We've made it through nine long days of first-round darts action at the 2026 PDC Darts World Championship.
The good news is that the tournament still has plenty of games left, with 32 games to be played in the second round, across four days from Saturday to Tuesday.
All 64 players left in the event will get a Christmas break for a few days next week, but for 32 players, it won't be a break they'll look forward to after this round.
With a lot of action ahead in the next few days, we'll break down each matchup so you know what to expect.
Predicting the winner of every second-round game
Let's take a look at what to expect in each matchup. The order of the matchups in the article is the order of the second-round matchups that will take place from Dec. 20 - 23.
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World Darts Championship second-round predictions
Ryan Searle vs. Brendan Dolan
Winner: Ryan Searle, 3-1
Searle is a player that I can see going far in this year's WC.
He's in a quarter with some talented names, but he's more than capable of taking down the top guys in this event.
Dolan didn't look too bad in his first-round win, averaging just under 90 in a 3-1 win, but Searle is far more consistent and is the more reliable player in this match.
Andreas Harrysson vs. Motomu Sakai
Winner: Andreas Harrysson, 3-1
Sakai has a quick turnaround after playing on Thursday, beating Thibault Tricole 3-0.
Tricole wasn't exactly a huge test for Sakai, but he'll face a dangerous player in Harrysson next.
Harrysson survived match darts against Ross Smith, but still played very well and is deserving of making it to this round with the great scoring and finishing he displayed in his debut at the WC.
Sakai will have to be even better against Harrysson if he wants to pick up another massive win, but I just don't see it happening this time around.
Dirk van Duijvenbode vs. James Hurrell
Winner: Dirk van Duijvenbode, 3-0
James Hurrell has been playing some solid darts recently, but will run into a determined Dirk van Duijvenbode in this round.
DVD's first game went all the way to a fifth set, despite DVD having an average of 98.54.
Baetens played at a higher level than I think we'll see out of Hurrell on Saturday, so I think this match will be no problem for DVD.
Dave Chisnall vs. Ricardo Pietreczko
Winner: Ricardo Pietreczko, 3-2
Chizzy has had a rough year, and the constant chatter around his name is that he is an underdog in most games due to his recent form.
He averaged just under 90 against Fallon Sherrock in the first round, but faces a much more dangerous and in-form opponent next.
Pietreczko averaged 90.86 against Jose de Sousa, but I think there's definitely another level that we can expect to see him reach.
Pietreczko is on the cusp of breaking out at a major tournament, and this could be another win that helps him get one step closer to his goal.
I think Chisnall will still put up a fight, but Pietreczko will be the more reliable player in a tight contest if it comes down to a fifth set.
Michael Smith vs. Niels Zonneveld
Winner: Michael Smith, 3-2
Smith picked up a fairly easy win against Lisa Ashton on Day 1, but now plays an underrated player who could give him some problems.
Zonneveld averaged slightly higher in the first round than Smith, but I could see both players having similar averages again in this game, especially if they can push each other along.
Despite Smith's struggles and injuries that have flared up on him at times, I see a veteran like him coming out of this game with a win in what should be a close contest.
Chris Dobey vs. Andrew Gilding
Winner: Chris Dobey, 3-2
Gilding was virtually unstoppable in his first-round game against Cam Crabtree.
He had an answer for everything Crabtree threw at him, hitting crucial doubles and punishing Crabtree for even his minor mistakes.
Gilding's average in the high-90s against Crabtree was around five points higher than Dobey's first-round average, but Dobey can certainly play better.
I think this could be one of the better games of this round if Gilding plays the way he did against Crabtree, because we can expect Dobey to provide quality scoring and finishing, as he's been one of the more consistent players at the WC in recent years.
Stephen Bunting vs. Nitin Kumar
Winner: Stephen Bunting, 3-1
Kumar came away from the first round with a historic win over Richard Veenstra.
He averaged just in the high-80s, which likely isn't enough against what appears to be an in-form Stephen Bunting.
Bunting has had a rough year at TV majors, but his opening win against Sebastian Bialecki was impressive and a sign that his pre-tournament practice sessions have elevated him back to his top form.
The game went to five sets against Bialecki, but he remained composed and finished with a high average, even with the mistakes he made, which he hopes not to replicate.
I could see Kumar getting one set at most, but his Cinderella story might come to a quick end with a tough opponent in his way.
Jonny Clayton vs. Dom Taylor
*Clayton has been given a bye to the third round after Taylor failed a drug test following his first-round victory
Ryan Joyce vs. Krzysztof Ratajski
Winner: Krzysztof Ratajski
Both players are coming into the contest in similar positions, as they both averaged in the mid-90s in whitewash first-round wins.
This is yet another enticing matchup that has kind of stumped me.
With how close they are in skills, I do think this will likely go all the way to a last-set decider.
I liked the way Ratajski was able to manage a slow-paced Alexis Toylo, which was a harder situation for him to deal with than what we saw in Ryan Joyce's match, as he felt little resistance from Owen Bates.
Joyce could very well win, but I'll take Ratajski in a close finish.
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Joe Cullen vs. Mensur Suljovic
Winner: Joe Cullen, 3-1
Cullen had an inspiring performance against Bradley Brooks in his opening game, bringing more attention to the possibility of him being a threat in this event.
He averaged 99.33 in the first round, and his form was much better than what we have seen from him in several events throughout 2025.
It's hard to tell what we'll get out of Suljovic, as he hasn't made it further than the second or third round in most of his WC appearances, so it's a safe bet to go with Cullen if he plays similarly to what we saw out of him against Brooks.
Luke Woodhouse vs. Max Hopp
Winner: Luke Woodhouse, 3-1
Max Hopp didn't look too bad in his return to Ally Pally.
He'll now face a tougher opponent who had a solid run at the WC last year, which will force him to raise his scoring if he wants to have a chance in this contest.
Woodhouse averaged just above 90 against Boris Krcmar in round one, but I believe we will see him increase his scoring this time around.
With Hopp playing far fewer games on Tour recently, it's hard to get a grasp on what his range is in terms of his ceiling and floor on the big stage, which contributes to why I see Woodhouse coming through in this match.
Rob Cross vs. Ian White
Winner: Rob Cross, 3-0
Cross silenced a lot of doubters in his opening game against Cor Dekker.
It hasn't been a great year for 'Voltage', but he should come away with another comfortable win in this round, with White not producing anything too special against Mervyn King in the first round.
Martin Schindlerr vs. Keane Barry
Winner: Martin Schindler, 3-1
Both Schindler and Barry had fairly commanding wins in their opening games.
Schindler is still looking for a deep run at a WC, and this could be his year.
Schindler is still trying to carry over his Euro Tour form into majors, which, if he could, would put him into a quality group of players that are looking to challenge the heavy hitters, like the Lukes.
His average of 99.14 in the opening round was a positive indication that he could be nearing a jump, and numbers in that ballpark should help him get over the line against Barry.
Gerwyn Price vs. Wesley Plaisier
Winner: Gerwyn Price, 3-1
Price had one of the easier draws for the first round.
He didn't need to do anything extraordinary to win, but still averaged around 99.5 to get a whitewash win.
Plaisier had an electric win against Lukas Wenig, a player who had been in great form, so Price should be aware of the threat he poses if Price takes his foot off the gas at any point.
I still think Price will grab the win, but Plaisier could have his say in that if he can raise his standard, even if it's slightly, against Price.
Luke Littler vs. David Davies
Winner: Luke Littler, 3-0
It's going to take a lot to beat Littler, let alone get a set, but I guess you never know with what we've seen this past week.
Littler rarely has poor off days, with his regular off days often being good enough to get him past a majority of opponents.
With Davies averaging just around the mid-80s in the first round, his only chance of making this a semi-respectable game is if he can creep into the high 80s or low 90s with his scoring.
Damon Heta vs. Stefan Bellmont
Winner: Damon Heta, 3-1
Bellmont enters this game coming off a quality performance against Raymond van Barneveld.
RVB had trouble executing, but that shouldn't take away the performance Bellmont had.
He faces a much stronger opponent this time around, who should have his way in the end, even though he's been inconsistent and below-average at TV majors.
The only way I see this game going Bellmont's way, or to a fifth set, is if Heta makes a mess of the chances he has early in the game.
Darren Beveridge vs. Madars Razma
Winner: Darren Beveridge, 3-2
Razma is coming off a win against a debutant who struggled to find his rhythm.
It wasn't exactly the most convincing win. Beveridge faced a similar situation against a struggling Dimitri Van den Bergh, but had what felt to be a much stronger individual performance.
I think this will be a close contest considering what we've seen from each player in the past, but I like Beveridge's chance in the end.
Wessel Nijman vs. Gabriel Clemens
Winner: Wessel Nijman, 3-1
It won't get much easier from here on out for Nijman, but his opening match got the attention of the stacked quarter of the bracket that he's in.
Even if Nijman plays slightly below what we saw from him against Karel Sedlacek, I still don't see Clemens being any sort of threat against a player with a lot of firepower who is waiting to finally burst out of the scene at a major event.
David Munyua vs. Kevin Doets
Winner: Kevin Doets, 3-1
The story of the event so far has been David Munyua's historic win/upset against Mike De Decker on Thursday.
He'll face a quality player next, Kevin Doets, who isn't likely to have as poor of a game as De Decker, even on an off day.
Munyua will need to raise his scoring and be more efficient on his doubles to stay in this match, as Doets has kept up with the very best over the past couple of years at this event.
James Wade vs. Ricky Evans
Winner: Ricky Evans, 3-2
It was this round last year when Evans had a massive upset win over Dave Chisnall.
He'll face Wade this time around, who is the #7 seed, but I like Evans' chances.
Wade has been up and down with his performances at majors this year, so you never know how great or average he'll be.
He opened this tournament with an average just below 95, which means Evans will need to one-up his own performance from the first round if Wade has a 'vintage Wade game.'
Evans will have the crowd's support, which he tends to thrive on.
Wade should have his chances to win the game himself, but it might come down to the fine margins and execution from each player in crucial moments throughout the match.
Gian van Veen vs. Alan Soutar
Winner: Gian van Veen, 3-1
Soutar barely made it to this match, surviving match darts against Teemu Harju and needing over a dozen match darts of his own before he finally got the win.
Despite crumbling in certain moments, he still had an average of just over 90, which is a good sign for him entering this match, if he executes better this time around.
Unfortunately, he faces one of the favorites of the event, Gian van Veen, who will force Soutar to be virtually perfect at times to keep the game close.
The end of the year has been encouraging for van Veen, and his scoring against Cristo Reyes in his opening game reflected that, so he should move on to the next round.
Nathan Aspinall vs. Leonard Gates
Winner: Nathan Aspinall, 3-1
Aspinall was challenged on Friday by Ilagan, but picked it up in the second half of the match, executing in must-win legs and hitting clutch checkouts.
Gates wasn't perfect against Mickey Mansell on Friday, but showed that he can work through gritty matches.
He faced Aspinall in the same situation last year, getting just a set, which I think will be a preview of what we'll see in this match.
Aspinall has been very good in the last several weeks, so it will take an A-tier game for Gates' standard to really hang around in this contest.
Luke Humphries vs. Paul Lim
Winner: Luke Humphries, 3-0
As much as we all want to see Lim do the impossible in this game, it would require a lot to go right for him.
He did beat Humphries in their previous clash at a WC, but Humphries has gotten a lot better.
Humphries had a strong opening match against Ted Evetts, and I'd expect the same against Lim.
The only way I see this game blowing up is if Lim's pace throws off Humphries' rhythm, but Humphries has excelled against most players outside of a few exceptions, like Luke Littler and Gian van Veen, however, they've been in the best form of their careers.
Charlie Manby vs. Adam Sevada
Winner: Charlie Manby, 3-2
Manby had a strong performance against Cameron Menzies earlier this past week.
Sevada played well himself, winning a North American clash against Matt Campbell.
Sevada looked very comfortable on stage, which makes it intriguing to see the result in the match between Sevada and Manby.
Their performances from the first round suggest this will be close, but Manby looked to be the stronger player of the two.
Jonny Tata vs. Ryan Meikle
Winner: Ryan Meikle, 3-2
This appears to be another tight contest incoming, as both players had comfortable 3-0 wins with similar averages in the first round.
I liked what I saw from Tata, but his percentage on doubles was significantly less than the impressive numbers we saw on the outer ring from Meikle.
It should still be a close contest, but I'm leaning towards the side of Meikle in this match based on the trouble Tata had with doubles last game.
Daryl Gurney vs. Callan Rydz
Winner: Callan Rydz, 3-2
Gurney picked up an impressive win against Beau Greaves on Friday.
His scoring doesn't stand out, but if you watched the match, he came up big in high-pressure moments with the crowd against him.
Rydz's ceiling when it comes to scoring is something that I feel gives him a huge advantage, as he can still improve from his comfortable opening round win.
Gurney is an accomplished veteran player who won't go down without a fight, though, so expect to see another tight match.
Jermaine Wattimena vs. Scott Williams
Winner: Jermaine Wattimena, 3-2
The numbers in the first round would suggest otherwise, but this match could be a lot different for both players.
Scott Williams picked up a quality win against Paolo Nebrida, and I don't think that game is a 'one-game wonder' for him, but Wattimena is capable of playing levels higher than how he played to open the tournament.
Wattimena is regarded as one of the non-high seeds to keep an eye on, and a match against a much better player this round could be what he needs to play to his opponent's level.
I think this game could go either way, but it's a crucial match for both, so expect a lot of emotion to be displayed and some entertaining darts to be played.
Peter Wright vs. Arno Merk
Winner: Peter Wright, 3-2
Wright didn't have the strongest competition in the opening round, but was able to get by with a win.
Merk had a great debut against Huybrechts on Day 1 and will look to follow it up with a similar performance.
If he does that, he should have a shot at beating an unpredictable Peter Wright, but Wright's lack of consistency makes this a tough one to predict.
He's come out of nowhere to upset top seeds in unprecedented moments, as we saw last year against Luke Humphries.
I don't see Wright having as poor a game as he did against Noa-Lynn van Leuven, so expect a better version of Wright, especially with a potential clash with Michal van Gerwen ahead in the third round on his mind.
Danny Noppert vs. Justin Hood
Winner: Danny Nopppert, 3-1
In Justin Hood's limited matches on TV and on the Euro Tour, he has shown that he should be taken seriously, most recently producing a 99.59 average in the first round.
Although Hood has shown how high his ceiling can be, I still am not convinced we will see this replicated in the second round.
Noppert has had his fair share of quality campaigns at majors in 2025 and is a highly ranked player, so I will take Noppert in this match, given how consistent he tends to be.
Gary Anderson vs. Connor Scutt
Winner: Connor Scutt, 3-2
The final day of round two could have a ton of close matches, with this one included on that list.
Anderson has a lot of experience at this event and knows how it feels to win, but we've seen less of Anderson at PDC events as he nears the backend of his career.
He's still producing top-quality darts, but Connor Scutt is an intriguing prospect with promise entering this match.
It's another one that I see being close, but I think Scutt will make another key jump in his career, this time against the 'Flying Scotsman.'
Michael van Gerwen vs. William O'Connor
Winner: Michael van Gerwen, 3-2
The great Michael van Gerwen didn't have an ideal start to his 2026 WC campaign, being pushed by Japan's Mitsuhiko Tatsunami, who almost took a 2-0 sets lead over MVG at one point.
He now faces William O'Connor, who had the highest average in a match so far at the 2026 PDC WC in the opening round.
O'Connor looked confident and was making very few mistakes, which could create issues for van Gerwen this round.
It's hard to see van Gerwen playing as poorly as he did in the first round.
He's had a below-average year for his standard, but his first-round game was worse than what we've seen him produce during his struggles.
I think MVG will know how to bounce back game after his poor performance, and that O'Connor will have a tough time replicating his first-round performance, giving MVG the chance to make a statement with a win over an in-form opponent.
Josh Rock vs. Joe Comito
Winner: Josh Rock, 3-0
Rock had some difficulties against Gemma Hayter on Friday, with doubles being the main issue.
He'll face Joe Comito next, who recently upset Niko Springer.
Comito got over the line with an average in the mid-80s, which wouldn't be enough against Rock, assuming he inches closer to the impressive season average he's had, which is much higher than the low-90s.
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