The 2022/23 Cazoo World Darts Championship will begin at London’s Alexandra Palace on Thursday, as reigning champion Peter Wright kicks off his title defence on a stellar opening night.
This year marks the 30th staging of the PDC World Championship, as 96 players from around the world compete for £2.5 million in prize money and the coveted Sid Waddell Trophy.
The festive feast of darts – which runs from Thursday December 15 through to the final on Tuesday January 3 – will see 22 debutants and 28 countries represented in the global showpiece.
Wright will begin his bid for a third World Championship crown in four years against either Northern Ireland’s Mickey Mansell or New Zealand’s number one Ben Robb in Thursday’s headline act.
The Scot withdrew from last month’s Players Championship Finals with his wife Jo in hospital, but after receiving positive news last week, Wright heads to the capital in bullish mood.
"Jo’s really good now, we’ve got through all the bad bits," Wright revealed. “She is recovering well and has received an all-clear from all the doctor and surgeons.
"I’ve been on the practice board, but I was just like a zombie, my head was not there at all. It’s been hard work. That’s all changed now.
"I think I can go and win it again. It would mean a lot if I can win it back-to-back and join the elite to win it three times in the PDC - only Phil Taylor and Michael [van Gerwen] have done that."
The pre-Christmas period at this year's World Championship will feature nine days of first and second round action from December 15-23.
The top 32 players from the PDC Order of Merit will enter the tournament in the second round, with the ProTour Order of Merit qualifiers taking on the International representatives in round one.
Fourth seed Michael Smith begins his campaign on Friday December 16, and the two-time runner-up heads to Alexandra Palace brimming with confidence following his Grand Slam of Darts triumph.
Beau Greaves will also feature in Friday’s evening session when she plays former World Cup of Darts finalist William O’Connor in a blockbuster first round showdown.
Greaves will become the youngest woman to feature at the World Darts Championship, after winning eight consecutive PDC Women’s Series titles to seal her qualification in unprecedented style.
"I am really looking forward to it. I will just enjoy the moment," said Greaves, who won 52 consecutive matches at the Women’s Series to book her place at Alexandra Palace.
"I don't fear anyone because just being here is a bonus. If I play really well, I can beat anyone.
"This year has been my best year without a doubt. This is only the beginning, so I’m looking forward to whatever’s to come."
Belgian number one Dimitri Van den Bergh and World Youth Champion Josh Rock headline the action on Saturday December 17, while 2010 runner-up Simon Whitlock and four-time Women’s World Champion Lisa Ashton also star.
Two-time semi-finalist Nathan Aspinall gets his campaign underway on Sunday December 18, with World Cup winner Damon Heta facing a potential second round showdown against two-time World Champion Adrian Lewis.
World number one Gerwyn Price will begin his bid for a second World Championship crown on Monday December 19, as the Welshman looks to repeat his 2021 heroics in the capital.
Luke Woodhouse or Vladyslav Omelchenko await Price in round two, and the 37-year-old has his sights set on becoming the seventh player to win multiple PDC World Championship titles.
"I always think I’m going to win every tournament I go in to, so does Peter [Wright] and so does Michael [van Gerwen]," claimed Price – the top seed at this year’s event.
"It’s nice to win the World Championship once, but to become multiple World Champion – that’s my next goal, and there’s no reason I can’t win another three or four before I retire.
"I know what it’s like to win the World Championship, but I don’t know what it’s like to win it in front of a big crowd, with celebrations and family there, so that’s a big drive for me now."
Women’s World Matchplay winner Fallon Sherrock will make her Alexandra Palace return against Ricky Evans on Tuesday December 20, before Dutch legend Raymond van Barneveld gets his 30th World Championship appearance underway.
Van Barneveld – fresh from reaching last month’s Grand Slam of Darts semi-finals – will be the 32nd seed in his milestone appearance - matching the position from which he won the 2006/07 World Championship at the Circus Tavern.
"30 World Championships, wow! This sport has changed my life," reflected Van Barneveld, who will play Ryan Meikle or Ashton for a place in the third round.
"The World Championship is the big one. This is the one you want to win. You want to perform well.
"I’m in the top 32 now, and I’m proud of myself. I am really happy, and if you feel happy, then anything is possible."
The first round draws to a close on Wednesday December 21, as three-time champion Michael van Gerwen begins his challenge to lift the Sid Waddell Trophy for the first time since 2019.
Van Gerwen has celebrated Premier League, World Matchplay, World Grand Prix and Players Championship Finals victories over recent months, and now he is determined to cap off a stunning season in sensational style.
"I don’t have to prove that I am better than anyone, because they know if I play my A-game, I am the best," declared Van Gerwen, who will play Niels Zonneveld or Lewy Williams in the second round.
"Everyone knows the last few years have been tough for me, but the most important thing is how you battle back and I’ve done that well this year.
"I have a big target on my back, but I can handle it. I've been under pressure so many times, and most of the time, I've survived."
Fifth seed Luke Humphries will headline a star-studded double session on Thursday December 22, which also includes two-time World Champion Gary Anderson and ten-time TV title winner James Wade.
The second round will then conclude across two sessions on Friday December 23, with 2018 World Champion Rob Cross, seventh seed Jonny Clayton and Masters champion Joe Cullen among the high-profile names in action.
Following a three-day Christmas break, the third and fourth rounds will be held from December 27-30, before the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final take place from January 1-3.
Alongside the £500,000 top prize for the eventual champion, players will again be competing to win a special £50,000 bonus on offer from PDC partner Selco, for the first player to hit two nine-dart finishes in this year's event.
Should a player achieve that feat - which would be a World Championship first - a further £50,000 would be shared between one lucky fan who registered via www.selcobw.com/info/100kdarts and Selco's nominated charity, Cancer Research UK.
Details of Hospitality Packages can be seen at this link.
The tournament will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK, through the PDC's worldwide broadcast partners including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV (excluding UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria & Switzerland based subscribers).
2022/23 Cazoo World Darts Championship
Schedule of Play
Thursday December 15 (1900 GMT)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Mickey Mansell v Ben Robb (R1)
Keane Barry v Grant Sampson (R1)
Jermaine Wattimena v Nathan Rafferty (R1)
Peter Wright v Mansell/Robb (R2)
Friday December 16
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Alan Soutar v Mal Cuming (R1)
Boris Krcmar v Toru Suzuki (R1)
Adrian Lewis v Daniel Larsson (R1)
Kim Huybrechts v Barry/Sampson (R2)
Evening Session (1900 GMT)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Rowby-John Rodriguez v Lourence Ilagan (R1)
William O‘Connor v Beau Greaves (R1)
Keegan Brown v Florian Hempel (R1)
Michael Smith v Wattimena/Rafferty (R2)
Saturday December 17
Afternoon Session (1100 GMT)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Martin Lukeman v Nobuhiro Yamamoto (R1)
Simon Whitlock v Christian Perez (R1)
Adam Gawlas v Richie Burnett (R1)
Daryl Gurney v Soutar/Cuming (R2)
Evening Session (2000 GMT)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Ryan Meikle v Lisa Ashton (R1)
Cameron Menzies v Diogo Portela (R1)
Josh Rock v Jose Justicia (R1)
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Rodriguez/Ilagan (R2)
Sunday December 18
Afternoon Session (1100 GMT)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Madars Razma v Prakash Jiwa (R1)
Karel Sedlacek v Raymond Smith (R1)
Luke Woodhouse v Vladyslav Omelchenko (R1)
Damon Heta v Lewis/Larsson (R2)
Evening Session (2000 GMT)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Mike De Decker v Jeff Smith (R1)
Scott Williams v Ryan Joyce (R1)
Matt Campbell v Danny Baggish (R1)
Nathan Aspinall v Krcmar/Suzuki (R2)
Monday December 19
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Andrew Gilding v Robert Owen (R1)
Danny Jansen v Paolo Nebrida (R1)
Niels Zonneveld v Lewy Williams (R1)
Jose de Sousa v Whitlock/Perez (R2)
Evening Session (1900 GMT)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Geert Nentjes v Leonard Gates (R1)
Ritchie Edhouse v David Cameron (R1)
Steve Beaton v Danny van Trijp (R1)
Gerwyn Price v Woodhouse/Omelchenko (R2)
Tuesday December 20 (1900 GMT)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Jim Williams v Sebastian Bialecki (R1)
Jamie Hughes v Jimmy Hendriks (R1)
Ricky Evans v Fallon Sherrock (R1)
Raymond van Barneveld v Meikle/Ashton (R2)
Wednesday December 21
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
2x First Round, 2x Second Round
John O’Shea v Darius Labanauskas (R1)
Martijn Kleermaker v Xicheng Han (R1)
Callan Rydz v Rock/Justicia (R2)
Dave Chisnall v Gilding/Owen (R2)
Evening Session (1900 GMT)
4x Second Round
Mervyn King v Campbell/Baggish
Gabriel Clemens v O‘Connor/Greaves
Michael van Gerwen v Zonneveld/L Williams
Stephen Bunting v Nentjes/Gates
Thursday December 22
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
4x Second Round
Krzysztof Ratajski v Jansen/Nebrida
Ryan Searle v Gawlas/Burnett
Mensur Suljovic v De Decker/J Smith
Dirk van Duijvenbode v Sedlacek/R Smith
Evening Session (1900 GMT)
4x Second Round
Gary Anderson v Razma/Jiwa
James Wade v J Williams/Bialecki
Luke Humphries v Brown/Hempel
Vincent van der Voort v Menzies/Portela
Friday December 23
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
4x Second Round
Brendan Dolan v Hughes/Hendriks
Chris Dobey v Kleermaker/Han
Ross Smith v O’Shea/Labanauskas
Rob Cross v S Williams/Joyce
Evening Session (1900 GMT)
4x Second Round
Martin Schindler v Lukeman/Yamamoto
Danny Noppert v Edhouse/Cameron
Jonny Clayton v Beaton/Van Trijp
Joe Cullen v Evans/Sherrock
Tuesday December 27
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
3x Third Round
Van den Bergh/Rodriguez/Ilagan v Ratajski/Jansen/Nebrida
Aspinall/Krcmar/T Suzuki v Rydz/Rock/Justicia
Clayton/Beaton/Van Trijp v Dolan/Hughes/Hendriks
Evening Session (1900 GMT)
3x Third Round
Wade/J Williams/Bialecki v Clemens/O'Connor/Greaves
Price/Woodhouse/Omelchenko v Van Barneveld/Meikle/Ashton
Wright/Mansell/Robb v Huybrechts/Barry/Sampson
Wednesday December 28
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
3x Third Round
Searle/Gawlas/Burnett v De Sousa/Whitlock/Perez
Noppert/Edhouse/Cameron v Gurney/Soutar/Cuming
Anderson/Razma/Jiwa v Dobey/Kleermaker/Han
Evening Session (1900 GMT)
3x Third Round
Cullen/Evans/Sherrock v Heta/Lewis/Larsson
Van Gerwen/Zonneveld/L Williams v Suljovic/De Decker/J Smith
M Smith/Wattimena/Rafferty v Schindler/Lukeman/Yamamoto
Thursday December 29
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
3x Third Round
Van Duijvenbode/Sedlacek/Ray Smith v Ross Smith/O'Shea/Labanauskas
Cross/S Williams/Joyce v King/Campbell/Baggish
Chisnall/Gilding/Owen v Bunting/Nentjes/Gates
Evening Session (1900 GMT)
1x Third Round, 2x Fourth Round
Humphries/K Brown/Hempel v Van der Voort/Menzies/Portela
Fourth Round games on December 29-30 TBC
Schedule of play subject to change. Any amendments will be advised at pdc.tv and through the OfficialPDC social media channels.
Format
First Round - Best of five sets
Second Round - Best of five sets
Third Round - Best of seven sets
Fourth Round - Best of seven sets
Quarter-Finals - Best of nine sets
Semi-Finals - Best of 11 sets
Final - Best of 13 sets
Tie-Breaks
First Round matches will not have a tie-break; if the fifth set reaches two-all in legs, then the fifth leg will be sudden-death.
From the Second Round onwards, there will be a tie-break rule employed in all matches; where a deciding set must be won by two clear legs. If the score in the final set reaches 5-5 then a sudden-death leg will be played.
There would be no throw for the bull in any sudden-death legs.
Prize Fund
Winner - £500,000
Runner-Up - £200,000
Semi-Finalists - £100,000
Quarter-Finalists - £50,000
Fourth Round - £35,000
Third Round - £25,000
Second Round - £15,000
First Round - £7,500
Total - £2,500,000
Nine-Dart Bonus!
A £100,000 prize is on offer from PDC partner Selco for the first player to hit two nine-dart finishes in the event, which would be split as £50,000 to the player, £25,000 to Selco’s charity partner (Cancer Research UK) and £25,000 to a fan who registers via www.selcobw.com/info/100kdarts.