Mark Webster
Former BDO world champion on Sky Sports

Set one against the darts as well from Alan Soutar. He did what he had to do and he looks really determined to cause another big upset here at the World Championship.

As Dan Dawson says, Gian van Veen averaged 104.79 in that opening set - but converted just one of eight throws at double.

Van Veen has only won one match at Ally Pally, his first-round victory against Cristo Reyes last week. Perhaps he's suffering a few nerves on the outer ring.

Dan Dawson
Commentator on Sky Sports

Image source, PA Media

What an opening set this has been from Alan Soutar. A 105 average, or near enough, from Gian van Veen is not enough.

Alan Soutar will win this opening set if he holds throw, and starts off with a 180.

On his third visit, it's T20, T20...bounce out!

But the Scot is first to a finish, and needs 56 for this set.

Single 20 is followed by D18, and that is a superb first set from the underdog.

Image source, PA Media

Alan Soutar was pushed all the way by Finnish qualifier Teemu Harju in round one, but he is looking good so far tonight.

A rougher leg this time however allows Van Veen to hold - though not before another messy conclusion on the doubles.

Alan Soutar is ranked 54th in the world, but finished that first leg like a champ.

Can Van Veen respond against the throw? He lands 180 followed by 140 to get to a 100 finish first.

Triple 16 lets him down, leaving Soutar needing 96 - but he can't find that either.

So GVV has three at doubles... misses them all!

But Soutar cannot get tops, Gian returns needing D2... then D1... no dice!

And Soutar sees it out. Poor start on the doubles from Van Veen - is another seed in trouble?

It's an unsurprisingly boisterous crowd in Ally Pally tonight. I've just seen a former work colleague wearing a giant dartboard around his face. Have a good night, Liam.

On the oche, Gian van Veen throws first and gets to a 100 finish - but is put under pressure by an Alan Soutar 180.

And then Soutar sees out a 124 finish with bullseye on the third! Brilliant start by the Scot.

Mark Webster
Former BDO world champion on Sky Sports

It's the consistency of his performances - if you beat Gian van Veen, you have to do something pretty special. He rarely lets himself down, he always performs to a high level.

It was hugely important to get that first win [at the World Championship] and it wasn't easy because Cristo Reyes played really well.

He looks the part, he looks like a major champion. We saw what winning a major title did for Luke Humphries and it can go one of two ways - he's thinking he can win any event he plays and I think he'll be OK tonight.

Right, time to focus on tonight's action.

World youth champion Gian van Veen is seeded 10th, but is many people's hot tip to go all the way this year.

Can he avoid the curse of the seeds against Scotland's Alan Soutar? Let's find out.

Image source, Getty Images

Mark Webster
Former BDO world champion on Sky Sports

What's happened will re-focus these seeds. I think they'll all be OK tonight but they've got to be wary because seeds are falling left, right and centre.

Come here, put on a performance and get yourself to that Christmas break. That's part one of the World Championship, then it's the business end when you're playing day in, day out.

Laura Turner
Ex-Women's World Championship quarter-finalist on Sky Sports

We've lost 14 seeds and we still haven't completed the second round.

For the seeds who are left in, they're on warning, they know they are vulnerable - however, this could really present an opportunity.

Now you're starting to see sections of the draw open up for some of those seeds who have successfully negotiated their way to after Christmas.

Seeded players have not had the smoothest of times at the World Darts Championship so far, with James Wade the highest-ranked man to join them on the 2026 scrapheap.

Wade's epic defeat by Ricky Evans a few hours ago means nearly half of the top 32 players in the draw have gone out before the third round.

Here are the seeded players who have exited:

• James Wade (7)
• Chris Dobey (8)
• Gerwyn Price (9)
• Ross Smith (12)
• Mike de Decker (18)
• Dave Chisnall (21)
• Dimitri Van den Bergh (23)
• Ryan Joyce (24)
• Cameron Menzies (26)
• Ritchie Edhouse (27)
• Michael Smith (28)
• Dirk van Duijvenbode (29)
• Wessel Nijman (31)
• Joe Cullen (32)

Image source, Getty Images

• Darren Beveridge 1-3 Madars Razma
• Wessel Nijman 0-3 Gabriel Clemens
• David Munyua 0-3 Kevin Doets
• James Wade 2-3 Ricky Evans

Seventh seed James Wade suffered a fourth successive second-round exit from the PDC World Championship, losing a thrilling tie to fellow Englishman Ricky Evans.

Both players missed match darts in the deciding set, with world number 43 Evans eventually taking it 6-4 in the fifth.

Wade is the highest-ranked seed to be eliminated so far and his defeat, along with Wessel Nijman's loss earlier on Monday, mean 14 of the 32 seeded players have now been knocked out of the tournament.

Dutch 31st seed Nijman lost in straight sets to Germany's Gabriel Clemens, who reached the last four in 2023.

Elsewhere, Kenyan debutant David Munyua was unable to follow up his shock win over Mike de Decker in round one, winning just two legs in a 3-0 defeat by world number 40 Kevin Doets, while Scotland's Darren Beveridge was beaten 3-1 by Latvia's Madars Razma.

Image source, PA Media

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• Gian van Veen v Alan Soutar
• Nathan Aspinall v Leonard Gates
• Luke Humphries v Paul Lim
• Charlie Manby v Adam Sevada

Good evening, and welcome back to our live coverage of the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship.

We have a generational clash tonight, as former world champion Luke Humphries faces 71-year-old sensation Paul Lim.

There are three other second-round matches too, so plenty of darts delight to accompany your mince pies.