European Darts Open 2026 kicks off in Leverkusen with early-round action
The 2026 European Darts Open, the tenth tournament on the PDC European Tour, runs from 10‑12 July at the Ostermann‑Arena in Leverkusen, Germany. Forty‑eight players compete for a £35,000 prize fund. Defending champion Nathan Aspinall opens his title defence against Mickey Mansell, while Dutch stars Michael van Gerwen and Gian van Veen also feature.
Friday’s first‑round matches saw several German players advance. Max Hopp defeated former world champion Rob Cross 6‑3, posting a 95 average, and Niko Springer produced a 105‑average to beat Darius Labanauskas 6‑2. Kevin Doets upset Dominik Grüllich 6‑4, and Niels Zonneveld overcame Daniel Klose 6‑2. Other notable results included Kim Huybrechts beating Samuel Price 6‑1 and Maik Kuivenhoven beating Daryl Gurney 6‑3.
The tournament follows the standard European Tour format: best‑of‑11 legs through the early rounds, expanding to best‑of‑13 in the last‑16 and best‑of‑15 for the semi‑finals and final. The top‑16 from the PDC Order of Merit enter in the second round on Saturday, with the third round, quarter‑finals, semi‑finals and final scheduled for Sunday.