Amsterdam Gears Up for Darts Glory!
Get ready for an electrifying darts spectacle! From September 17-20, Amsterdam’s AFAS Live will host the World Series of Darts Finals, where 32 top players battle for glory. Three-time champion Michael van Gerwen kicks off his title defense against Lourence Ilagan. The tournament promises thrilling encounters right from the start, with fan favorites like Luke Littler facing Danny Noppert and Luke Humphries taking on Jermaine Wattimena. The action-packed schedule culminates in the semi-finals and final on Sunday, guaranteeing a weekend of high-stakes darts drama!
Van Gerwen Leads the Charge for a Record Seventh Title
The prestigious World Series of Darts Finals returns to the vibrant Dutch capital, Amsterdam, bringing together the world’s elite dart players. Michael van Gerwen, a dominant force in the sport and a six-time winner of this event, is the top seed and will begin his quest for a historic seventh title. Known as ‘Mighty Mike’, Van Gerwen will face the formidable Lourence Ilagan, a two-time PDC Asian Champion, in what promises to be an exciting opening-round clash. The tournament features a 32-player field, all vying for one of darts’ most coveted trophies.
Unmissable First-Round Encounters
The initial phase of the tournament is packed with high-stakes matches that could see some major upsets. Here are some of the standout first-round pairings:
- Luke Littler, the sensational 2024 champion, takes on former UK Open winner Danny Noppert. This Dutch-English clash is set to be a crowd-pleaser.
- World number two Luke Humphries will battle against home favorite Jermaine Wattimena, adding to the local excitement.
- Gerwyn Price, a two-time winner of this event, begins his campaign against Australian Darts Masters runner-up Brody Klinge.
- Dutch number one Gian van Veen faces former Masters champion Chris Dobey in another intriguing encounter.
- A clash of rising stars sees Stephen Bunting go head-to-head with Josh Rock.
- The 2021 champion Jonny Clayton meets Philippines World Cup star Alexis Toylo.
- Ten-time major winner James Wade kicks off his tournament against Australian number one Damon Heta.
- Local heroes Wessel Nijman and Kevin Doets will face Simon Whitlock and Ross Smith respectively, hoping to make a deep run on home soil.
- Rob Cross is drawn against World Championship semi-finalist Ryan Searle.
Tournament Structure and Key Dates
The World Series of Darts Finals unfolds over four action-packed days at AFAS Live, from September 17th to 20th, 2026. The tournament progresses as follows:
- Thursday, September 17th & Friday, September 18th: The First Round is split across two evening sessions, where all 32 players will compete to secure a spot in the last 16.
- Saturday, September 19th: This day features two sessions of Second Round matches, narrowing the field down to the final eight contenders.
- Sunday, September 20th: Finals Day! The afternoon session hosts the Quarter-Finals, leading into a thrilling evening session for the Semi-Finals and the Grand Final, where a new champion will be crowned.
The Full Draw Bracket
Here’s how the 32 players are seeded and paired for the opening round:
Top Half:
- (1) Michael van Gerwen vs. Lourence Ilagan
- Kevin Doets vs. Ross Smith
- (8) Stephen Bunting vs. Josh Rock
- Rob Cross vs. Ryan Searle
- (4) Luke Humphries vs. Jermaine Wattimena
- Viktor Tingstrom vs. Man Lok Leung
- (5) Gian van Veen vs. Chris Dobey
- Karel Sedlacek vs. Ben Robb
Bottom Half:
- (2) Gerwyn Price vs. Brody Klinge
- Adam Leek vs. Jim Long
- (7) James Wade vs. Damon Heta
- Wessel Nijman vs. Simon Whitlock
- (3) Luke Littler vs. Danny Noppert
- Nathan Aspinall vs. Raymond Smith
- (6) Jonny Clayton vs. Alexis Toylo
- Motomu Sakai vs. Callan Rydz
Detailed Schedule of Play (All times CEST)
Thursday, September 17 (19:00): First Round
- Viktor Tingstrom v Man Lok Leung
- Rob Cross v Ryan Searle
- Karel Sedlacek v Ben Robb
- Kevin Doets v Ross Smith
- Stephen Bunting v Josh Rock
- Luke Humphries v Jermaine Wattimena
- Michael van Gerwen v Lourence Ilagan
- Gian van Veen v Chris Dobey
Friday, September 18 (19:00): First Round
- Adam Leek v Jim Long
- Motomu Sakai v Callan Rydz
- Wessel Nijman v Simon Whitlock
- Nathan Aspinall v Raymond Smith
- James Wade v Damon Heta
- Gerwyn Price v Brody Klinge
- Luke Littler v Danny Noppert
- Jonny Clayton v Alexis Toylo
Saturday, September 19
Afternoon Session (13:00): Second Round (First Half of Bracket)
- Winner of Van Gerwen/Ilagan vs. Winner of Doets/Ross Smith
- Winner of Bunting/Rock vs. Winner of Cross/Searle
- Winner of Humphries/Wattimena vs. Winner of Tingstrom/Leung
- Winner of Van Veen/Dobey vs. Winner of Sedlacek/Robb
Evening Session (19:00): Second Round (Second Half of Bracket)
- Winner of Price/Klinge vs. Winner of Leek/Long
- Winner of Wade/Heta vs. Winner of Nijman/Whitlock
- Winner of Littler/Noppert vs. Winner of Aspinall/Raymond Smith
- Winner of Clayton/Toylo vs. Winner of Sakai/Rydz
Order of play for Saturday sessions to be confirmed.
Sunday, September 20
Afternoon Session (13:00): Quarter-Finals
Evening Session (19:00): Semi-Finals & Grand Final
Please note: The schedule is subject to change. In the event of a player withdrawal, replacements will be made according to PDC rules.
Source: Based on an article from Darts World Magazine.
