2025 World Matchplay

==Overview==

==Overview==

===Background===

===Background===

The 2025 [[World Matchplay (darts)|World Matchplay]] is the 32nd edition of the tournament to be staged by the [[Professional Darts Corporation]] since its inception in [[1994 World Matchplay|1994]].<ref name="MC">{{cite web |title=World Matchplay 2025 |url=https://mastercaller.com/tournaments/world-matchplay/2025 |website=Mastercaller |access-date=9 July 2025}}</ref> Held at the [[Winter Gardens, Blackpool|Winter Gardens]] in [[Blackpool]], England, annually with the exception of [[2020 World Matchplay|2020]],<ref>{{cite web |last=Hammer |first=Chris |date=4 July 2020 |title=World Matchplay will take place behind closed doors in Milton Keynes instead of Blackpool's Winter Gardens |url=https://www.sportinglife.com/darts/news/world-matchplay-moves-to-mk/181517 |website=Sporting Life |access-date=9 July 2025}}</ref> the inaugural champion was [[Larry Butler (darts player)|Larry Butler]], who remains the only American to win a PDC major title; he defeated [[Dennis Priestley]] 16–12 in an upset victory in the final.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Phipps |first1=Toby |last2=Austwicke |first2=Jack |last3=Caffry |first3=Liam |date=17 October 2024 |title=Larry Butler, Scott Waites and the moments which have shocked darts |url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/other-sport/larry-butler-scott-waites-moments-30163213 |website=Chronicle Live |access-date=9 July 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Gorton |first=Josh |date=28 July 2019 |title=Who will join the World Matchplay roll of honour? |url=https://www.skysports.com/darts/news/12288/11771119/who-will-join-the-world-matchplay-roll-of-honour |website=Sky Sports |access-date=9 July 2025}}</ref>

The 2025 [[World Matchplay (darts)|World Matchplay]] is the 32nd edition of the tournament to be staged by the [[Professional Darts Corporation]] since its inception in [[1994 World Matchplay|1994]].<ref name="MC">{{cite web |title=World Matchplay 2025 |url=https://mastercaller.com/tournaments/world-matchplay/2025 |website=Mastercaller |access-date=9 July 2025}}</ref> Held at the [[Winter Gardens, Blackpool|Winter Gardens]] in [[Blackpool]], England, annually with the exception of [[2020 World Matchplay|2020]],<ref>{{cite web |last=Hammer |first=Chris |date=4 July 2020 |title=World Matchplay will take place behind closed doors in Milton Keynes instead of Blackpool's Winter Gardens |url=https://www.sportinglife.com/darts/news/world-matchplay-moves-to-mk/181517 |website=Sporting Life |access-date=9 July 2025}}</ref> the inaugural champion was [[Larry Butler (darts player)|Larry Butler]], who remains the only American to win a PDC major title; he defeated [[Dennis Priestley]] 16–12 in an upset victory in the final.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Phipps |first1=Toby |last2=Austwicke |first2=Jack |last3=Caffry |first3=Liam |date=17 October 2024 |title=Larry Butler, Scott Waites and the moments which have shocked darts |url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/other-sport/larry-butler-scott-waites-moments-30163213 |website=Chronicle Live |access-date=9 July 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Gorton |first=Josh |date=28 July 2019 |title=Who will join the World Matchplay roll of honour? |url=https://www.skysports.com/darts/news/12288/11771119/who-will-join-the-world-matchplay-roll-of-honour |website=Sky Sports |access-date=9 July 2025}}</ref> In 2018, the World Matchplay trophy was renamed to the [[Phil Taylor (darts player)|Phil Taylor]] Trophy, in honour of the sixteen-time champion who retired from PDC darts following the [[2018 PDC World Darts Championship|2018 World Championship]].<ref>{{cite web |date=2 January 2018 |title=Phil Taylor trophy introduced for World Matchplay in Blackpool |url=https://www.skysports.com/darts/news/12288/11193393/phil-taylor-trophy-introduced-for-world-matchplay-in-blackpool |website=Sky Sports |access-date=11 July 2025}}</ref> The first recipient of the trophy was [[2018 World Matchplay|2018]] winner [[Gary Anderson (darts player)|Gary Anderson]].<ref>{{cite web |date=29 July 2018 |title=Anderson wins World Matchplay title after Blackpool thriller |url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/darts/2018/0729/981850-anderson-wins-world-matchplay-title-after-thriller/ |website=RTÉ |access-date=11 July 2025}}</ref>

The 2025 edition will take place from 19 to 27 July 2025 at the Winter Gardens.<ref name="MC"/> British [[bookmaker]] [[Betfred]] will continue its sponsorship of the event, having extended its partnership with the PDC in 2022.<ref>{{cite web |last=Allen |first=Dave |date=24 July 2022 |title=Betfred secure new three-year World Matchplay sponsorship |url=https://www.pdc.tv/news/2022/07/24/betfred-secure-new-three-year-world-matchplay-sponsorship |website=Professional Darts Corporation |access-date=9 July 2025}}</ref> [[Luke Humphries]] will enter the tournament as defending champion after defeating [[Michael van Gerwen]] 18–15 in the [[2024 World Matchplay|2024 final]] to win his first World Matchplay title.<ref>{{cite web |date=21 July 2024 |title=Humphries beats Van Gerwen in World Matchplay final to seal darts double |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/article/2024/jul/21/luke-humphries-michael-van-gerwen-world-matchplay-final-darts |website=The Guardian |access-date=9 July 2025 |agency=PA Sport}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=21 July 2024 |title=Humphries beats Van Gerwen to win Matchplay title |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/darts/articles/cxr2x131rn5o |website=BBC Sport |access-date=9 July 2025}}</ref>

The 2025 edition will take place from 19 to 27 July 2025 at the Winter Gardens.<ref name="MC"/> British [[bookmaker]] [[Betfred]] will continue its sponsorship of the event, having extended its partnership with the PDC in 2022.<ref>{{cite web |last=Allen |first=Dave |date=24 July 2022 |title=Betfred secure new three-year World Matchplay sponsorship |url=https://www.pdc.tv/news/2022/07/24/betfred-secure-new-three-year-world-matchplay-sponsorship |website=Professional Darts Corporation |access-date=9 July 2025}}</ref> [[Luke Humphries]] will enter the tournament as defending champion after defeating [[Michael van Gerwen]] 18–15 in the [[2024 World Matchplay|2024 final]] to win his first World Matchplay title.<ref>{{cite web |date=21 July 2024 |title=Humphries beats Van Gerwen in World Matchplay final to seal darts double |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/article/2024/jul/21/luke-humphries-michael-van-gerwen-world-matchplay-final-darts |website=The Guardian |access-date=9 July 2025 |agency=PA Sport}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=21 July 2024 |title=Humphries beats Van Gerwen to win Matchplay title |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/darts/articles/cxr2x131rn5o |website=BBC Sport |access-date=9 July 2025}}</ref>

===Prize money===

===Prize money===

The prize fund remained at £800,000, with £200,000 going to the winner.<ref name="MC"/><ref>{{Cite web |date=1 July 2022 |title=Increased prize funds confirmed for PDC televised events |url=https://www.pdc.tv/news/2022/07/01/increased-prize-funds-confirmed-pdc-televised-events |access-date=3 July 2022 |publisher=PDC}}</ref> The winner will receive the [[Phil Taylor (darts player)|Phil Taylor]] Trophy.<ref>{{cite web |date=2 January 2018 |title=Phil Taylor trophy introduced for World Matchplay in Blackpool |url=https://www.skysports.com/darts/news/12288/11193393/phil-taylor-trophy-introduced-for-world-matchplay-in-blackpool |website=Sky Sports |access-date=11 July 2025}}</ref>

The prize fund remained at £800,000, with £200,000 going to the winner.<ref name="MC"/><ref>{{Cite web |date=1 July 2022 |title=Increased prize funds confirmed for PDC televised events |url=https://www.pdc.tv/news/2022/07/01/increased-prize-funds-confirmed-pdc-televised-events |access-date=3 July 2022 |publisher=PDC}}</ref> The winner will receive the Phil Taylor Trophy.

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