Dimitri Van den Bergh, the 2020 World Matchplay champion, will not be participating in the 2026 tournament, along with other notable absentees Peter Wright and Michael Smith. The field feels like it's shifting, according to Nicolas Gayer, with several big names missing from the lineup.
What happened?
The 2026 World Matchplay will begin with a very different feel in Blackpool. Luke Littler returns as defending champion, and Luke Humphries arrives as one of his most obvious challengers. However, several players with deep Winter Gardens history will not be there at all. Peter Wright, Michael Smith, and Dimitri Van den Bergh are the headline absentees from this year's field.
Why it matters for Dimitri Van den Bergh
Van den Bergh's omission is another major one in Matchplay terms. The Belgian won the title in 2020, reached the final again in 2021, and made the semi-finals in 2022. He was also a quarter-finalist as recently as 2024, when he hit a nine-darter against Martin Schindler before losing to eventual champion Humphries.
What comes next?
The absence of these big names has raised questions about the future of the sport. Kieran Wood admitted he struggled to see a route back for Peter Wright, who is outside the field altogether. Wood suggested that Wright's tone around his predictions now feels different, and he's almost saying it to try and believe it.
Daryl Gurney and Raymond van Barneveld are also missing out on the tournament. Gurney has had plenty of good nights at the Winter Gardens, reaching the semi-finals in both 2017 and 2019, and was back in the quarter-finals in 2023 after wins over Rob Cross and Gary Anderson.
The 2026 World Matchplay will begin with a new era taking shape, and it will be interesting to see how the tournament unfolds without some of its biggest names.
The impact on the field
The field feels like it's shifting, according to Nicolas Gayer. The absence of these big names has created opportunities for other players to step up and make a name for themselves. Luke Humphries, the defending champion, will be looking to capitalize on the absence of his rivals and make a strong defense of his title.
The 2026 World Matchplay promises to be an exciting tournament, with a new era taking shape and several players looking to make their mark. The absence of Dimitri Van den Bergh, Peter Wright, and Michael Smith will undoubtedly be felt, but it will also create opportunities for other players to shine.