World Darts Championship preview, schedule and results

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This year marks the 30th staging of the PDC World Championship, as 96 players from around the world compete for £2.5 million in prize money and the coveted Sid Waddell Trophy.

The festive feast of darts – which runs from Thursday December 15 through to the final on Tuesday January 3 – will see 22 debutants and 28 countries represented in the global showpiece.

Wright will begin his bid for a third World Championship crown in four years against either Northern Ireland’s Mickey Mansell or New Zealand’s number one Ben Robb in Thursday’s headline act.

The Scot withdrew from last month’s Players Championship Finals with his wife Jo in hospital, but after receiving positive news last week, Wright heads to the capital in bullish mood.

“Jo’s really good now, we’ve got through all the bad bits,” Wright revealed. “She is recovering well and has received an all-clear from all the doctor and surgeons.

“I’ve been on the practice board, but I was just like a zombie, my head was not there at all. It’s been hard work. That’s all changed now.

“I think I can go and win it again. It would mean a lot if I can win it back-to-back and join the elite to win it three times in the PDC – only Phil Taylor and Michael [van Gerwen] have done that.”

The pre-Christmas period at this year’s World Championship will feature nine days of first and second round action from December 15-23.

The top 32 players from the PDC Order of Merit will enter the tournament in the second round, with the ProTour Order of Merit qualifiers taking on the International representatives in round one.

Fourth seed Michael Smith begins his campaign on Friday December 16, and the two-time runner-up heads to Alexandra Palace brimming with confidence following his Grand Slam of Darts triumph.

Beau Greaves will also feature in Friday’s evening session when she plays former World Cup of Darts finalist William O’Connor in a blockbuster first round showdown.

Greaves will become the youngest woman to feature at the World Darts Championship, after winning eight consecutive PDC Women’s Series titles to seal her qualification in unprecedented style.

“I am really looking forward to it. I will just enjoy the moment,” said Greaves, who won 52 consecutive matches at the Women’s Series to book her place at Alexandra Palace.

“I don’t fear anyone because just being here is a bonus. If I play really well, I can beat anyone.

“This year has been my best year without a doubt. This is only the beginning, so I’m looking forward to whatever’s to come.”

Belgian number one Dimitri Van den Bergh and World Youth Champion Josh Rock headline the action on Saturday December 17, while 2010 runner-up Simon Whitlock and four-time Women’s World Champion Lisa Ashton also star.

Two-time semi-finalist Nathan Aspinall gets his campaign underway on Sunday December 18, with World Cup winner Damon Heta facing a potential second round showdown against two-time World Champion Adrian Lewis.

World number one Gerwyn Price will begin his bid for a second World Championship crown on Monday December 19, as the Welshman looks to repeat his 2021 heroics in the capital.

Luke Woodhouse or Vladyslav Omelchenko await Price in round two, and the 37-year-old has his sights set on becoming the seventh player to win multiple PDC World Championship titles.

“I always think I’m going to win every tournament I go in to, so does Peter [Wright] and so does Michael [van Gerwen],” claimed Price – the top seed at this year’s event.

“It’s nice to win the World Championship once, but to become multiple World Champion – that’s my next goal, and there’s no reason I can’t win another three or four before I retire.

“I know what it’s like to win the World Championship, but I don’t know what it’s like to win it in front of a big crowd, with celebrations and family there, so that’s a big drive for me now.”

Women’s World Matchplay winner Fallon Sherrock will make her Alexandra Palace return against Ricky Evans on Tuesday December 20, before Dutch legend Raymond van Barneveld gets his 30th World Championship appearance underway.

Van Barneveld – fresh from reaching last month’s Grand Slam of Darts semi-finals – will be the 32nd seed in his milestone appearance – matching the position from which he won the 2006/07 World Championship at the Circus Tavern.

“30 World Championships, wow! This sport has changed my life,” reflected Van Barneveld, who will play Ryan Meikle or Ashton for a place in the third round.

“The World Championship is the big one. This is the one you want to win. You want to perform well.

“I’m in the top 32 now, and I’m proud of myself. I am really happy, and if you feel happy, then anything is possible.”

The first round draws to a close on Wednesday December 21, as three-time champion Michael van Gerwen begins his challenge to lift the Sid Waddell Trophy for the first time since 2019.

Van Gerwen has celebrated Premier League, World Matchplay, World Grand Prix and Players Championship Finals victories over recent months, and now he is determined to cap off a stunning season in sensational style.

“I don’t have to prove that I am better than anyone, because they know if I play my A-game, I am the best,” declared Van Gerwen, who will play Niels Zonneveld or Lewy Williams in the second round.

“Everyone knows the last few years have been tough for me, but the most important thing is how you battle back and I’ve done that well this year.

“I have a big target on my back, but I can handle it. I’ve been under pressure so many times, and most of the time, I’ve survived.”

Fifth seed Luke Humphries will headline a star-studded double session on Thursday December 22, which also includes two-time World Champion Gary Anderson and ten-time TV title winner James Wade.

The second round will then conclude across two sessions on Friday December 23, with 2018 World Champion Rob Cross, seventh seed Jonny Clayton and Masters champion Joe Cullen among the high-profile names in action.

Following a three-day Christmas break, the third and fourth rounds will be held from December 27-30, before the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final take place from January 1-3.

Alongside the £500,000 top prize for the eventual champion, players will again be competing to win a special £50,000 bonus on offer from PDC partner Selco, for the first player to hit two nine-dart finishes in this year’s event.

The tournament will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK, through the PDC’s worldwide broadcast partners including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV (excluding UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria & Switzerland based subscribers).

2022/23 Cazoo World Darts Championship

2022/23 Cazoo World Darts Championship
Thursday December 15
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Mickey Mansell 3-1 Ben Robb (R1)
Grant Sampson 3-1 Keane Barry (R1)
Nathan Rafferty 3-2 Jermaine Wattimena (R1)
Peter Wright 3-0 Mickey Ma

Friday December 16

Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)

3x First Round, 1x Second Round

Alan Soutar v Mal Cuming (R1)

Boris Krcmar v Toru Suzuki (R1)

Adrian Lewis v Daniel Larsson (R1)

Kim Huybrechts v Barry/Sampson (R2)

Evening Session (1900 GMT)

3x First Round, 1x Second Round

Rowby-John Rodriguez v Lourence Ilagan (R1)

William O‘Connor v Beau Greaves (R1)

Keegan Brown v Florian Hempel (R1)

Michael Smith v Wattimena/Rafferty (R2)

Saturday December 17

Afternoon Session (1100 GMT)

3x First Round, 1x Second Round

Martin Lukeman v Nobuhiro Yamamoto (R1)

Simon Whitlock v Christian Perez (R1)

Adam Gawlas v Richie Burnett (R1)

Daryl Gurney v Soutar/Cuming (R2)

Evening Session (2000 GMT)

3x First Round, 1x Second Round

Ryan Meikle v Lisa Ashton (R1)

Cameron Menzies v Diogo Portela (R1)

Josh Rock v Jose Justicia (R1)

Dimitri Van den Bergh v Rodriguez/Ilagan (R2)

Sunday December 18

Afternoon Session (1100 GMT)

3x First Round, 1x Second Round

Madars Razma v Prakash Jiwa (R1)

Karel Sedlacek v Raymond Smith (R1)

Luke Woodhouse v Vladyslav Omelchenko (R1)

Damon Heta v Lewis/Larsson (R2)

Evening Session (2000 GMT)

3x First Round, 1x Second Round

Mike De Decker v Jeff Smith (R1)

Scott Williams v Ryan Joyce (R1)

Matt Campbell v Danny Baggish (R1)

Nathan Aspinall v Krcmar/Suzuki (R2)

Monday December 19

Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)

3x First Round, 1x Second Round

Andrew Gilding v Robert Owen (R1)

Danny Jansen v Paolo Nebrida (R1)

Niels Zonneveld v Lewy Williams (R1)

Jose de Sousa v Whitlock/Perez (R2)

Evening Session (1900 GMT)

3x First Round, 1x Second Round

Geert Nentjes v Leonard Gates (R1)

Ritchie Edhouse v David Cameron (R1)

Steve Beaton v Danny van Trijp (R1)

Gerwyn Price v Woodhouse/Omelchenko (R2)

Tuesday December 20 (1900 GMT)

3x First Round, 1x Second Round

Jim Williams v Sebastian Bialecki (R1)

Jamie Hughes v Jimmy Hendriks (R1)

Ricky Evans v Fallon Sherrock (R1)

Raymond van Barneveld v Meikle/Ashton (R2)

Wednesday December 21

Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)

2x First Round, 2x Second Round

John O’Shea v Darius Labanauskas (R1)

Martijn Kleermaker v Xicheng Han (R1)

Callan Rydz v Rock/Justicia (R2)

Dave Chisnall v Gilding/Owen (R2)

Evening Session (1900 GMT)

4x Second Round

Mervyn King v Campbell/Baggish

Gabriel Clemens v O‘Connor/Greaves

Michael van Gerwen v Zonneveld/L Williams

Stephen Bunting v Nentjes/Gates

Thursday December 22

Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)

4x Second Round

Krzysztof Ratajski v Jansen/Nebrida

Ryan Searle v Gawlas/Burnett

Mensur Suljovic v De Decker/J Smith

Dirk van Duijvenbode v Sedlacek/R Smith

Evening Session (1900 GMT)

4x Second Round

Gary Anderson v Razma/Jiwa

James Wade v J Williams/Bialecki

Luke Humphries v Brown/Hempel

Vincent van der Voort v Menzies/Portela

Friday December 23

Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)

4x Second Round

Brendan Dolan v Hughes/Hendriks

Chris Dobey v Kleermaker/Han

Ross Smith v O’Shea/Labanauskas

Rob Cross v S Williams/Joyce

Evening Session (1900 GMT)

4x Second Round

Martin Schindler v Lukeman/Yamamoto

Danny Noppert v Edhouse/Cameron

Jonny Clayton v Beaton/Van Trijp

Joe Cullen v Evans/Sherrock

Tuesday December 27

Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)

3x Third Round

Van den Bergh/Rodriguez/Ilagan v Ratajski/Jansen/Nebrida

Aspinall/Krcmar/T Suzuki v Rydz/Rock/Justicia

Clayton/Beaton/Van Trijp v Dolan/Hughes/Hendriks

Evening Session (1900 GMT)

3x Third Round

Wade/J Williams/Bialecki v Clemens/O’Connor/Greaves

Price/Woodhouse/Omelchenko v Van Barneveld/Meikle/Ashton

Wright/Mansell/Robb v Huybrechts/Barry/Sampson

Wednesday December 28

Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)

3x Third Round

Searle/Gawlas/Burnett v De Sousa/Whitlock/Perez

Noppert/Edhouse/Cameron v Gurney/Soutar/Cuming

Anderson/Razma/Jiwa v Dobey/Kleermaker/Han

Evening Session (1900 GMT)

3x Third Round

Cullen/Evans/Sherrock v Heta/Lewis/Larsson

Van Gerwen/Zonneveld/L Williams v Suljovic/De Decker/J Smith

M Smith/Wattimena/Rafferty v Schindler/Lukeman/Yamamoto

Thursday December 29

Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)

3x Third Round

Van Duijvenbode/Sedlacek/Ray Smith v Ross Smith/O’Shea/Labanauskas

Cross/S Williams/Joyce v King/Campbell/Baggish

Chisnall/Gilding/Owen v Bunting/Nentjes/Gates

Evening Session (1900 GMT)

1x Third Round, 2x Fourth Round

Humphries/K Brown/Hempel v Van der Voort/Menzies/Portela

Fourth Round games on December 29-30 TBC

Schedule of play subject to change. Any amendments will be advised at pdc.tv and through the OfficialPDC social media channels.

Format

First Round – Best of five sets

Second Round – Best of five sets

Third Round – Best of seven sets

Fourth Round – Best of seven sets

Quarter-Finals – Best of nine sets

Semi-Finals – Best of 11 sets

Final – Best of 13 sets

Tie-Breaks

First Round matches will not have a tie-break; if the fifth set reaches two-all in legs, then the fifth leg will be sudden-death.

From the Second Round onwards, there will be a tie-break rule employed in all matches; where a deciding set must be won by two clear legs. If the score in the final set reaches 5-5 then a sudden-death leg will be played.

There would be no throw for the bull in any sudden-death legs.

Prize Fund

Winner – £500,000

Runner-Up – £200,000

Semi-Finalists – £100,000

Quarter-Finalists – £50,000

Fourth Round – £35,000

Third Round – £25,000

Second Round – £15,000

First Round – £7,500

Total – £2,500,000