THE schedule of play for the 2015 William Hill World Darts Championship has been confirmed, with reigning champion Michael van Gerwen and former champion John Part in action when the £1.25million event kicks off on Thursday December 18.

The sport's biggest tournament will be held across 20 sessions in 14 days of play at London's Alexandra Palace throughout the Christmas and New Year period, as players from 21 countries do battle for the Sid Waddell Trophy.

The six days of play from December 18-23 ahead of the Christmas break will feature the preliminary and first rounds, with the second round and third round held from December 27-30 before the tournament returns on New Year's Day for the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.

Reigning champion Michael van Gerwen will headline the opening night on December 18 as he begins the defence of his title against Joe Cullen.

Three-time World Champion John Part opens the tournament against reigning PDC Unicorn World Youth Champion John Part, with former Lakeside Champions Jelle Klaasen and Christian Kist clashing before Wes Newton plays the winner of the preliminary round tie between Christian Perez and Cristo Reyes.

The second night of action on Friday December 19 will feature 16-time World Champion Phil Taylor, as he begins his bid to win back the title against Jyhan Artut.

Former finalists Andy Hamilton and Peter Wright are in action against debutants Dave Richardson and Gerwyn Price, while Stuart Kellett plays either Kim Viljanen or Sascha Stein.

The weekend features double sessions on Saturday December 20 and Sunday December 21, with play in both the afternoon and evening at Alexandra Palace.

Saturday's afternoon session will see former UK Open champion Robert Thornton meet Andrew Gilding, Andy Smith's game with Ronny Huybrechts, Justin Pipe up against Lawrence Ryder and Ronnie Baxter playing either Scott Mackenzie or Daryl Gurney.

World number four Gary Anderson - the 2011 runner-up - plays either Mark McGrath or Scott Kirchner in Saturday's evening session, with two players who nit nine-darters in last year's event, Terry Jenkins and Kyle Anderson, up against John weber and Steve Beaton respectively.

2010 finalist Simon Whitlock completes a trio of Australians in action on Saturday night as he takes on Darren Webster.

Sunday's afternoon session will see 2004 World Championship runner-up Kevin Painter in action against either Boris Koltsov or Haruki Muramatsu.

Former Lakeside Champion Mark Webster meets Holland's Ron Meulenkamp, Paul Nicholson faces Benito van de Pas and Dean Winstanley is up against Wayne Jones.

Sunday's evening session will include November's Masters champion James Wade facing Jamie Lewis and Grand Slam of Darts finalist Dave Chisnall's clash with Ryan De Vreede.

Kim Huybrechts faces Mickey Mansell, while Ian White will take on the winner of the preliminary round game between Jani Haavisto and John Michael.

The final two days of pre-Christmas action will be held in evening sessions on Monday December 22 and Tuesday December 23.

Monday's session will include five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld's game with Austrian debutant Rowby-John Rodriguez.

Former World Youth Champion Michael Smith meets Mensur Suljovic and Jamie Caven plays Jason Hogg, while Brendan Dolan will face either Nolan Arendse or Alex Hon.

Two-time World Champion Adrian Lewis takes on David Pallett on Tuesday December 23, with reigning Lakeside Champion Stephen Bunting making his Alexandra Palace debut against either Jermaine Wattimena or Robert Marijanovic.

Mervyn King will meet German teenager Max Hopp, and Holland's Vincent van der Voort plays John Henderson.

Tickets for the William Hill World Darts Championship are still available but selling fast, with the majority of sessions now sold out.

Tickets can be purchased through the following methods: SeeTickets - official box office through pdc.seetickets.com or by calling 0844 871 8807.

viagogo - official ticket exchange through www.viagogo.co.uk.

Thomas Cook Sport - official hotel & ticket break packages through www.thomascooksport.com.

Hospitality Packages through the PDC Head Office by calling 08712 501 180.

2015 William Hill World Darts Championship Schedule of Play.

Preliminary & First Rounds.

Thursday December 18.

7.10pm John Part (30) v Keegan Brown.

8.15pm Christian Perez v Cristo Reyes (P).

9.00pm Jelle Klaasen (29) v Christian Kist.

10.00pm Michael van Gerwen (1) v Joe Cullen.

11.00pm Wes Newton (13) v Christian Perez/Cristo Reyes.

Friday December 19.

7.10pm Andy Hamilton (12) v Dave Richardson.

8.15pm Kim Viljanen v Sascha Stein (P).

9.00pm Peter Wright (5) v Gerwyn Price .

10.00pm Phil Taylor (2) v Jyhan Artut.

11.00pm Stuart Kellett (32) v Kim Viljanen/Sascha Stein.

Saturday December 20.

Afternoon Session.

12.40pm Andy Smith (28) v Ronny Huybrechts.

2.15pm Scott Mackenzie v Daryl Gurney (P).

3.00pm Justin Pipe (17) v Lawrence Ryder.

4.00pm Robert Thornton (9) v Andrew Gilding.

5.00pm Ronnie Baxter (24) v Scott Mackenzie/Daryl Gurney.

Evening Session.

7.10pm Steve Beaton (21) v Kyle Anderson.

8.15pm Mark McGrath v Scott Kirchner (P).

9.00pm Terry Jenkins (16) v John Weber.

10.00pm Simon Whitlock (7) v Darren Webster.

11.00pm Gary Anderson (4) v Mark McGrath/Scott Kirchner.

Sunday December 21.

Afternoon Session.

12.40pm Paul Nicholson (25) v Benito van de Pas.

2.15pm Boris Koltsov v Haruki Muramatsu (P).

3.00pm Mark Webster (31) v Ron Meulenkamp.

4.00pm Dean Winstanley (26) v Wayne Jones.

5.00pm Kevin Painter (20) v Boris Koltsov/Haruki Muramatsu.

Evening Session.

7.10pm Kim Huybrechts (18) v Michael Mansell.

8.15pm Jani Haavisto v John Michael (P).

9.00pm Dave Chisnall (8) v Ryan De Vreede.

10.00pm James Wade (6) v Jamie Lewis.

11.00pm Ian White (15) v Jani Haavisto/John Michael.

Monday December 22.

7.10pm Jamie Caven (19) v Jason Hogg.

8.15pm Nolan Arendse v Alex Hon (P).

9.00pm Michael Smith (22) v Mensur Suljovic.

10.00pm Raymond van Barneveld (14) v Rowby-John Rodriguez.

11.00pm Brendan Dolan (11) v Nolan Arendse/Alex Hon.

Tuesday December 23.

7.10pm Vincent van der Voort (23) v John Henderson.

8.15pm Jermaine Wattimena v Robert Marijanovic (P).

9.00pm Mervyn King (10) v Max Hopp.

10.00pm Adrian Lewis (3) v David Pallett.

11.00pm Stephen Bunting (27) v Jermaine Wattimena/Robert Marijanovic.

Second Round.

Saturday December 27.

Afternoon Session.

12.40pm Thornton/Gilding v Baxter/Mackenzie/Gurney.

2.15pm Jenkins/Weber v Pipe/Ryder.

3.45pm Wright/Price v A Smith/R Huybrechts.

Evening Session.

7.10pm Chisnall/De Vreede v Nicholson/van de Pas.

8.40pm van Gerwen/Cullen v Kellett/Viljanen/Stein.

10.15pm G Anderson/McGrath/Kirchner v Klaasen/Kist.

Sunday December 28.

Afternoon Session.

12.40pm Hamilton/Richardson v Beaton/K Anderson.

2.15pm Newton/Perez/Reyes v Painter/Koltsov/Muramatsu.

3.45pm White/Haavisto/Michael v K Huybrechts/Mansell.

Evening Session.

7.10pm Whitlock/D Webster v Winstanley/Jones.

8.40pm Taylor/Artut v M Webster/Meulenkamp.

10.15pm A Lewis/Pallett v Part/Brown.

Monday December 29.

Afternoon Session.

12.40pm Dolan/Arendse/Hon v M Smith/Suljovic.

2.15pm King/Hopp v van der Voort /Henderson.

3.45pm van Barneveld/Rodriguez v Caven/Hogg Evening Session.

7.10pm Wade/J Lewis v Bunting/Wattimena/Marijanovic.

Third Round.

8.40pm van Gerwen/Cullen/Kellett/Viljanen/Stein v Jenkins/Weber/Pipe/Ryder.

10.15pm Chisnall/De Vreede/Nicholson/van de Pas v Thornton/Gilding/Baxter/MacKenzie/Gurney.

Tuesday December 30.

Afternoon Session.

12.40pm Wright/Price/A Smith/R Huybrechts v Hamilton/Richardson/Beaton/K Anderson.

2.15pm G Anderson/McGrath/Kirchner/Klaasen/Kist v Newton/Perez/Reyes/Painter/Koltsov/Muramatsu.

3.45pm Whitlock/D Webster/Winstanley/Jones v King/Hopp/van der Voort/Henderson.

Evening Session.

7.10pm A Lewis/Pallett/Part/Brown v van Barneveld/Rodriguez/Caven/Hogg.

8.40pm Taylor/Artut/M Webster/Meulenkamp v White/Haavisto/Michael/K Huybrechts/Mansell.

10.15pm Wade/J Lewis/Bunting/Wattimena/Marijanovic v Dolan/Arendse/Hon/M Smith/ Suljovic.

Quarter-Finals, Thursday January 1-2.

Semi-Finals, Saturday, January 3.

Final, Sunday, January 4.

Format.

Preliminary Round - Best of seven legs.

First Round - Best of five sets.

Second Round - Best of seven sets.

Third Round - Best of seven sets.

Quarter-Finals - Best of nine sets.

Semi-Finals - Best of 11 sets.

Final - Best of 13 sets.

All sets are the best of five legs. For all matches using the Sets format, there will be a tie-break in the deciding set only, where the final set must be won by two clear legs. Should the score in the final set reach 5-5, a sudden-death leg would be played.

Prize Fund.

Winner £250,000.

Runner-Up £120,000.

Semi-Finalists £60,000.

Quarter-Finalists £35,000.

Third Round Losers £18,000.

Second Round Losers £12,000.

First Round Losers £8,000.

Preliminary Round Losers £3,500.

Total £1,250,000.

In addition, a £10,000 bonus is on offer for a nine-dart finish. Should more than one nine-dart finish be hit during the tournament, the bonus would be shared on a pro-rata basis.