The 2026 New Zealand Darts Masters is finally taking shape: the tournament is set to take place on 14 and 15 August in Auckland, with a field featuring fewer big names but one that is much more open than a typical World Series event. For our editorial team, that’s precisely the key takeaway today: with Luke Littler, Luke Humphries and Michael van Gerwen all missing from the line-up reported by DartsNews, the New Zealand leg could provide a real opportunity for Gian van Veen, Gerwyn Price, Stephen Bunting or Josh Rock.
This is where we come to a rather unusual format. The event comes straight after the World Matchplay and just before the Australian Darts Masters, scheduled for the following weekend. It also forms part of the wider picture in the race towards the 2026 World Series of Darts Finals, for which the PDC has already finalised the qualification criteria.
A line-up without the trio of Littler, Humphries and van Gerwen
The first thing to note is simple: this New Zealand Darts Masters is unlikely to revolve around the three usual headliners of the moment. Luke Littler, Luke Humphries and Michael van Gerwen do not feature in the line-up published by DartsNews. This is no minor detail. In a short World Series event, with a compact draw and fast-paced formats, the absence of these three names immediately shifts the pecking order.
Gian van Veen is the number one seed, ahead of Gerwyn Price, Stephen Bunting, James Wade, Jonny Clayton, Josh Rock, Ross Smith and Damon Heta. Put another way: the tournament retains its prestige, but it leaves more room for players looking to turn good form into a high-profile title.
| Seedings | Player |
| 1 | Gian van Veen |
| 2 | Gerwyn Price |
| 3 | Stephen Bunting |
| 4 | James Wade |
| 5 | Jonny Clayton |
| 6 | Josh Rock |
| 7 | Ross Smith |
| 8 | Damon Heta |
Local qualifiers add flavour to the tournament
The World Series thrives on this contrast: established players from the PDC circuit taking on local or regional representatives who are making the most of the opportunity. The announced line-up includes Simon Whitlock, Adam Leek, Ben Robb, Jonny Tata, Mark Cleaver, Kayden Milne, Haupai Puha and Raymond Smith.
On paper, the seeded players remain the favourites. But in best-of-eleven-leg matches right from the first round, the margin can quickly narrow. It’s the sort of tournament where a slow start is punished immediately, especially against a local player who doesn’t need to play the match of his life for a full hour. Sometimes, all he needs to do is hold on for six clean legs.
| Player | Qualifying route |
| Adam Leek | PDC Tour Card Holder |
| Simon Whitlock | ANZ Premier League |
| Ben Robb | DPNZ Qualifier |
| Jonny Tata | DPNZ qualifier |
| Mark Cleaver | DPNZ-qualified |
| Kayden Milne | DPNZ qualifier |
| Haupai Puha | DPNZ-qualified |
| Raymond Smith | ADA-qualified |
Timetable, draw and format: what we know so far
The tournament is scheduled to take place over two days, on 14 and 15 August 2026. The window is now clear for European audiences: first round on Friday morning, then quarter-finals, semi-finals and final on Saturday morning, with play starting at 09:00 in mainland Europe.
The format remains that of a compact World Series event. The first round and quarter-finals are played as best of eleven legs, the semi-finals as best of thirteen legs, and the final as best of fifteen legs. In this type of draw, the difference is not determined by average alone. Doubles in the first five legs can quickly make all the difference.
| Round | Format |
| First round | Best of 11 legs |
| Quarter-finals | Best of 11 legs |
| Semi-finals | Best of 13 legs |
| Final | Best of 15 legs |
11 August update: two pre-draw signals to watch
Since the first version of this article, two small pieces of news have added a little more texture to the build-up. DartsNews reports that Ross Smith only realised he had been selected after a call from the PDC, with the original email having gone unnoticed after a recent change in his management. It does not change the sporting hierarchy, but it does underline how tight this World Series window is.
There is another note around Gian van Veen: he has flagged a luggage issue on arrival in Auckland, with bags reportedly still stuck at Paris Charles de Gaulle. For the player who sits at the centre of this tournament’s early reading, that is not an excuse written in advance, but it is an imperfect preparation to keep in mind once the draw and first-round match-up are known.
12 August update: detailed schedule and prize money
Today’s update is mainly about the practical shape of the tournament. Sporting News has published the provisional detailed schedule for the 2026 New Zealand Darts Masters, with the first round set for Friday 14 August from 7:15 pm in Auckland, followed by a full second night on Saturday 15 August for the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.
For European viewers, that confirms a morning viewing window because of the time difference. With the draw now official, the editorial point shifts to the seeded players’ response: Gian van Veen must handle being number one against Jonny Tata, while Gerwyn Price, Damon Heta and Josh Rock now know their first-round traps.
| Session | Announced local time |
| First round | Friday 14 August, from 7:15 pm |
| Quarter-finals | Saturday 15 August, from 7:15 pm |
| Semi-finals | Saturday 15 August, from 9:15 pm |
| Final | Saturday 15 August, after the semi-finals |
The total prize fund is listed at £100,000. The winner is due to receive £30,000, with £16,000 for the runner-up, £10,000 for the semi-finalists, £5,000 for the quarter-finalists and £1,750 for first-round losers.
13 August update: the draw and order of play are official
This time, the key detail is locked in: the PDC has confirmed the draw and schedule for the 2026 SkyCity New Zealand Darts Masters. Gian van Veen, the number one seed, opens against Jonny Tata, while Damon Heta meets Ben Robb in the most obvious local-flavoured tie of the first round. Play starts on Friday at 19:00 in Auckland, which is 08:00 BST and 09:00 in mainland Europe.
DRAW BRACKET 🔢
Here is how the draw bracket shapes up for the 2026 Sky City NZ Darts Masters.
Who do you think lifts the title in Auckland? 🏆PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC), 13 August 2026
The bracket gives the opening night a clearer shape. Gerwyn Price, the only former champion in the 2026 field, starts against Mark Cleaver. Ross Smith begins against Adam Leek, before James Wade takes on Kayden Milne. The tie between Josh Rock and Simon Whitlock is another useful marker: a player still trying to climb against an Australian veteran who knows exactly what this setting feels like.
| Tie | Quick read |
| Gian van Veen v Jonny Tata | The number one seed against a New Zealand World Cup figure |
| Damon Heta v Ben Robb | The clearest Oceania-flavoured tie of the first round |
| Gerwyn Price v Mark Cleaver | The only former tournament champion against a local qualifier |
| Josh Rock v Simon Whitlock | Rising power against Australian experience |
The format remains sharp: best of 11 legs in round one and the quarter-finals, best of 13 in the semi-finals, then best of 15 in the final. In this kind of event, there is not much room to settle in. The favourites will need to start quickly, especially against local players who can attack the night with little to lose in front of the Auckland crowd.
Why this topic deserves attention now
This isn’t a results report yet, nor is it a definitive draw. But it’s a good starting point for following the final stages of the World Series ahead of Amsterdam. The absence of the usual three frontrunners makes the draw more favourable for the top-tier outsiders, and it will be interesting to see how Gian van Veen fares in a different role: no longer just that of a dangerous player, but as the one the others will be keen to knock out.
The PDC’s tournament page serves as the official hub for the New Zealand Darts Masters. The field, schedule and format details used here are based on DartsNews’ field article and its TV schedule guide. The next useful update will be the first set of results: at that point, it will be particularly important to see whether Van Veen handles the number one seed role and whether the local players can trouble the favourites on Friday.
