Gary Anderson, Peter Wright and James Wade will headline the opening night of the 2017 BetVictor World Matchplay a week on Saturday.

The schedule of play for the major tournament, which this year features a record £500,000 in prize money, has been released, with the trio of major winners all set to be in action at Blackpool’s famous Winter Gardens on the first day on Saturday, July 22.

Former world youth champion Michael Smith will face World Matchplay debutant Steve West in the opening game of the tournament, before 2007 champion James Wade takes on Darren Webster.

World number two Gary Anderson then gets his campaign started against debutant Christian Kist, before UK Open champion Peter Wright, the number three seed, faces another debutant James Wilson in the last game of day one.

The following day includes a double session of first round matches, starting in the afternoon with Premier League ace Jelle Klaasen facing two-time Blackpool quarter-finalist Justin Pipe, who snatched the final qualification spot in the tournament last weekend.

Former UK Open and World Grand Prix champion Robert Thornton then plays Spanish debutant Cristo Reyes, emerging talents Benito van de Pas and Daryl Gurney clash before last year’s European Championship runner-up Mensur Suljovic meets John Henderson.

Phil Taylor, a 15-time winner of the World Matchplay, begins his final challenge in Blackpool before retirement in Sunday’s evening session when he takes on UK Open finalist Gerwyn Price.

Sunday night will also see Premier League stars Dave Chisnall, Raymond van Barneveld and Kim Huybrechts all in action, as they take on Mervyn King, Joe Cullen and Alan Norris respectively.

The first round reaches its conclusion on Monday, July 24 with the reigning World Matchplay champion Michael van Gerwen beginning his bid for a third successive title in Blackpool against Stephen Bunting.

The final night of first round action begins with the all-Australian clash between Simon Whitlock and Kyle Anderson, before Adrian Lewis takes on Steve Beaton and Ian White meets fast-emerging debutant Rob Cross.

The second round then takes place across the next two days (July 25 and 26), with the quarter-finals following on July 27 and 28, before the semi-finals and final are held over July 29 and 30, with the eventual champion taking home £115,000.

2017 BetVictor World Matchplay

Saturday July 22 (7pm)

First Round

Michael Smith v Steve West

James Wade v Darren Webster

Gary Anderson v Christian Kist

Peter Wright v James Wilson

Sunday July 23

Afternoon Session (1pm)

Jelle Klaasen v Justin Pipe

Robert Thornton v Cristo Reyes

Benito van de Pas v Daryl Gurney

Mensur Suljovic v John Henderson

Evening Session (7.30pm)

Dave Chisnall v Mervyn King

Phil Taylor v Gerwyn Price

Raymond van Barneveld v Joe Cullen

Kim Huybrechts v Alan Norris

Monday July 24 (7pm)

Simon Whitlock v Kyle Anderson

Adrian Lewis v Steve Beaton

Michael van Gerwen v Stephen Bunting

Ian White v Rob Cross

Tuesday July 25 (7pm)

Second Round

Suljovic/Henderson v Klaasen/Pipe

Wade/Webster v Smith/West

Anderson/Kist v Van de Pas/Gurney

Wright/Wilson v Thornton/Reyes

Wednesday July 26 (7pm)

Chisnall/King v Huybrechts/Norris

Lewis/Beaton v White/Cross

Taylor/Price v Van Barneveld/Cullen

Van Gerwen/Bunting v Whitlock/Anderson

Thursday July 27 (7pm)

2x Quarter-Finals

Friday July 28 (7pm)

2x Quarter-Finals

Saturday July 29 (7pm)

Semi-Finals

Sunday July 30 (7pm)

Final

Format

First Round – Best of 19 legs

Second Round – Best of 21 legs

Quarter-Finals – Best of 31 legs

Semi-Finals – Best of 33 legs

Final – Best of 35 legs

* Each game must be won by two clear legs, with up to a maximum of five additional legs being played before the sixth additional leg is sudden-death. For example, should a First Round game (best of 19 legs) reach 12-12, then the 25th leg would be the final and deciding leg.

Prize Fund

Winner £115,000

Runner-Up £55,000

Semi-Finalists £30,000

Quarter-Finalists £17,500

Second Round Losers £11,000

First Round Losers £7,000

Total £500,000

* Should any player achieve a nine-dart finish, a £10,000 bonus will be on offer, which would be shared on a pro-rata basis should more than one player hit a perfect leg.