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2020 World Darts Championship line-up nears completion

You can watch the draw for the 2019/20 PDC World Championship live on Sky Sports News from 7:30pm on Monday.

WILLIAM HILL WORLD DARTS CHAMPIONSHIP 2019.ALEXANDRA PALACE,.LONDON.PIC;LAWRENCE LUSTIG.FINAL.MICHAEL VAN GERWEN V MICHAEL SMITH.MICHAEL VAN GERWEN IN ACTION
Image: Van Gerwen has never retained his World Championship title before

Defending champion Michael van Gerwen will lead the 96-player field at the 2020 PDC World Championship, with just a handful of qualification spots remaining.

The 32 seeded representatives for next month's showpiece at Alexandra Palace were confirmed during this weekend's Players Championship Finals, with just a few more spots available ahead of Monday's draw, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports News at 7:30pm.

Van Gerwen is bidding to retain his crown and lift a fourth World Championship title on New Year's Day in 2020, having beaten Michael Smith in last year's tournament.

The irrepressible Dutchman will be the top seed once again, with 2018 world champion Rob Cross and Grand Slam champion Gerwyn Price seeded second and third respectively.

Gerwyn Price
Image: Gerwyn Price is one of the form men in world darts having reached three major finals within the last two months

Last year's finalist Smith is seeded fourth, with two-time champion Gary Anderson fifth as he bids to return to form following a disappointing 2019 that's been marred by injury problems.

The top ten seeds also include two-time major winner Daryl Gurney, former UK Open champion Peter Wright, nine-time major winner James Wade and the in-form duo of Ian White and Dave Chisnall - who have claimed multiple Pro Tour titles this term.

Three-time BDO world champion Glen Durrant will be seeded on his Ally Pally bow, having climbed to 27th on the PDC Order of Merit by virtue of reaching three major televised semi-finals.

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Raymond van Barneveld is among the 32 Pro Tour Order of Merit qualifiers, as the five-time world champion competes in his final event before retirement.

Van Barneveld showed signs of a resurgence with a run to the last eight at the Players Championship Finals and he'll be hoping to sign off a sensational career in style in the capital.

Raymond van Barneveld - World Series of Darts Finals
Image: Van Barneveld will be featuring in his 28th and final World Championship next month

Nevertheless, while the 32 seeds will enter the tournament in round two, Barney will be forced to compete in the opening round after relinquishing his spot in the world's top 32 earlier this season.

Jamie Hughes leads the list of Pro Tour qualifiers which also includes former Premier League stars Jelle Klaasen and Kim Huybrechts, two-time Pro Tour winner Jose De Sousa, World Cup finalist William O'Connor and former UK Open runner-up Vincent van der Voort.

Twenty-eight of the 32 International qualifiers are also finalised, with four more places up for grabs at Wigan's Robin Park Tennis Centre on Monday.

There will be three places available in the PDC Tour Card Holders Qualifier if Luke Humphries defeats Czech youngster Adam Gawlas in the World Youth Championship Final on Sunday evening, with Humphries already assured of qualification via the Pro Tour route.

There is also one spot up for grabs in the UK and Ireland Women's qualifier, with four-time women's world champion Lisa Ashton bidding to qualify for the second consecutive year.

Mikuru Suzuki
Image: Mikuru Suzuki featured at the Grand Slam of Darts earlier this month

Reigning women's world champion Mikuru Suzuki progressed in the Rest of the World Women's qualifier and headlines the International qualifiers along with South African star Devon Petersen, World Series winner Damon Heta and the veteran Paul Lim.

Top 32 Seeds: Michael van Gerwen, Rob Cross, Gerwyn Price, Michael Smith, Gary Anderson, Daryl Gurney, Peter Wright, James Wade, Ian White, Dave Chisnall, Mensur Suljovic, Nathan Aspinall, Adrian Lewis, Simon Whitlock, Joe Cullen, Jonny Clayton, Stephen Bunting, Jermaine Wattimena, Mervyn King, Darren Webster, Krzysztof Ratajski, Chris Dobey, Jeffrey de Zwaan, Max Hopp, Steve Beaton, Keegan Brown, Glen Durrant, Steve West, Dimitri Van den Bergh, John Henderson, Danny Noppert, Ricky Evans.

32 Pro Tour Qualifiers: Jamie Hughes, José de Sousa, Vincent van der Voort, Brendan Dolan, Gabriel Clemens, Justin Pipe, William O'Connor, Ron Meulenkamp, Harry Ward, Ross Smith, Kyle Anderson, Kim Huybrechts, Ted Evetts, Andy Boulton, Ryan Joyce, Raymond van Barneveld, Luke Humphries, Darius Labanauskas, Ryan Searle, Arron Monk, Ritchie Edhouse, Mark McGeeney, Josh Payne, Cristo Reyes, James Richardson, Jelle Klaasen, James Wilson, Luke Woodhouse, Steve Lennon, Rowby-John Rodriguez, Ryan Meikle, Mickey Mansell.

International Qualifiers: Seigo Asada, Danny Baggish, Keane Barry, Matt Campbell, Jan Dekker, Damon Heta, Lourence Ilagan, Jose Justicia, Marko Kantele, Robbie King, Boris Koltsov, Nitin Kumar, Nico Kurz, Zoran Lerchbacher, Paul Lim, Noel Malicdem, Geert Nentjes, Devon Petersen, Diogo Portela, Benjamin Pratnemer, Madars Razma, Ben Robb, Callan Rydz, Mikuru Suzuki, Ciaran Teehan, Yuki Yamada, Darin Young, Xiaochen Zong.

Check out daily Darts news on skysports.com/darts, our app for mobile devices and our Twitter account @skysportsdarts - the action is back on your Sky Sports screens in December with the World Championship from Alexandra Palace. It all gets underway on Friday, December 13.

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