The World Series of Darts Finals will feature an expanded 32-player field this year, with the tournament taking place from September 13-15 at AFAS Live. The competition will be split across five sessions, promising an action-packed weekend of darting drama.
Defending champion Michael Van Gerwen, who triumphed at the Dutch Darts Masters earlier this year, is set to return to defend his crown against Jonny Clayton, the 2021 winner. Van Gerwen will face tough competition from the likes of top seed Luke Littler, a previous World Series winner in Bahrain and Poland, who will open up against Ross Smith. Meanwhile, two-time World Series champion Gerwyn Price will take on Scottish qualifier Cameron Menzies in the opening rounds.
Other top seeds include Rob Cross, the US Darts Masters champion, who will face Australia’s Simon Whitlock, and Luke Humphries, fresh off his recent victory at the NZ Darts Masters, who will square off against New Zealand’s Haupai Puha. The tournament also features heavyweights such as Michael Smith, Peter Wright, and Dimitri Van den Bergh, who will be challenged by Jose de Sousa, Dave Chisnall, and Chris Dobey, respectively.
2014 Masters champion Stephen Bunting will take on Boris Krcmar from Croatia, while former Amsterdam finalists Danny Noppert and Dirk van Duijvenbode will compete against Gian van Veen and Daryl Gurney. Damon Heta, the runner-up at the NZ Darts Masters, will face Gabriel Clemens, while Raymond van Barneveld, a five-time World Champion, will meet Sweden’s Johan Engstrom. Jeff Smith, a former US Darts Masters finalist, will battle against Rhys Griffin in what promises to be an exciting matchup.
Emerging Dutch talents Kevin Doets and Wessel Nijman have been drawn against Keane Barry and Nathan Aspinall, with Aspinall set to make his return to action after undergoing treatment for an arm injury. The first round matches will be split across Friday evening and Saturday afternoon, with the second round taking place on Saturday night. The quarter-finals are scheduled for Sunday afternoon, followed by the semi-finals and final in Sunday’s decisive evening session, ensuring a thrilling conclusion to the prestigious tournament.
