LUKE Littler will have to wait to discover the identity of his first-round opponent at his first ranking tournament as world champion.

The Warringtonian’s Alexandra Palace victory and subsequent rise to world number two qualified him for his first tilt at the Winmau World Masters, which takes place in Milton Keynes between January 30 and February 2.

The top 24 players from the PDC Order of Merit automatically qualify for the 32-player main event, with the world’s top 16 seeded in the draw, which was made on this afternoon.

And as a result of that draw, Littler, who turns 18 today, has been paired with one of the eight players who will emerge through the Preliminary Rounds, which take place next Wednesday.

Littler’s first-round tie will take place during the evening session on Friday, January 31, with the winner facing either James Wade or Mike De Decker in the second round on Saturday.

The former Padgate Academy pupil is in the same half of the draw as Michael Van Gerwen - the man he beat to be crowned world champion earlier this month - as well as fellow 2025 Premier League entrants Nathan Aspinall and Chris Dobey among others.

2025 Winmau World Masters, schedule of play

Wednesday, January 29

Preliminary Rounds

Thursday, January 30 (7pm GMT)

First Round x8 - Match Schedule TBC

Luke Humphries v Joe Cullen

Josh Rock v Qualifier 6

Damon Heta v Ross Smith

Gerwyn Price v Qualifier 4

Rob Cross v Qualifier 8

Danny Noppert v Michael Smith

Stephen Bunting v Qualifier 5

Peter Wright v Qualifier 1

Friday, January 31 (7pm GMT)

First Round x8 - Match Schedule TBC

Luke Littler v Qualifier 3

James Wade v Mike De Decker

Jonny Clayton v Martin Schindler

Chris Dobey v Ryan Searle

Michael van Gerwen v Qualifier 2

Gary Anderson v Dimitri Van den Bergh

Dave Chisnall v Qualifier 7

Nathan Aspinall v Andrew Gilding

Saturday, February 1

Afternoon Session (12.45pm GMT)

Second Round x4

Evening Session (7pm GMT)

Second Round x4

Sunday, February 2

Afternoon Session (12.45pm GMT)

Quarter-Finals

Evening Session (7pm GMT)

Semi-Finals

Final

Format

Preliminary Rounds - Best of three sets, best of three legs per set

First Round - Best of five sets, best of three legs per set

Second Round - Best of seven sets, best of three legs per set

Quarter-Finals - Best of seven sets, best of three legs per set

Semi-Finals - Best of nine sets, best of three legs per set

Final - Best of 11 sets, best of three legs per set