# 2016 World Matchplay

The 2016 BetVictor World Matchplay was the 23rd annual staging of the World Matchplay, organised by the Professional Darts Corporation. The tournament took place at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool, from 16–24 July 2016.
Michael van Gerwen successfully defended his World Matchplay title by defeating Phil Taylor 18–10 in the final. It was the first (and would turn out to be, only) time that Taylor has been defeated in a World Matchplay final. Van Gerwen also became only the third player to successfully defend the Matchplay trophy after Taylor and Rod Harrington.
The second round was also reduced in length from best of 25 legs to best of 21 legs. This still remains the current format for the World Matchplay.
This tournament was the first time in the event's history that no matches went into 'extra legs', the first time that Taylor had been defeated in the final after winning his previous 15, and the first time that Robert Thornton won a match at the event. It was also the first time that James Wade was defeated before the World Matchplay quarter finals, after losing to Mervyn King in the first round.

## Prize money

The prize fund remained at £450,000 as it has been since the 2014 event.
| Position (no. of players) | Position (no. of players) | Prize money (Total: £450,000) |
| Winner | (1) | £100,000 |
| Runner-Up | (1) | £50,000 |
| Semi-finalists | (2) | £27,000 |
| Quarter-finalists | (4) | £17,500 |
| Second round | (8) | £10,000 |
| First round | (16) | £6,000 |

## Format

In previous stagings of the event all games had to be won by two clear legs with no sudden-death legs. However, in 2013 after consulting the host broadcaster Sky Sports, the PDC decided that games will now only proceed for a maximum of six extra legs before a tie-break leg is required. For example, in a best of 19 legs first round match, if the score reaches 12–12 then the 25th leg will be the decider.

## Draw

| First round (best of 19 legs) 16–18 July | First round (best of 19 legs) 16–18 July | First round (best of 19 legs) 16–18 July | Second round (best of 21 legs) 19–20 July | Second round (best of 21 legs) 19–20 July | Second round (best of 21 legs) 19–20 July | Quarter-finals (best of 31 legs) 21–22 July | Quarter-finals (best of 31 legs) 21–22 July | Quarter-finals (best of 31 legs) 21–22 July | | Semi-finals (best of 33 legs) 23 July | Semi-finals (best of 33 legs) 23 July | Semi-finals (best of 33 legs) 23 July | | Final (best of 35 legs) 24 July | Final (best of 35 legs) 24 July | Final (best of 35 legs) 24 July |
| 1 | Michael van Gerwen 105.85 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Jamie Caven 79.98 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Jamie Caven 79.98 | 0 | 1 | Michael van Gerwen 102.97 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Kyle Anderson 87.77 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Vincent van der Voort 89.99 | 4 | | Kyle Anderson 87.77 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Kyle Anderson 92.34 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Kyle Anderson 92.34 | 10 | | | | 1 | Michael van Gerwen 98.72 | 16 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 9 | Dave Chisnall 90.93 | 9 | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Robert Thornton 91.19 | 10 | | | | | | | 9 | Dave Chisnall 90.93 | 9 | | | | | | | | |
| | Josh Payne 85.87 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Josh Payne 85.87 | 7 | 8 | Robert Thornton 88.24 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 9 | Dave Chisnall 99.67 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Dave Chisnall 94.37 | 10 | 9 | Dave Chisnall 99.67 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Benito van de Pas 89.23 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Benito van de Pas 89.23 | 7 | | | | | | | | 1 | Michael van Gerwen 101.20 | 17 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 4 | Adrian Lewis 98.24 | 9 | | | | |
| 5 | Peter Wright 99.66 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | Adrian Lewis 98.24 | 9 | | | | |
| | Joe Cullen 87.73 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Joe Cullen 87.73 | 5 | 5 | Peter Wright 98.87 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 12 | Ian White 95.71 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Ian White 91.46 | 10 | 12 | Ian White 95.71 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Daryl Gurney 84.49 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Daryl Gurney 84.49 | 2 | | | | 5 | Peter Wright 95.93 | 14 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 4 | Adrian Lewis 97.33 | 16 | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Adrian Lewis 93.96 | 10 | | | | | | | 4 | Adrian Lewis 97.33 | 16 | | | | | | | | |
| | Mark Webster 88.62 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mark Webster 88.62 | 6 | 4 | Adrian Lewis 84.55 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Gerwyn Price 82.06 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Kim Huybrechts 97.89 | 8 | | Gerwyn Price 82.06 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Gerwyn Price 95.10 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Gerwyn Price 95.10 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Michael van Gerwen 103.93 | 18 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Phil Taylor 101.13 | 10 |
| 2 | Gary Anderson 101.28 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Phil Taylor 101.13 | 10 |
| | Alan Norris 91.06 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Alan Norris 91.06 | 1 | 2 | Gary Anderson 100.76 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 15 | Terry Jenkins 84.97 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 15 | Terry Jenkins 85.75 | 10 | 15 | Terry Jenkins 84.97 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Justin Pipe 87.95 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Justin Pipe 87.95 | 7 | | | | 2 | Gary Anderson 96.52 | 16 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Steve Beaton 91.30 | 13 | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Michael Smith 97.20 | 10 | | | | | | | | Steve Beaton 91.30 | 13 | | | | | | | | |
| | Simon Whitlock 94.28 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Simon Whitlock 94.28 | 6 | 7 | Michael Smith 92.95 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Steve Beaton 99.16 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Jelle Klaasen 93.00 | 6 | | Steve Beaton 99.16 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Steve Beaton 94.26 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Steve Beaton 94.26 | 10 | | | | | | | | 2 | Gary Anderson 96.83 | 8 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Phil Taylor 101.27 | 17 | | | | |
| 6 | James Wade 95.88 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Phil Taylor 101.27 | 17 | | | | |
| | Mervyn King 99.45 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mervyn King 99.45 | 10 | | Mervyn King 89.05 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Brendan Dolan 89.74 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Raymond van Barneveld 92.79 | 7 | | Brendan Dolan 89.74 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Brendan Dolan 90.68 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Brendan Dolan 90.68 | 10 | | | | | Mervyn King 93.26 | 14 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 3 | Phil Taylor 101.41 | 16 | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Phil Taylor 98.72 | 10 | | | | | | | 3 | Phil Taylor 101.41 | 16 | | | | | | | | |
| | Robbie Green 88.13 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Robbie Green 88.13 | 8 | 3 | Phil Taylor 101.11 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Mensur Suljović 97.14 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Stephen Bunting 102.48 | 8 | | Mensur Suljović 97.14 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mensur Suljović 98.44 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |