The first round schedule of play for the 2025 Winmau World Masters has been confirmed, following the conclusion of the Preliminary Rounds in Milton Keynes on Wednesday.
Wednesday's Preliminary Rounds saw 126 players competing for eight places in the 32-player main event, which will be held from Thursday January 30 to Sunday February 2 at Arena MK.
Thursday's opening night will see eight first round ties take place at Arena MK, as world number one Luke Humphries plays 2022 Masters champion Joe Cullen.
2024 Masters winner Stephen Bunting will also be in action on the tournament's opening night, and the newly-crowned Bahrain Darts Masters champion has been pitted against debutant William Borland.
Former World Champions Rob Cross and Gerwyn Price face William O'Connor and Florian Hempel respectively, with two-time World Champion Peter Wright up against in-form Dutch star Kevin Doets.
Danny Noppert and 2023 World Champion Michael Smith will renew their rivalry in the evening's finale, while Australian number one Damon Heta locks horns with former European Champion Ross Smith.
Elsewhere, Jermaine Wattimena - who headlined the list of eight qualifiers in Wednesday's Preliminary Rounds - kicks off this year's tournament against Northern Ireland's number one Josh Rock.
The first round action will draw to a close on Friday January 30, as World Champion Luke Littler and five-time Masters winner Michael van Gerwen enter the fray in Milton Keynes.
Littler will play Belgium's Andy Baetens for a place in the last 16, as former World Youth Champion Bradley Brooks awaits three-time World Champion Van Gerwen.
Two-time World Champion Gary Anderson and reigning UK Open champion Dimitri Van den Bergh go head-to-head in another blockbuster affair, with 2023 Masters winner Chris Dobey drawn against Somerset star Ryan Searle.
Welsh number one Jonny Clayton meets Germany's premier player Martin Schindler for a place in Saturday's second round, while Nathan Aspinall and Andrew Gilding collide in a battle of the former UK Open champions.
Cameron Menzies' reward for progressing through Wednesday's Preliminary Rounds is a meeting with sixth seed Dave Chisnall, as ten-time TV title winner James Wade plays World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker in Friday's curtain-raiser.
Following the conclusion of round one, the second round will be held across two sessions on Saturday February 1, before the tournament reaches its climax with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final on a bumper Finals Day at Arena MK.
The eventual Winmau World Masters champion will take home a £100,000 prize, with £50,000 on offer to the runner-up.
2025 Winmau World Masters
Draw Bracket
(1) Luke Humphries v Joe Cullen
(16) Josh Rock v Jermaine Wattimena
(8) Damon Heta v Ross Smith
(9) Gerwyn Price v Florian Hempel
(4) Rob Cross v William O'Connor
(13) Danny Noppert v Michael Smith
(5) Stephen Bunting v William Borland
(12) Peter Wright v Kevin Doets
(2) Luke Littler v Andy Baetens
(15) James Wade v Mike De Decker
(7) Jonny Clayton v Martin Schindler
(10) Chris Dobey v Ryan Searle
(3) Michael van Gerwen v Bradley Brooks
(14) Gary Anderson v Dimitri Van den Bergh
(6) Dave Chisnall v Cameron Menzies
(11) Nathan Aspinall v Andrew Gilding
2025 Winmau World Masters
Thursday January 30 (1900 GMT)
First Round x8
Josh Rock v Jermaine Wattimena
Damon Heta v Ross Smith
Rob Cross v William O’Connor
Gerwyn Price v Florian Hempel
Peter Wright v Kevin Doets
Luke Humphries v Joe Cullen
Stephen Bunting v William Borland
Danny Noppert v Michael Smith
Friday January 31 (1900 GMT)
First Round x8
James Wade v Mike De Decker
Dave Chisnall v Cameron Menzies
Jonny Clayton v Martin Schindler
Nathan Aspinall v Andrew Gilding
Chris Dobey v Ryan Searle
Luke Littler v Andy Baetens
Michael van Gerwen v Bradley Brooks
Gary Anderson v Dimitri Van den Bergh
Saturday February 1
Afternoon Session (1245 GMT)
Second Round x4
Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Second Round x4
Sunday February 2
Afternoon Session (1245 GMT)
Quarter-Finals
Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Semi-Finals
Final
Format
First Round - Best of five sets, best of three legs per set
Second Round - Best of seven sets, best of three legs per set
Quarter-Finals - Best of seven sets, best of three legs per set
Semi-Finals - Best of nine sets, best of three legs per set
Final - Best of 11 sets, best of three legs per set