European champion Gian van Veen safely progressed to the second round of the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship, but the evening at Alexandra Palace also delivered one of the tournament’s first major shocks as 12th seed Ross Smith was eliminated in the opening round.
Van Veen’s victory continues his impressive rise in the professional game, while Smith’s surprise defeat underlined the unforgiving nature of darts’ biggest stage.
Van Veen Secures Long-Awaited Ally Pally Win
After falling at the first hurdle on his previous two appearances at Alexandra Palace, Gian van Veen finally broke his World Championship duck with a 3–1 victory over Spain’s Cristo Reyes.
The 23-year-old Dutchman, seeded 10th, arrived in London with high expectations following a standout 2025 season that included his first major PDC title at the European Championship in October.
Despite showing early nerves, Van Veen battled through a tense opening set before finding his rhythm in the second, producing a stunning 107 average to take firm control of the match.
Reyes responded bravely, producing a moment of magic with a 167 checkout to claim the first leg of the third set and briefly swing momentum his way. He even earned a crucial break in the fourth set, but Van Veen’s composure and resilience shone through as he recovered to seal victory.
Van Veen finished with an overall average of 98.91, showing both grit and quality to secure his place in round two.
“Finally across that line,” Van Veen told Sky Sports.
“Walking on this stage, you feel like a 16-year-old again — I was so nervous. But as soon as the first darts went in, I thought, ‘OK, you belong here.’”
Ross Smith Stunned by Debutant Harrysson
While Van Veen celebrated, Ross Smith’s World Championship hopes came to a sudden end after a dramatic 3–2 defeat to Sweden’s Andreas Harrysson.
The 50-year-old debutant produced one of the performances of the tournament so far, capitalising on missed opportunities from the 12th seed.
Smith came agonisingly close to victory, missing six match darts in the fourth set, and Harrysson showed remarkable composure to punish those errors. The Swede surged through the deciding set, winning it three legs to one to complete a memorable upset on his World Championship debut.
Evans and Heta Progress in Evening Session
Elsewhere in the evening session, Ricky Evans delivered a controlled performance to beat Man Lok Leung of Hong Kong 3–0, while Australian 16th seed Damon Heta overcame Ireland’s Steve Lennon 3–1 to advance.
Both players looked comfortable on the Alexandra Palace stage and will carry confidence into the next round.
Rob Cross Cruises Through Afternoon Session
Earlier in the day, former world champion Rob Cross booked his place in the second round with a commanding 3–0 victory over Norway’s Cor Dekker.
Cross, who famously won the title on his debut in 2018, has endured a difficult year and slipped to 17th in the world rankings, but looked composed and assured throughout the contest.
The Englishman averaged just under 100 in the opening set, before easing off slightly while still maintaining control. Dekker struggled on the doubles on his World Championship debut, and Cross was ruthless on the outer ring.
The highlight came at the end, as Cross sealed the win in style with a spectacular 170 checkout — the ‘big fish’. He finished with an average of 90.84 and an impressive 47.4% checkout success rate.
“I was a bit edgy today, but to finish with that one — I’ve been doing that all week,” Cross said.
“There’s a lot more in the tank yet. If I play my best stuff, I’ve definitely got a chance.”
Cross will face Ian White in round two, after White held off a late fightback from Mervyn King to win 3–2.
Searle and Zonneveld Also Advance
Ryan Searle, the 20th seed, made short work of Chris Landman, winning 3–0 and firing in five 180s along the way.
The opening match of day two saw Niels Zonneveld claim a 3–0 victory over New Zealand’s Haupai Puha, setting the tone for another busy day at Alexandra Palace.
Friday Results Recap
Afternoon Session
- Niels Zonneveld 3–0 Haupai Puha
- Ian White 3–2 Mervyn King
- Ryan Searle (20) 3–0 Chris Landman
- Rob Cross (17) 3–0 Cor Dekker
Evening Session
- Ross Smith (12) 2–3 Andreas Harrysson
- Ricky Evans 3–0 Man Lok Leung
- Gian van Veen (10) 3–1 Cristo Reyes
- Damon Heta (16) 3–1 Steve Lennon
Saturday Schedule Highlights
Afternoon Session (12:30 GMT)
- Mario Vandenbogaerde v David Davies
- Andrew Gilding v Cam Crabtree
- Luke Woodhouse (25) v Boris Krcmar
- Gary Anderson (14) v Adam Hunt
Evening Session (19:00 GMT)
- Jeffrey de Graaf v Paul Lim
- Wessel Nijman (31) v Karel Sedlacek
- Luke Humphries (2) v Ted Evetts
- Gabriel Clemens v Alex Spellman
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