Summary:
The race for the 2026 World Matchplay has tightened again after the latest update to the Blackpool qualification picture. With two Players Championship events left in Leicester before the 7 July cut-off, Dave Chisnall and Peter Wright currently sit outside the provisional field, while Michael Smith remains under heavy pressure. At the same time, Kevin Doets and Niels Zonneveld are edging towards a first Blackpool appearance, while Wessel Nijman still benefits from the momentum he created in Bratislava.
24 June update: the provisional field is tightening again
The latest projection highlighted on 24 June confirms that the story is no longer only about seeding, but also about the identity of the provisional field itself for Blackpool. With two Players Championship events still scheduled in Leicester on 6 and 7 July before the final cut-off, Dave Chisnall has slipped outside the qualifying places and now risks missing the World Matchplay for the first time in fifteen years. Peter Wright and Michael Smith are also on the wrong side of the line at this stage, increasing the pressure around the last available spots.
The opposite trend currently benefits Kevin Doets and Niels Zonneveld, who are emerging as the best-placed outsiders to make their World Matchplay debuts at the Winter Gardens. That shift gives the article a clearer angle: the question is no longer simply who will be seeded, but which established names could be left out of the tournament if nothing changes across the final two ProTour events.
| Player | Current provisional reading |
|---|---|
| Dave Chisnall | Outside the provisional cut, with the risk of missing Blackpool for the first time in fifteen years. |
| Peter Wright | Outside the projected field before the final two qualifying Players Championship events. |
| Michael Smith | Still below the line, extending the pressure created by his drop out of the world top 32. |
| Kevin Doets | Provisionally on course for qualification and a potential World Matchplay debut. |
| Niels Zonneveld | Following the same positive trend, with Blackpool now in sight. |
This update therefore extends the scenario opened after the Slovak Darts Open: Wessel Nijman used his title in Bratislava to improve his place in the hierarchy, but the real urgency now surrounds the bigger names stuck below the line. The two days in Leicester can still transform several trajectories, which makes the World Matchplay race far more concrete than a simple rankings story.
Bratislava changes the outlook for the Blackpool cut
The updated PDC Werner Rankings Ladder, published following the Slovak Darts Open, provides a clearer picture of the race to Blackpool. The World Matchplay brings together the top 16 in the world rankings, who are seeded, and the top 16 players in the 12-month ProTour rankings who have not already qualified via the main ranking. This system means every move counts, as gaining or losing a place can affect qualification, seeding status and the potential path through the draw.
The qualification cut-off will be determined after the Players Championship 24, scheduled for 7 July. There are therefore few opportunities left to turn things around, defend ranking points or secure a place in the world’s top 16. Against this backdrop, Nijman’s title in Bratislava means more than just another line on his list of achievements: it directly alters the projected seeding for the World Matchplay.
Wessel Nijman reaches a milestone at the perfect time
Wessel Nijman is the big winner of the week. By beating Rob Cross 8-3 in the final of the Slovak Darts Open, the Dutchman won £35,000 and claimed his second title on the European Tour. This victory propels him to 14th in the world rankings – his highest-ever position – ahead of Ross Smith. It also sees him surpass the £550,000 mark in world ranking points over the past two years.
His rise is not down to a single weekend. Since the World Masters held in early February, Nijman has earned 246,000 pounds in ranked tournaments. Over the period cited by the PDC, only Luke Littler has done better, with 260,000 pounds. This pace explains why his rise into the top 16 carries such weight: it is not merely a one-off spike, but a run of results substantial enough to make an impact on the rankings.
The PDC also points out that Nijman has already won eight ranked ProTour titles in 2026. Before him, only Phil Taylor, Michael van Gerwen and Peter Wright had reached this total in a single PDC season. It is a striking comparison, but it serves above all to highlight Nijman’s consistency in tour events – the very competitions that determine qualification for the major tournaments.
A seeding that could reshape his draw
For Nijman, the most immediate challenge now concerns his seeding. If he remains 14th in the world rankings after the Players Championship 24, he will enter the World Matchplay as one of the seeded players. According to current projections, this could spare him a much tougher run from the second round onwards. The PDC points out in particular that maintaining this position would mean his potential last-16 tie would be against Gian van Veen rather than Luke Humphries.
This is precisely what makes the final stages of the race so crucial. In Blackpool, qualifying isn’t always enough to secure a favourable draw. Being a seeded player can change the rhythm of a tournament, especially in a format where the first slip-up immediately proves costly. For players teetering on the cusp, the final Players Championships before 7 July could therefore be just as important as a favourable draw.
| Player | What Bratislava changes |
|---|---|
| Wessel Nijman | He climbs to 14th in the world rankings and could remain a seeded player for Blackpool. |
| Rob Cross | He has climbed back up to 20th in the world rankings following his title win in Wigan and his run to the final in Bratislava. |
| Damon Heta | He has dropped to 22nd in the world rankings and is losing ground in the pecking order. |
| Dave Chisnall | He has dropped to 27th in the world rankings, having fallen five places since the start of the year. |
| Michael Smith | He has dropped to 33rd in the world rankings and is out of the top 32 for the first time since 2013. |
Rob Cross makes a comeback, Damon Heta slips
Rob Cross has also emerged stronger from this run of events. Having already won the Players Championship 22 in Wigan, he followed that up with a place in the final in Bratislava. Despite being soundly beaten by Nijman, the former world champion has climbed back up to 20th in the world rankings, his position at the start of the year. He has overtaken Mike De Decker and Damon Heta – two significant moves in a section of the rankings where every place counts.
For Cross, this rise in the rankings comes at just the right time. Whilst it does not secure him a seeded spot for the World Matchplay, it puts his season back on a more positive track as he heads to Blackpool. For Heta, the trend is the opposite: the Australian has dropped to 22nd in the world rankings and lost a place in the pecking order as the cut approaches.
Chisnall and Gilding on opposite trajectories
Dave Chisnall continues to slip down the rankings. He has dropped to 27th in the world, having lost two places this week and five since the start of the year. For a player accustomed to featuring prominently in televised draws, this decline confirms the real pressure he is under as the qualifying window draws to a close.
Andrew Gilding is on a different trajectory. His quarter-final appearance on the European Tour has seen him climb to 25th in the world rankings. He had already won the Players Championship 16 in May and has earned £111,250 since the World Masters. His progress is less spectacular than Nijman’s, but it is valuable: it stabilises his position in a zone where every increment of prize money can alter a projection.
Michael Smith drops out of the top 32 – a significant sign ahead of the summer
The most notable drop concerns Michael Smith. Having failed to qualify for the Slovak Darts Open, the former world champion has fallen to 33rd in the world rankings. This is the first time since 2013 that he has dropped out of the top 32. The symbolism is significant, but recent results largely explain the situation: Smith has not won a ranked title since May 2024.
Since then, he has reached just one final. In 2026, apart from his run to the final of the Players Championship 11, he has won only 13 matches out of his 18 other ranked events. This dip in form weighs heavily in a two-year rolling ranking system, especially when the players around him are regularly adding to their tally. His exit from the top 32 is therefore not an isolated incident, but the consequence of a season in which results have not come at the right pace.
The final days leading up to 7 July look set to be decisive
The World Matchplay remains a major event on the PDC calendar, not least because the qualifying format leaves little room for a late comeback. Players firmly established in the top 16 are looking to protect their seeding status. Those further down the rankings must secure their qualification via the ProTour or avoid slipping down the main rankings.
Tom Sykes also illustrates the impact a strong week can have. His semi-final in Bratislava saw him climb eight places to 82nd in the world rankings. Whilst the immediate stakes aren’t quite the same as for Nijman, Cross or Smith, this kind of progress shows that preparations for the end of the season are already underway in the circuit tournaments. For Blackpool, the names to watch are now clear: Nijman must defend his new status, Cross wants to confirm his comeback, Heta and Chisnall must halt their decline, and Smith must find a quick response after a symbolic exit from the top 32.
