Van Gerwen won his first two matches in the 2018 World Championship against Christian Kist and James Wilson respectively. In his third round match against Price, van Gerwen won 4–2 despite losing seven legs in a row. In the quarter-final, van Gerwen faced Raymond van Barneveld.
In the 2018 World Championship, Van Gerwen started strong by winning his first two matches against Kist and Wilson. He then overcame Price's challenge with a 4-2 victory despite losing seven consecutive legs in the third round. In the quarter-finals, he faced Raymond van Barneveld.