World Champion, Luke Littler’s title defence begins with a clash against Australia’s eternal wizard Simon Whitlock, after the PDC confirmed the draw and schedule for the Jack’s Casino World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam. The Nuke is the reigning champ of most things that start with the letters PDC, including this event which he will be keen to hang onto.
From 12-14 September, the AFAS Live arena will host 32 of the sport’s biggest names which sees Littler returns to the stage where he lifted the trophy last year. His first assignment? The 55-year-old Whitlock, still wielding his trademark ponytail and still capable of ruining anyone’s night when the doubles land.
The Dutch crowd will have plenty to get loud about. Five-time World Series Finals champion Michael van Gerwen faces his young compatriot Wessel Nijman in a clash of generations, while Raymond van Barneveld – the people’s champion forever and ever, amen – starts against Norway’s Cor Dekker.
Numero uno seed Stephen Bunting, who topped the 2025 World Series Rankings with wins in Bahrain and Copenhagen, faces fellow Dutchman Danny Noppert, a man who made the final back in 2019 and has been threatening to do it again ever since.
Elsewhere, world number one Luke Humphries takes on James Wade while Gerwyn Price and Rob Cross are dispatched to meet qualifiers Danny Lauby (USA) and Haupai Puha (New Zealand) respectively.
World Grand Prix Champion, Mike De Decker is the eighth seed and goes up against Gabriel Clemens, while Nathan Aspinall versus Dave Chisnall promises fireworks. In another tasty looking contest, Chris Dobey gets Luke Woodhouse for company.
The schedule has been neatly sliced into three days of action. Friday night brings a blockbuster opening with Humphries against Wade, Van Gerwen versus Nijman and Bunting clashing with Noppert, preceded by stable-mates Kevin Doets and Jermaine Wattimena in the Dutch curtain-raiser. Saturday afternoon concludes round one with Littler vs Whitlock as one of the stand out ties.
Sunday is when everything is decided. Quarter-finals in the afternoon, semi-finals and final in the evening – all for an £80,000 winner’s cheque out of a £400,000 prize pot. In short: plenty of players, plenty of money, and a guarantee that someone will inevitably miss double 12 for a nine-darter just when the crowd gets their phones out.
ROUND ONE
Friday September 12 (1900 local time)
Kevin Doets v Jermaine Wattimena
Krzysztof Ratajski v Josh Rock
Damon Heta v Joe Cullen
Mike De Decker v Gabriel Clemens
Luke Humphries v James Wade
Wessel Nijman v Michael van Gerwen
Stephen Bunting v Danny Noppert
Rob Cross v Haupai Puha
Saturday September 13 (1245 local time)
Chris Dobey v Luke Woodhouse
Cameron Menzies v Peter Wright
Jonny Tata v Ross Smith
Cor Dekker v Raymond van Barneveld
Gerwyn Price v Danny Lauby
Luke Littler v Simon Whitlock
Jonny Clayton v Jason Brandon
Nathan Aspinall v Dave Chisnall
ROUND TWO
Evening Session (1900 local time)
De Decker/Clemens v Heta/Cullen
Bunting/Noppert v Ratajski/Rock
Humphries/Wade v Doets/Wattimena
Cross/Puha v Nijman/Van Gerwen
Price/Lauby v Dekker/Van Barneveld
Dobey/Woodhouse v Menzies/Wright
Littler/Whitlock v Clayton/Brandon
Aspinall/Chisnall v Tata/R Smith
2025 Jack’s Casino World Series of Darts Finals
September 12-14
Draw Bracket
(1) Stephen Bunting v Danny Noppert
Krzysztof Ratajski v Josh Rock
(8) Mike De Decker v Gabriel Clemens
Damon Heta v Joe Cullen
(4) Luke Humphries v James Wade
Kevin Doets v Jermaine Wattimena
(5) Rob Cross v Haupai Puha
Wessel Nijman v Michael van Gerwen
(2) Luke Littler v Simon Whitlock
Jonny Clayton v Jason Brandon
(7) Nathan Aspinall v Dave Chisnall
Jonny Tata v Ross Smith
(3) Gerwyn Price v Danny Lauby
Cor Dekker v Raymond van Barneveld
(6) Chris Dobey v Luke Woodhouse
Cameron Menzies v Peter Wright
—–ENDS—–
Images: PDC
