Gian van Veen Grand Slam bid: why every leg could matter

Gian van Veen’s Grand Slam challenge comes with a warning from last year: winning twice was not enough to reach the knockout stages.

The Dutchman finished behind Josh Rock and Wessel Nijman on leg difference in 2025. Now the world No 3 returns to Wolverhampton for an expanded tournament with an even tighter route through the opening round.

Van Veen faces Carl Sneyd on Saturday 14 November, with Bradley Brooks completing Group M. Only the group winner advances.

Gian van Veen Grand Slam record offers a warning

Van Veen’s best run came in 2024, when he reached the quarter-finals before losing 16-14 to Gary Anderson.

That campaign included three group victories and a 10-2 defeat of Ryan Joyce in the last 16. He has already shown he can produce the standard required to threaten the tournament’s leading players.

Last year brought a different lesson. Van Veen, Rock and Nijman each won two group matches, but Van Veen’s level leg difference left him third.

The revised format makes that experience particularly relevant. The PDC’s draw and tournament rules confirm 16 groups of three, with matches played over the best of nine legs.

Two wins would secure qualification. One defeat would leave Van Veen dependent on the other result and potentially the tie-break rules, starting with leg difference. Even in a losing performance, recovering an extra leg could prove valuable.

World Championship run strengthens his credentials

Van Veen arrives with stronger evidence of his ability to sustain a major campaign.

At January’s World Championship, he beat Luke Humphries and Anderson on the way to the final before losing 7-1 to Luke Littler. The PDC’s final report records a run that lifted him to third in the world and made him the Dutch No 1.

He also reached the Bahrain Darts Masters final, losing 8-6 to Michael van Gerwen, and the World Matchplay semi-finals, where Gerwyn Price won 17-10.

Those results support his credentials as a contender. They offer less protection in a race to five legs, where a slow start leaves little time to recover.

When does Van Veen play Sneyd and Brooks?

Van Veen meets debutant Sneyd during Saturday’s evening session, which starts at 7pm GMT. That is the session start, rather than a confirmed time for their match.

His result determines when he plays Brooks:

Opening result	Match against Brooks
Beats Sneyd	Tuesday 17 November, evening session
Loses to Sneyd	Sunday 15 November, evening session

The Group M winner faces the Group N winner on Thursday 19 November. Chris Dobey, Martin Schindler and Jan Schmidt are the possible opponents.

Our Grand Slam groups guide covers the draw, with session details in the full tournament schedule.

Humphries within reach in the rankings

The PDPA rankings checked on 10 November list Humphries on £1,062,500 and Van Veen on £1,058,750 — a gap of £3,750.

Their positions will depend on results and prize money dropping off the rolling two-year rankings. The current gap alone does not establish what Van Veen needs to overtake him.

For now, the immediate task is smaller: beat Sneyd and take control of Group M. Last year showed why Van Veen cannot afford to treat any leg as disposable.

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