World Matchplay 2026: Friday Quarter-Finals Round-Up

The Semi-Final line-up for the 2026 World Matchplay is officially complete after a dramatic second night of Quarter-Final action at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.

Following Thursday’s victories for Luke Littler and Dirk van Duijvenbode, Friday evening delivered two more marathons over the extended Best of 31 legs distance. Both Gerwyn Price and Gian van Veen showed ultimate resilience under severe pressure to book their places in Saturday night’s final four.

Here is how the action unfolded on stage in the Empress Ballroom.

Gerwyn Price 16 – 12 Ross Smith

‘The Iceman’ withstands Smudger fightback to reach the Last 4

2022 finalist Gerwyn Price survived a fierce mid-match rally from Ross Smith to seal a 16-12 victory and advance to his second World Matchplay Semi-Final.

Price controlled large spells of the early stages, punishing Smith’s missed doubles to establish a commanding 12-8 cushion. However, former European Champion Smith showed incredible determination, reeling off four consecutive legs, fueled by his heavy 180 scoring to level the match at 12-12 and put the pressure squarely back on the Welshman.

With the Empress Ballroom roaring, Price demonstrated his big-stage pedigree. ‘The Iceman’ held his nerve to break back for 13-12, produced a stunning 121 checkout on the bullseye at a critical moment to move 14-12 ahead, and ultimately reeled off the final four legs of the match to close out a thrilling victory.

Gian van Veen 16 – 13 James Wade

Dutch sensation holds off ‘The Machine’ in 29-leg battle

Gian van Veen reached his first World Matchplay Semi-Final after edging out 2007 champion James Wade 16-13 in a grueling contest.

The 24-year-old Dutchman took advantage of a slow start from Wade to build a 6-4 buffer at the second interval, before stretching his lead to 10-7 with steady scoring and clinical setups. Known for his relentless persistence, Wade stayed within touching distance throughout, pinning signature Double 10 and Double 18 holds to stay in contention.

Despite ‘The Machine’ putting the squeeze on during the closing stages, Van Veen showed maturity well beyond his years. The young star held his composure, protected his throw under pressure, and landed double 16 to seal a famous victory over the 21-time Matchplay contestant.

Saturday Semi-Final Schedule (From 7:00pm BST)

Semi-Final 1: Dirk van Duijvenbode vs. Luke Littler (Best of 33 legs)

Semi-Final 2: Gerwyn Price vs. Gian van Veen (Best of 33 legs)

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Stay tuned to Online Darts across YouTube, TikTok, X, and Facebook for exclusive backstage interviews, live match statistics, and pre-match analysis directly from the Winter Gardens throughout Saturday night’s Semi-Finals!