Seeds March On As Littler Dazzles and Bunting Survives Thriller
The 2026 Betfred World Matchplay burst into life on Saturday night at the iconic Winter Gardens in Blackpool, with all four seeds progressing through their first round ties. Defending champion Luke Littler produced the standout performance of the evening with a stunning 109 average, while Stephen Bunting needed every ounce of experience to edge past debutant Niels Zonneveld in a match that will live long in the memory.
Here's everything that happened on Day 1 of the World Matchplay 2026.
Josh Rock 10-4 Luke Woodhouse
The evening's opener saw Josh Rock ease past Luke Woodhouse in a match that never truly caught fire. Rock, the eighth seed, made a winning start in Blackpool for the second year running, despite neither player finding their best form.
Woodhouse's doubles trouble proved decisive — he missed a staggering 20 darts at the outer ring throughout the contest, allowing Rock to pull away from 4-3 to reel off six of the next seven legs and close out a comfortable victory.
| Player | Average | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Josh Rock (8) | 90.42 | 10 |
| Luke Woodhouse | 88.83 | 4 |
"The two of us weren't firing on all cylinders but at the same time I'm very happy to have won. There was more in the tank tonight but it just didn't happen." — Josh Rock
Next up for Rock: A second round clash against Stephen Bunting — a repeat of their 2025 World Championship encounter. Given Bunting's gruelling 13-12 battle against Zonneveld, Rock may fancy his chances of catching The Bullet cold, but he'll need to raise his own average significantly to progress. That second round tie is scheduled for Wednesday 23 July.
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Stephen Bunting 13-12 Niels Zonneveld
This was the match of the night — and arguably one of the greatest World Matchplay first round encounters in recent memory. Stephen Bunting looked in control at 8-5 ahead, only for Dutch debutant Niels Zonneveld to mount a stunning comeback that almost produced one of the biggest upsets in the tournament's history.
Zonneveld rattled off three consecutive legs — including two 10-darters and a magnificent 164 checkout — to level at 8-8. From there, the match swung wildly. At 10-9 up, Zonneveld had three match darts to send the ninth seed packing, but couldn't find the double.
Bunting, showing the composure that has defined his career, fired in a stunning 118 checkout to force a decider at 10-10. In sudden death, it was the experienced Bullet who held his nerve to seal a 13-12 victory and advance.
| Player | Average | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Stephen Bunting (9) | 94.49 | 13 |
| Niels Zonneveld | 91.29 | 12 |
Next up for Bunting: A second round meeting with Josh Rock. Bunting will need to recover quickly after a physically and mentally draining 25-leg thriller. Rock will have the fresher legs, but Bunting has proven time and again that he thrives under pressure at the Winter Gardens.
Luke Littler 10-6 Niko Springer
The defending champion showed exactly why he's the man to beat. Luke Littler averaged an imperious 109.53 and fired in seven 180s as he dispatched Austrian qualifier Niko Springer to begin his title defence in emphatic fashion.
It wasn't all one-way traffic early on — Springer competed bravely in the opening exchanges, trailing just 3-2 at the first break and levelling at 5-5 at the second interval. But from there, Littler was devastating. He averaged over 123 across the final six legs, winning five of the last six to pull away and seal a comfortable victory.
| Player | Average | 180s | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luke Littler (1) | 109.53 | 7 | 10 |
| Niko Springer | 97.65 | — | 6 |
"The first five legs were okay and then when I came back off the break I felt really good." — Luke Littler
Next up for Littler: A blockbuster second round tie against Nathan Aspinall. The Asp averaged 105 in his own first round victory, so this has all the makings of a classic. With both players in superb form on Night 1, this is arguably the standout second round tie of the entire tournament.
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Nathan Aspinall 10-5 Joe Cullen
Nathan Aspinall delivered a masterclass to round off Day 1 in style, averaging 105.32 in a dominant display against Joe Cullen. The 16th seed extended his remarkable winning run against Cullen — now eight consecutive victories stretching back to 2021 — with a performance that underlined his credentials as a serious contender in Blackpool.
Aspinall was clinical throughout, combining heavy scoring with ruthless finishing. Cullen, despite averaging a respectable 95.79, simply had no answer to the Asp's relentless form on the Winter Gardens stage.
| Player | Average | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Nathan Aspinall (16) | 105.32 | 10 |
| Joe Cullen | 95.79 | 5 |
"I didn't expect to play like that but I am very happy with my performance." — Nathan Aspinall
Next up for Aspinall: The biggest test possible — defending champion Luke Littler. Aspinall will take confidence from his Day 1 display, but stopping Littler at these averages will be a monumental task. Their second round tie is one not to miss.
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Day 1 Summary
| Match | Winner | Score | Best Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rock vs Woodhouse | Josh Rock (8) | 10-4 | 90.42 |
| Bunting vs Zonneveld | Stephen Bunting (9) | 13-12 | 94.49 |
| Littler vs Springer | Luke Littler (1) | 10-6 | 109.53 |
| Aspinall vs Cullen | Nathan Aspinall (16) | 10-5 | 105.32 |
Confirmed Second Round Matchups
With all four Day 1 winners confirmed, two second round ties are now locked in:
| Second Round Tie | Seeds | Scheduled |
|---|---|---|
| Luke Littler (1) vs Nathan Aspinall (16) | 1 vs 16 | Wednesday 23 July |
| Josh Rock (8) vs Stephen Bunting (9) | 8 vs 9 | Wednesday 23 July |
Both ties promise fireworks. Littler vs Aspinall is the standout — a clash between the tournament's highest Day 1 averager (Littler, 109.53) and a man who matched him for intensity (Aspinall, 105.32). Rock vs Bunting is a fascinating contrast — Rock's clinical comfort against Bunting's battle-hardened resilience after surviving a classic.
Bracket Predictor Update
We had 134 bracket predictions submitted before the tournament began, and after Day 1, 70 predictions are still alive. Almost half the field has been eliminated after just four matches!
The biggest upset for predictors? Josh Rock's victory over Luke Woodhouse — a whopping 39 people had Woodhouse progressing. Meanwhile, only 2 brave souls picked against Luke Littler. See where your prediction stands on our Bracket Predictor leaderboard.
- Picked against Luke Littler: 2 eliminated
- Picked against Nathan Aspinall: 16 eliminated
- Picked against Stephen Bunting: 23 eliminated
- Picked against Josh Rock: 39 eliminated
With the second round matchups now confirmed, many more predictions will be eliminated. Both Littler vs Aspinall and Rock vs Bunting are genuine coin-flip ties — expect a big cull after Wednesday's action.
What's Next? Day 2 Preview
Sunday's afternoon session (1pm BST) features four more first round ties:
- Michael van Gerwen (4) vs Andrew Gilding — MvG begins his quest for a fourth Matchplay title. The winner faces the victor of Dobey vs van Duijvenbode in the second round.
- Chris Dobey (13) vs Dirk van Duijvenbode — Dobey has been in fine form this season, but Aubergenius is always dangerous on the big stage.
- Jonny Clayton (5) vs Damon Heta — Two hugely talented players who can both average 100+. The winner faces Anderson or Joyce in round two.
- Gary Anderson (12) vs Ryan Joyce — The Flying Scotsman returns to Blackpool. Anderson's class is undeniable, but Joyce has quietly climbed the rankings this year.
The evening session (7pm BST) brings four more:
- Gian van Veen (3) vs Krzysztof Ratajski — The young Dutchman is the tournament's third seed and faces the experienced Polish Eagle. The winner meets the victor of Nijman vs Chisnall.
- Wessel Nijman (14) vs Dave Chisnall — Chizzy's power scoring could cause problems for the 14th seed. A potential upset on the cards.
- James Wade (6) vs Jermaine Wattimena — The Machine's Matchplay pedigree is unmatched, with three titles to his name. The winner faces Searle or O'Connor in the second round.
- Ryan Searle (11) vs William O'Connor — Heavy Duty has the power game to go deep in Blackpool, but O'Connor is a tricky first round opponent.
Don't miss a moment — catch every session live on Sky Sports. Read our full World Matchplay 2026 draw, schedule and how to watch guide.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What happened on Day 1 of the 2026 World Matchplay?
All four seeds progressed on Day 1: Josh Rock beat Luke Woodhouse 10-4, Stephen Bunting edged Niels Zonneveld 13-12 in a thriller, Luke Littler defeated Niko Springer 10-6 with a 109 average, and Nathan Aspinall beat Joe Cullen 10-5.
What was the best match on Day 1?
Stephen Bunting vs Niels Zonneveld was the match of the night. Bunting led 8-5 but Zonneveld fought back to level at 10-10, including a 164 checkout and three match darts. Bunting won 13-12 in the deciding leg.
What average did Luke Littler get on Day 1?
Littler averaged 109.53 with seven 180s against Niko Springer. He averaged over 123 across the final six legs of the match to pull away from 5-5.
What is the format for the first round of the World Matchplay?
First round matches are best of 19 legs (first to 10). If the match reaches 9-9, a tie-break begins where the first player to lead by two legs wins. There is no limit to the tie-break.
How can I watch the World Matchplay 2026?
All sessions are live on Sky Sports Darts and Sky Sports Main Event. Sessions start at 1pm BST (afternoon) and 7pm BST (evening).
