Luke Littler (Photo PDC)
Luke Littler will begin his defence of the World Darts Championship title against former quarter-finalist Darius Labanauskas, after the draw for the sport’s flagship event was made in London yesterday.
Littler made history by becoming the youngest ever PDC World Champion at Alexandra Palace 12 months ago, and the teenage sensation will open his title challenge against Lithuanian trailblazer Labanauskas.
The world number one is bidding to emulate Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis and Gary Anderson by becoming only the fourth player to retain the Sid Waddell Trophy, with either Mario Vandenbogaerde or David Davies awaiting the winner in Round Two.
The World Darts Championship will see a record-breaking 128-player field vying to lift the sport’s biggest crown, with a total prize fund of £5m on offer – including an incredible £1m prize to the winner.
The World Darts Championship will take place at London’s Alexandra Palace from December 11-January 3, and the schedule of play will be confirmed in due course.
In a change from recent years, all players will enter the tournament in Round One, with 32 seeded players in the standard seed pattern joined by the players ranked 33-64 in the left hand side of the draw, and they were pitted against the remaining 64 qualifiers.
Former World Champion Luke Humphries will be aiming to reclaim the coveted title on his return to the capital, although he faces a tough assignment against former World Youth Champion Ted Evetts.
Three-time World Champion Michael van Gerwen plays Japanese debutant Mitsuhiko Tatsunami, with world number four Stephen Bunting set to face Poland’s number two Sebastian Bialecki in his opener.
Fifth seed Jonny Clayton will take on newcomer Adam Lipscombe, while Dutch number two Danny Noppert kicks off his challenge against his fellow countryman Jurjen van der Velde, a World Youth Championship runner-up in 2024.
Four-time semi-finalist James Wade begins his 22nd consecutive World Championship campaign against Asian Tour Qualifier Ryusei Azemoto, as last year’s semi-finalist Chris Dobey sets his sights on a showdown against China’s premier player Xiaochen Zong.
Another former World Champion Gerwyn Price – eyeing a second Alexandra Palace triumph – faces Czech qualifier Adam Gawlas, while European Champion Gian van Veen goes head-to-head with the returning Cristo Reyes.
Two-time World Champion Gary Anderson takes on his former protege Adam Hunt for a place in Round Two, with Anderson’s compatriot Peter Wright up against Women’s Series qualifier Noa-Lynn van Leuven.
Women’s Series champion Beau Greaves marks her highly-anticipated World Championship return against two-time quarter-finalist Daryl Gurney, while Gurney’s World Cup partner Josh Rock also faces a Women’s Series qualifier in the shape of debutant Gemma Hayter.
Elsewhere, former World Champion Michael Smith plays Women’s World Matchplay winner Lisa Ashton, as St Helens star Dave Chisnall meets Fallon Sherrock, who is currently the only female player to triumph on the sport’s biggest stage.
Norwegian debutant Cor Dekker awaits 2017 winner Rob Cross in Round One, as five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld gets his record-equalling 33rd World Championship campaign underway against Challenge Tour winner Stefan Bellmont.
Former UK Open champion Andrew Gilding locks horns with Winmau Development Tour winner Cam Crabtree, as Joe Cullen plays former World Youth Champion Bradley Brooks in his opener.
Simon Whitlock booked his big stage return courtesy of his ANZ Premier League success last weekend, and the Australian icon has been pitted against Connor Scutt in another eye-catching tussle.
Emerging Dutchman Wessel Nijman plays Czechia’s premier player Karel Sedlacek, while two-time semi-finalist Nathan Aspinall and PDC Asian Championship winner Lourence Ilagan collide for a place in Round Two.
Kenya’s David Munyua and Argentina’s Jesus Salate will become the first players from their homeland to compete in darts’ biggest event, and Munyua will take on Belgian number one Mike De Decker, before Salate makes his bow against Suffolk star Ryan Meikle.
Portugal’s Jose de Sousa – a Grand Slam champion in 2020 – secured his last-gasp qualification via Monday’s Tour Card Holder Qualifier, and his reward is an encounter against Germany’s Ricardo Pietreczko.
