) Jonny Clayton v (55) Florian Hempel

(23) Dirk van Duijvenbode v (42) Callan Rydz

(3) Damon Heta v (62) Mervyn King

(30) Krzysztof Ratajski v (35) Madars Razma

(14) Raymond van Barneveld v (51) Chris Landman

(19) Luke Humphries v (46) Gabriel Clemens

(6) Gary Anderson v (59) Ryan Meikle

(27) Brendan Dolan v (38) Martin Schindler

(11) Cameron Menzies v (54) Jim Williams

(22) Ryan Joyce v (43) Karel Sedlacek

Friday November 22

Afternoon Session (1245-1700 GMT)

First Round Schedule of Play

Main Stage

Gian van Veen v Scott Williams

Brendan Dolan v Martin Schindler

Ritchie Edhouse v Luke Woodhouse

James Wade v Stephen Burton

Ryan Searle v Jeffrey de Graaf

Martin Lukeman v Connor Scutt

Dave Chisnall v Joe Cullen

Stage Two

Andrew Gilding v Kevin Doets

William O’Connor v Niels Zonneveld

Krzysztof Ratajski v Madars Razma

Cameron Menzies v Jim Williams

Dirk van Duijvenbode v Callan Rydz

Ryan Joyce v Karel Sedlacek

Wesley Plaisier v Mensur Suljovic

Alan Soutar v Jermaine Wattimena

Wessel Nijman v Kim Huybrechts

Evening Session (1900-2300 GMT)

Main Stage

Daryl Gurney v Peter Wright

Gerwyn Price v Thibault Tricole

Chris Dobey v Nathan Aspinall

Michael van Gerwen v Ian White

Luke Littler v Rob Cross

Luke Humphries v Gabriel Clemens

Gary Anderson v Ryan Meikle

Stage Two

Damon Heta v Mervyn King

Jonny Clayton v Florian Hempel

Danny Noppert v James Hurrell

Raymond van Barneveld v Chris Landman

Stephen Bunting v Mario Vandenbogaerde

Mike De Decker v Richard Veenstra

Michael Smith v Dom Taylor

Josh Rock v Ricky Evans

Ross Smith v Dimitri Van den Bergh