Betfred World Matchplay 2026
Blackpool Winter Gardens
18 July 2026
19:00
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Betfred World Matchplay 2026: date, venue and what to expect
The 2026 Betfred World Matchplay runs from 18 to 26 July 2026 at the Empress Ballroom, Winter Gardens, Blackpool. The final takes place on the evening of Saturday 26 July, with the first session on Saturday 18 July starting at 19:00. This is the 33rd edition of the tournament, run by the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC).
The total prize fund for 2026 is £1,000,000 - up from £800,000 in 2025. The winner takes home £225,000 and the Phil Taylor Trophy. First-round losers receive £12,500 each.
Who's playing?
32 players compete across the week. The top 16 in the two-year PDC World Rankings (seeded) face the top 16 from the one-year PDC Pro Tour rankings (unseeded) in the first round. The seedings cut-off date is 8 July 2026.
Luke Littler enters as defending champion. He beat James Wade 18–13 in the 2025 final to claim his first World Matchplay title. Michael van Gerwen has won the event three times and is typically among the seeds when fit and ranked.
How the format works
All matches are played in legs. First-round matches are best of 19 legs. The final is best of 35 legs, with a sudden-death leg at 20–20 if neither player can establish a two-leg lead after six extra legs. Every round from the second onwards follows the same sudden-death rule at the relevant tied score.
How to get tickets
The PDC sells tickets for the World Matchplay through its official ticketing partner. Sessions are sold separately, so you can buy for a single evening or across multiple days. The final and semi-final sessions tend to sell fastest, so check availability early if those are your priority.
If official allocation has sold out, tickets may appear on verified resale marketplaces with buyer protection. Prices on the secondary market typically rise above face value as the event approaches, particularly for the final session on 26 July. Buying earlier generally means lower prices.
Watch out for listings on unverified platforms with no buyer guarantee. Stick to resale platforms that offer a refund policy if the ticket turns out to be invalid such as Love1Ticket.
Getting to the Winter Gardens
- Blackpool North station is roughly a 10-minute walk from the Winter Gardens on Church Street.
- Trains run from Manchester Victoria and Preston. The journey from Manchester takes around 1 hour 20 minutes.
- If you're driving, Blackpool has several town-centre car parks near the venue. The NCP on Church Street is close.
- The Empress Ballroom is inside the Winter Gardens complex — follow signs from the main entrance on Church Street.
What to expect on the night
Evening sessions start at 19:00 and typically run until around 23:00, though that varies by round. The Empress Ballroom holds a large seated and standing crowd, and the atmosphere during evening sessions is loud. Arrive at least 30 minutes before the first match if you want to settle in before play starts.
The venue has bars inside, and Blackpool town centre has plenty of options for food and drinks before the session. The Winter Gardens does not allow re-entry once you leave, so plan accordingly.
Watching on TV
Sky Sports has broadcast every session of the World Matchplay in recent years, including the 2025 edition. If you can't get to Blackpool, every session is available live.
