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. DartsNews reports that it will be broadcast in the morning for European audiences, around 9:00 am in France, with the first round on Friday followed by the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final on Saturday. The full draw is expected to be confirmed as the tournament approaches, likely around Wednesday 12 August if the schedule follows the usual pattern.
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 |
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 draw: at that point, it will be particularly important to see whether Van Veen and Price are handed a tricky first round.
