MICHAEL VAN GERWEN and Michael Smith will contest the final of the 2018/19 William Hill World Darts Championship at London's Alexandra Palace on Tuesday, January 1.
A replay of the 2018 Premier League Final, the showdown of the £2.5 million tournament will be the first World Championship final since 1983 to feature two players under 30 years of age.
The winner of the best of 13 sets contest will walk away with the £500,000 top prize, along with the coveted Sid Waddell Trophy.
Two-time World Champion Van Gerwen secured a thumping 6-1 semi-final success over Gary Anderson in a replay of the 2016/17 final, but the Dutchman knows he will need to be at his best once again to claim a hat-trick of Alexandra Palace crowns.
"It's going to be a phenomenal final between Michael and myself, I've got a great record against him and I'm looking forward to it," said Van Gerwen, who boasts the top tournament average of 103.72.
"I'm working hard week after week, so I'm glad that I've made it through to the biggest match of the year and I need to make sure I perform at my top level.
"To do that I will, as always, need to do the right things at the right moments, and if I play my best game then I win."
Smith reached his first World Championship final with a 6-3 triumph over surprise package Nathan Aspinall in the semi-finals in a game that broke the record for the most 180s hit in a World Championship semi-final with 17 maximums.
The St Helens thrower, who threw a 105.22 average in the Aspinall match, has extra motivation to claim the title ahead of his upcoming wedding to fiancé Dagmara.
"I'm now just one step away from living my dream," said Smith, who has the second highest tournament average of 101.19.
"All tournament I've been saying that I want to win that trophy so that it will sit proudly at the top table of our wedding.
"But to do that I know I've got to be at my absolute best, I'm going to give it everything I've got and keep battling all the way and if I'm finding the treble 20 regularly then I've got a great chance of creating history."
The William Hill World Darts Championship Final will take place from 2000(GMT) on Tuesday January 1, and will be broadcast live on the dedicated Sky Sports Darts channel and worldwide through the PDC's international broadcast partners.
2018/2019 William Hill World Darts Championship
Schedule of Play
Tuesday January 1 (2000)
Final
Michael van Gerwen v Michael Smith
2018/2019 William Hill World Darts Championship
Draw Bracket
Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals and Final