The 2025 BOYLE Sports World Grand Prix begins on Monday, as Leicester’s Mattioli Arena plays host to the unique double-start event.
The latest staging of the World Grand Prix will see reigning champion Mike De Decker headlining a bumper 32-player field, as world number one Luke Humphries bids to reclaim the title he won in 2023.
World Champion Luke Littler and six-time World Grand Prix winner Michael van Gerwen are also set to star in the £600,000 event, which takes place from October 6-12.
De Decker will be aiming to emulate Van Gerwen and Phil Taylor by becoming only the third player to retain the coveted World Grand Prix title since the tournament’s inception in 1998.
The Belgian number one toppled Humphries in a thrilling final 12 months ago, and he will open his title defence against two-time World Champion Peter Wright on Tuesday night.
“I still get goosebumps thinking about last year,” reflected De Decker, the world number 20.
“Luke was the player to beat throughout the tournament, so to go and lift the title – it was an emotional rollercoaster.
“I’m feeling quite confident. I played pretty well on the ProTour this week, and I’m finally finding some consistency again.
“I know what Peter can do. He didn’t win two World Championship titles by luck, so I’m going in with the mindset that I have to play my A-game, like I do in every tournament."
World number one Humphries will take centre stage on Monday’s opening night, as he takes on 2022 runner-up Nathan Aspinall in a blockbuster showdown.
Fourth seed Stephen Bunting will also enter the fray on Monday evening, with the Liverpudlian pitted against German debutant Niko Springer for a place in round two.
Bunting lifted his sixth title of the campaign at last weekend’s Swiss Darts Trophy, and the two-time semi-finalist is brimming with confidence ahead of his return to the East Midlands.
“I’m playing the best darts of my life. I feel consistently that I'm delivering,” insisted Bunting, the 2024 Masters champion.
“I'm number four in the world. The rankings are over a few years so it shows how consistent I’ve been, but you can’t take anything for granted in this game.
“There are so many good players in this sport, so to be in the top four of the world is an unbelievable achievement.
“I can’t take my foot off the gas. I need to keep on the practice board and keep improving, and hopefully there’s a big tournament [win] coming soon.”
Two-time champion James Wade will also be in opening night action against 2023 semi-finalist Joe Cullen, in a repeat of their clash at the same stage of July’s World Matchplay.
Wade - a runner-up to Littler at the UK Open and World Matchplay this year – has enjoyed a stunning resurgence over the last 18 months, which has left him closing in on a return to the world’s top four.
“I think I’ve had a brilliant 12 months,” admitted Wade, who will make his 21st consecutive World Grand Prix appearance this week.
“I don’t think I’ve always played brilliantly, but I’m doing well and I’m grinding out results.
“In terms of ranking money, I’m the second-best performing player this year, I’m back in the world’s top five and I’m keeping myself relevant!”
Former finalists Gary Anderson and Raymond van Barneveld also renew their rivalry in a clash of the darting icons on Monday, after Van Barneveld secured his qualification in last-gasp fashion in Basel.
Ninth seed Rob Cross meets Dutch debutant Wessel Nijman in the opening match of the tournament, before German number one Martin Schindler faces Poland’s premier player Krzysztof Ratajski.
Elsewhere, 2019 semi-finalist Chris Dobey goes up against Scotland’s Cameron Menzies, while Dutch duo Danny Noppert and Jermaine Wattimena also do battle at the Mattioli Arena.
Van Gerwen will feature in another all-Dutch affair on Tuesday evening, as he begins his bid for a seventh World Grand Prix crown against 2020 runner-up Dirk van Duijvenbode.
Tuesday’s stand-out tie pits teenage wonderkid Littler against World Youth Champion Van Veen, as two of the sport’s most exciting stars chase their first victories in the double-start format.
Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton – champions in 2020 and 2021 respectively – will also star on Night Two, as they face former quarter-finalists Ryan Searle and Andrew Gilding.
Ross Smith - fresh from a remarkable Players Championship victory on Wednesday - will make his fifth World Grand Prix appearance against Daryl Gurney, who famously lifted the double-start crown in 2017.
Gurney’s World Cup partner Josh Rock kicks off his challenge against 2024 semi-finalist Ryan Joyce, while Australian number one Damon Heta and Luke Woodhouse collide in Tuesday’s curtain-raiser.
Following the conclusion of the opening round, round two will be staged across Wednesday October 8 and Thursday October 9, before the quarter-finals take place on Friday October 10.
The semi-finals will then be held on Saturday October 11, before the remaining two players battle it out for the coveted title in Sunday’s showpiece on October 12.
The BOYLE Sports World Grand Prix will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK, through the PDC's worldwide broadcast partners including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV (excluding UK, Germany, Austria & Switzerland based subscribers).
2025 BOYLE Sports World Grand Prix
Draw Bracket
(1) Luke Humphries v Nathan Aspinall
(16) Martin Schindler v Krzysztof Ratajski
(8) Chris Dobey v Cameron Menzies
(9) Rob Cross v Wessel Nijman
(4) Stephen Bunting v Niko Springer
(13) Danny Noppert v Jermaine Wattimena
(5) James Wade v Joe Cullen
(12) Gary Anderson v Raymond van Barneveld
(2) Luke Littler v Gian van Veen
(15) Peter Wright v Mike De Decker
(7) Gerwyn Price v Ryan Searle
(10) Josh Rock v Ryan Joyce
(3) Michael van Gerwen v Dirk van Duijvenbode
(14) Ross Smith v Daryl Gurney
(6) Jonny Clayton v Andrew Gilding
(11) Damon Heta v Luke Woodhouse
2025 BOYLE Sports World Grand Prix
Schedule of Play
Monday October 6 (1800 BST)
8x Round One matches
Rob Cross v Wessel Nijman
Martin Schindler v Krzysztof Ratajski
Chris Dobey v Cameron Menzies
James Wade v Joe Cullen
Danny Noppert v Jermaine Wattimena
Luke Humphries v Nathan Aspinall
Gary Anderson v Raymond van Barneveld
Stephen Bunting v Niko Springer
Tuesday October 7 (1800 BST)
8x Round One matches
Damon Heta v Luke Woodhouse
Ross Smith v Daryl Gurney
Jonny Clayton v Andrew Gilding
Gerwyn Price v Ryan Searle
Luke Littler v Gian van Veen
Michael van Gerwen v Dirk van Duijvenbode
Peter Wright v Mike De Decker
Josh Rock v Ryan Joyce
Wednesday October 8 (1900 BST)
4x Round Two matches
Thursday October 9 (1900 BST)
4x Round Two matches
Friday October 10 (1900 BST)
Quarter-Finals
Saturday October 11 (2000 BST)
Semi-Finals
Sunday October 12 (2000 BST)
Final
Format
First Round - Best of Three Sets
Second Round - Best of Five Sets
Quarter-Finals - Best of Five Sets
Semi-Finals - Best of Nine Sets
Final - Best of 11 Sets
Prize Fund
Winner: £120,000
Runner-Up: £60,000
Semi-Finalists: £40,000
Quarter-Finalists: £25,000
Second Round Losers: £15,000
First Round Losers: £7,500
Total: £600,000