The draw for the 2026 World Matchplay has been confirmed, and Luke Littler already knows who his first opponent will be in Blackpool: Niko Springer. The defending champion will begin his defence of the Phil Taylor Trophy against the German debutant in a tournament scheduled to take place from 18 to 26 July at the Winter Gardens, featuring 32 players and with £225,000 on offer to the winner.
The story of the day is this: the draw offers no easy ride for the world number one. Littler arrives as the defending champion, aiming to become only the fourth player to retain the Matchplay title, and faces a first-round tie that could quickly prove tricky if Springer steps onto the stage with no inhibitions. For the editorial team, this marks the real kick-off for Blackpool: we’re moving on from the race for places and into the headline matches.
A draw that puts Littler under pressure right from the start
The PDC published the draw on Thursday evening, following confirmation of the full field. The format remains the same: the top 16 in the world rankings face the top 16 qualifiers from the ProTour rankings over the past year. This system often results in first rounds that are more tense than they appear, because an unseeded player might arrive in fine form following several months of strong results on the circuit.
In this context, the Littler v Springer match ticks several boxes. The world champion and defending Matchplay titleholder has already made Blackpool the centrepiece of his season, particularly following his recent comments about the ProTour. Springer, for his part, is one of four debutants expected at the Winter Gardens. Put another way: on paper, the fixture is lopsided, but it has enough depth to avoid being merely a warm-up match.
The main first-round fixtures
The draw also pits Luke Humphries, the 2024 champion, against Cameron Menzies. Michael van Gerwen will open against Andrew Gilding, in a match-up reminiscent of their 2023 UK Open final. Gian van Veen, now a seeded player, will start against Krzysztof Ratajski.
| Seed | Opponent |
|---|---|
| Luke Littler | Niko Springer |
| Luke Humphries | Cameron Menzies |
| Michael van Gerwen | Andrew Gilding |
| Gerwyn Price | Martin Schindler |
| Danny Noppert | Rob Cross |
| Gian van Veen | Krzysztof Ratajski |
| Wessel Nijman | Dave Chisnall |
| James Wade | Jermaine Wattimena |
The lower half of the draw also offers some real highlights: Ryan Searle will face William O’Connor, Ross Smith will take on Kevin Doets, Chris Dobey will face Dirk van Duijvenbode, and Stephen Bunting will start against Niels Zonneveld. For a first round, the quality is already quite good.
Nijman v Chisnall, Noppert v Cross: the matches to watch
The clash between Wessel Nijman and Dave Chisnall deserves special attention. Nijman comes into the tournament with eight ProTour titles in 2026 – a staggering figure that speaks volumes about his consistency on the circuit. Chisnall, meanwhile, secured his qualification very late in the window. The score will tell one thing, but the context will reveal a little more: this match pits a player on the rise against a former Blackpool regular who had to fight right to the end to stay in the tournament.
Danny Noppert versus Rob Cross also has all the makings of an upset. Cross has already won the World Matchplay in 2019, whilst Noppert remains a player cool-headed enough to derail a favourite in a legs-based format. The same logic applies to Gerwyn Price versus Martin Schindler, where the intensity could rise very quickly if Schindler hangs on in the opening legs.
What’s changed ahead of the World Matchplay
The detailed schedule of sessions has not yet been announced by the PDC. This is the next key piece of information to watch out for, as it will reveal when Littler will officially begin his title defence and how the big matches will be spread across the opening nights.
For now, the essentials are clear: the 2026 World Matchplay has its draw, its storylines and its first major narrative. Littler remains the headline act, but Blackpool is about more than just him. Humphries is out to reclaim the crown, Van Gerwen is chasing a fourth title, Nijman arrives on the back of a massive run of form on the circuit, and several former finalists find themselves in matches that could get very tough very quickly. This is where things start to get serious.
