The 2019 Paddy Power Champions League of Darts takes place at the Morningside Arena in Leicester this weekend, as Gary Anderson looks to defend his title.

The fourth edition of the Champions League will see the event staged in Leicester for the first time, with the top eight players in the world doing battle for £250,000 in prize money.

The eight stars are split into two groups of four for the round-robin phase over the opening three sessions, before the top two from each group progress to compete in the semi-finals and final.

Saturday October 19 will see the opening eight group stage matches played across two sessions, before Sunday October 20 sees the final group stage games played in the afternoon, followed by the semi-finals and final in the evening.

The biggest crowd prize in world sport will also be on offer at the event, with a £100,000 reward from sponsors Paddy Power to shared evenly amongst the Leicester crowd if a player hits a nine-dart finish.

Just over 12 months ago, Anderson joined Phil Taylor and Mensur Suljovic on the Champions League roll of honour, and the Scot will open his defence against Michael Smith in his first Group A game.

Anderson defeated his World Cup-winning partner Peter Wright in last year’s final, and the colourful Scot is determined to go one better this time out.

World Champion Van Gerwen will be out to win the tournament for the first time and complete his collection of titles in PDC Premier televised tournaments.

Since being runner-up to Taylor in the inaugural Champions League in 2016, the world number one has not reached the final since, something he is eager to put right in Leicester after winning last week’s World Grand Prix.

After Saturday’s evening session, Daryl Gurney will have his head shaved in aid of the Cystic Fibrosis Care charity, with over £10,000 in donations already received.

Gurney will be joined in Group B by World Matchplay champion Rob Cross, Wright and Welshman Gerwyn Price, who will be making his debut in the event.

2019 Paddy Power Champions League of Darts
Schedule of Play

Saturday October 19
Afternoon Session (1315 BST start)
4x Group Matches
Daryl Gurney v Peter Wright (Group B)
Rob Cross v Gerwyn Price (Group B)
Michael Smith v Gary Anderson (Group A)
Michael van Gerwen v James Wade (Group A)

Evening Session (1830 BST start)
4x Group Matches
Afternoon session’s winning players face each other, and losing players face each other

Sunday October 20
Afternoon Session (1315 BST start)
4x Group Matches
Remaining group matches

Evening Session (1830 BST start)
Semi-Finals
Final

Format
Group stage matches – Best of 19 legs
Semi-Finals and Final – Best of 21 legs