Luke Humphries handed tough test to start his Betfred World Matchplay defence in Blackpool
Luke Humphries begins his defence of the Betfred World Matchplay against Gian van Veen, as Dutch icons Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld go head-to-head in Blackpool.
The 2025 Betfred World Matchplay will take place from July 19-27 at the iconic Winter Gardens, as a star-studded 32-player field competes for the £200,000 top prize.
Humphries lifted the Phil Taylor Trophy for the first time 12 months ago and marks his return with a blockbuster clash against van Veen, the world youth champion.
The first round of the sport’s summer showpiece sees the world’s top 16 players seeded and pitted against the top 16 qualifiers from the one-year ProTour Rankings, as two Dutch legends collide.
Van Gerwen will begin his bid for a fourth World Matchplay title against five-time world champion van Barneveld, the runner-up in 2010.
World champion Luke Littler opens his title challenge against 2023 quarter-finalist Ryan Searle, while former runner-up Jonny Clayton begins his campaign against German number one Martin Schindler.
Fourth seed Stephen Bunting will play Ryan Joyce in a repeat of their first-round showdown 12 months ago, with 2023 champion Nathan Aspinall drawn against Dutch debutant Wessel Nijman.
Rob Cross and Peter Wright – the winners in 2019 and 2021 respectively – also face Dutch opposition in Dirk van Duijvenbode and Jermaine Wattimena, while 2018 champion Gary Anderson plays Luke Woodhouse.
James Wade, the 2007 champion and a five-time runner-up, starts his 20th consecutive World Matchplay appearance against 2023 semi-finalist Joe Cullen.
Former finalist Gerwyn Price meets Daryl Gurney, whose Northern Ireland team-mate Josh Rock takes on former European champion Ross Smith for the second straight year.
World number six Chris Dobey faces Ricardo Pietreczko, as Damon Heta goes up against former UK Open champion Andrew Gilding.
Five-time quarter-finalist Dave Chisnall and World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker also collide, with 2022 semi-finalist Danny Noppert awaiting debutant Cameron Menzies in round one.
Humphries will take centre stage on Saturday’s opening night, as former champions Aspinall and Wade also star in a bumper line-up.
Littler will headline Sunday’s double-session alongside the likes of Bunting, Clayton, Cross and Anderson, before van Gerwen and Price enter the fray on day three as the first round draws to a close on the Monday evening.