Daryl Gurney has been summoned to compete in the World Series of Darts Finals, which will be staged in Amsterdam, after two players from the Philippines were forced to withdraw because of unresolved visa matters. The two affected competitors, Lourence Ilagan and Alexis Toylo, were unable to secure the necessary Schengen visas in time and therefore could not travel to the Netherlands for the tournament scheduled for 17‑20 September. Both Ilagan and Toylo were slated to take part in the final two stops of the PDC Asian Tour season, which are being held in China later this week. Their applications for Schengen visas remained pending when the deadline to travel arrived, leaving the event organizers with no alternative but to replace them.
The reserve list was consulted, and the highest‑ranked players on that list – Northern Ireland’s Daryl Gurney and Dutchman Maik Kuivenhoven – were promoted into the main draw. Gurney will fill the vacancy left by Ilagan, while Kuivenhoven steps in for Toylo.
Gurney’s first‑round opponent will be none other than the defending champion and Dutch crowd favorite Michael van Gerwen. The match is set to kick off at AFAS Live on Thursday, 17 September.
Kuivenhoven, on the other hand, will open his campaign the following day against England’s Jonny Clayton. Both fixtures promise high drama, as the newcomers will be pitted against some of the sport’s biggest names right from the outset.
The tournament also features a host of other marquee match‑ups. Luke Littler, who captured the 2024 title by defeating van Gerwen 11‑7 in the previous year’s final, is back in Amsterdam with the ambition of completing an unprecedented clean sweep of all major titles within a single calendar year. He will be looking to extend his dominance in the early rounds. World champion Michael Smith will meet Dutchman Danny Noppert in his opening game, while Luke Humphries is slated to face Jermaine Wattimena.
Dutch talent Gian van Veen will go up against Chris Dobey, adding another intriguing clash to the schedule. The full first‑round lineup for Thursday, 17 September (18:00) includes: • Viktor Tingstrom vs Dirk van Duijvenbode • Rob Cross vs Ryan Searle • Karel Sedlacek vs Ben Robb • Kevin Doets vs Ross Smith • Stephen Bunting vs Josh Rock • Luke Humphries vs Jermaine Wattimena • Michael van Gerwen vs Daryl Gurney • Gian van Veen vs Chris Dobey Friday, 18 September (18:00) sees another eight first‑round matches: • Adam Leek vs Jim Long • Motomu Sakai vs Callan Rydz • Wessel Nijman vs Simon Whitlock • Nathan Aspinall vs Raymond Smith • James Wade vs Damon Heta • Gerwyn Price vs Brody Klinge • Luke Littler vs Danny Noppert • Jonny Clayton vs Maik Kuivenhoven The second round will be split across two sessions on Saturday, 19 September. The afternoon session (12:00) will feature four matches, including the van Gerwen‑Gurney showdown against the winner of the Doets‑Smith encounter, as well as Bunting versus Rock, Humphries against Wattimena, and Van Veen against Dobey. The evening session (18:00) will host four more contests: Price versus Klinge, Wade versus Heta, Littler versus Noppert, and Clayton versus Kuivenhoven.
Saturday’s night will culminate in the quarter‑finals on Sunday, 20 September (12:00), followed by the semi‑finals (18:00) and the championship match later that evening. The exact order of play for the latter stages will be confirmed closer to the event. Beyond the World Series of Darts Finals, the sport’s calendar remains packed. Sky Sports will continue to be the primary broadcaster for darts, covering the World Grand Prix (28 September‑4 October), the Grand Slam of Darts (14‑22 November), and the World Darts Championship (10 December‑3 January).
Fans can also stream live coverage and additional content via the NOW platform, which offers a contract‑free viewing experience. For those watching online, it is recommended to use the Chrome browser to ensure optimal performance of the video player. The tournament promises a blend of seasoned veterans and rising stars, all vying for one of the most prestigious titles in professional darts.
With Gurney’s unexpected inclusion adding an extra layer of intrigue, the Amsterdam finals are set to deliver high‑octane competition and memorable moments for supporters worldwide.