Michael van Gerwen will kick off his defence of the World Series of Darts Finals crown by taking on Philippines representative Lourence Ilagan in the opening round of the tournament. The event, which is the flagship competition of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) for the World Series circuit, will be staged at the AFAS Live arena in Amsterdam from September 17 to September 20.
A total of thirty-two players from across the globe have qualified, and the full draw and schedule have just been released, giving fans a clear picture of the match‑ups that will shape the weekend. Van Gerwen entered the tournament as the top seed after capturing his sixth World Series Finals title exactly one year ago.
His opponent, Ilagan, is a two‑time PDC Asian Champion who earned his place by winning the Asian Tour events that feed into the World Series. The Dutch star’s first match will therefore be a test of whether his dominant form from the previous year can be sustained against a hungry challenger who has proved capable of pulling off upsets on the Asian circuit.
The opening round is split over two sessions on the first two days of the competition. On September 17 and 18, the newly crowned 2024 World Series champion Luke Littler will open his campaign against former UK Open winner Danny Noppert.
Littler, only 19 years old, is chasing a historic clean sweep of all major PDC titles, and his clash with the experienced Noppert promises to be a high‑octane encounter. Other notable first‑round fixtures include world number two Luke Humphries, who will face Dutch qualifier Jermaine Wattimena, and Gerwyn Price, who is looking to add a third World Series Finals trophy to his résumé.
Price’s opponent is Brody Klinge, the runner‑up from the Australian Darts Masters, a player who has been making steady progress on the tour. The Dutch crowd will also get to see home‑grown talent Gian van Veen take on former Masters champion Chris Dobey. In another intriguing pairing, former World Championship semi‑finalist James Wade will meet Australian number one Damon Heta, while 2021 champion Jonny Clayton will open against Philippines World Cup stalwart Alexis Toylo.
The schedule also features a number of Dutch‑based match‑ups that add a local flavor to the event. Wessel Nijman will battle Australian veteran Simon Whitlock, and Kevin Doets will face England’s Ross Smith.
Rob Cross, a former world champion, will meet Ryan Searle, who reached the semi‑finals of the 2023 World Championship. Thursday, September 17, will be the opening night of the tournament. The headline attraction will be the Van Gerwen‑Ilagan clash, accompanied by the Humphries‑Wattimena and Van Veen‑Dobey matches. The remaining fixtures on Thursday include Viktor Tingstrom versus Man Lok Leung, Karel Sedlacek against Ben Robb, Kevin Doets versus Ross Smith, and Stephen Bunting versus Josh Rock.
All matches start at 6 pm BST and will be streamed live on the NOW platform, with a recommendation to use the Chrome browser for the best video experience. Friday’s programme continues the first‑round action with eight more matches. Highlights include Adam Leek versus Jim Long, Motomu Sakai versus Callan Rydz, Wessel Nijman versus Simon Whitlock, Nathan Aspinall versus Raymond Smith, James Wade versus Damon Heta, Gerwyn Price versus Brody Klinge, Luke Littler versus Danny Noppert, and Jonny Clayton versus Alexis Toylo. These fixtures will determine the sixteen players who advance to the second day of competition.
Saturday, September 19, is split into an afternoon session and an evening session, both beginning at 6 pm BST. The afternoon will feature four second‑round matches: the winner of Van Gerwen/Ilagan versus the victor of Doets/Smith, Stephen Bunting versus Josh Rock against the winner of Cross/Searle, Humphries/Wattimena against Tingstrom/Leung, and Van Veen/Dobey against Sedlacek/Robb.
The exact order of play is still to be confirmed. The evening session will see the other half of the second‑round field: Gerwyn Price versus Brody Klinge against the winner of Leek/Long, James Wade versus Damon Heta against Nijman/Whitlock, Luke Littler versus Danny Noppert against Aspinall/Raymond Smith, and Jonny Clayton versus Alexis Toylo against Sakai/Rydz. The tournament reaches its climax on Sunday, September 20. The quarter‑finals are scheduled for the afternoon (12 pm BST), followed by the semi‑finals and the final in a packed evening session starting at 6 pm BST.
The winner of the final will claim the prestigious World Series of Darts Finals title and a substantial prize fund, while also securing a place in the upcoming World Championship as one of the top‑ranked players. Fans can follow live coverage on Sky Sports, as well as on the official PDC YouTube channel and the NOW streaming service. In addition to the matches, the event will feature darts‑related analysis, player interviews, and a podcast episode of "Love the Darts" that will discuss the storylines heading into the finals.
The organizers have advised spectators to use the Chrome browser for the most accessible video player, ensuring a smooth viewing experience for everyone. Overall, the 2024 World Series of Darts Finals promises a blend of established stars, rising talents, and regional qualifiers, all converging in Amsterdam for a four‑day showcase of elite darts.
With Michael van Gerwen defending his crown, Luke Littler chasing a historic clean sweep, and several Dutch players looking to make a mark on home soil, the tournament is set to deliver drama, high‑scoring fireworks, and memorable moments for fans worldwide.