The World Matchplay Darts 2026 begins July 18 at Blackpool's Winter Gardens, with Luke Littler aiming to become the first player since Michael van Gerwen in 2016 to retain the title. The 32-player field includes Luke Humphries, Gary Anderson, James Wade, and Van Gerwen himself.

Sky Sports pundits split on the winner. Emma Paton backs Luke Humphries for revenge after last year's early exit, while Mark Webster and Polly James favor Littler's record-chasing form. Abi Davies sees Littler as tough but tips Wessel Nijman's Pro Tour dominance to translate to TV success.

Dark horse picks vary: Paton chooses Nijman (six Players Championships titles in 2026), Webster selects former champion Rob Cross, Davies backs Luke Woodhouse, and James picks Andrew Gilding for his awkward pace and Van Gerwen-beating pedigree.

All pundits agree defending is brutally hard — no back-to-back winner in a decade. The stacked field (top 16 world rankings plus top 16 Pro Tour), escalating match formats (best of 19 to 35), and momentum swings expose weaknesses. Coverage runs July 18-26 live on Sky Sports.