PHIL TAYLOR will be the top seed as he begins his bid to win a 14th BetVictor World Matchplay title in Blackpool later this month, after the 32 qualifiers for the £400,000 event were confirmed.
The 20th staging of the World Matchplay will be held at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool from July 20-28, with 32 players competing across nine days to take the prestigious title.
The world's top 16 players, following the completion of the European Championship last weekend, qualify by right for the BetVictor World Matchplay, alongside the top 16 qualifiers from the ProTour Order of Merit, based on prize money won in the PDC's non-televised events this year.
The BetVictor World Matchplay draw will be made on Tuesday July 9, live on Sky Sports News at around 10.45am.
Reigning World Matchplay champion Taylor will be the top seed as he bids to win a record-extending 14th title in the event as well as a record-breaking sixth successive win - having been unbeaten in Blackpool since 2007.
Michael van Gerwen will be the number two seed, with European Champion Adrian Lewis the number three seed and James Wade seeded four as he bids to extend his brilliant World Matchplay record - having won the 2007 event and reached four other finals.
The ProTour Order of Merit qualifiers include 2005 World Matchplay champion Colin Lloyd, former finalists John Part and Ronnie Baxter and former Premier League Darts champion Gary Anderson.
Jamie Caven, a two-time Players Championship winner this year, is the leading ProTour Order of Merit qualifier, with Peter Wright, Paul Nicholson, Steve Beaton, Andy Smith, Ian White and Mark Webster also returning to Blackpool.
Stuart Kellett, Jamie Lewis, Ronny Huybrechts and Mensur Suljovic are in line for their World Matchplay debuts, while Jelle Klaasen was a quarter-finalist at the event in 2010 and returns following his form on the ProTour this year.
Tickets, priced from £20-£50 are available now by calling 0844 856 1111 and online via www.blackpoollive.co.uk, and can also be purchased through www.viagogo.co.uk.
Hotel & Ticket packages can also be purchased through www.thomascooksport.com.
Top 16 from PDC Order of Merit
1 Phil Taylor
2 Michael van Gerwen
3 Adrian Lewis
4 James Wade
5 Simon Whitlock
6 Andy Hamilton
7 Wes Newton
8 Raymond van Barneveld
9 Justin Pipe
10 Dave Chisnall
11 Robert Thornton
12 Kevin Painter
13 Mervyn King
14 Brendan Dolan
15 Kim Huybrechts
16 Terry Jenkins
Top 16 Non-Qualified Players from ProTour Order of Merit
Jamie Caven
Peter Wright
John Part
Stuart Kellett
Paul Nicholson
Gary Anderson
Ronnie Baxter
Colin Lloyd
Steve Beaton
Andy Smith
Ian White
Jelle Klaasen
Jamie Lewis
Ronny Huybrechts
Mensur Suljovic
Mark Webster