The draw and itinerary for the 2026 Dutch Darts Championship have been completed, with defending champion Jonny Clayton set to begin his title defence against either Damon Heta or a Host Nation representative. The final European Tour event of 2026 will take place at the MECC Maastricht from October 16 to 18, where the fight for European Championship qualification will culminate on Dutch soil.
The top 32 players on the European Tour standings at the end of this weekend’s event will advance to the £750,000 European Championship, which will be hosted in Dortmund later this month. The top 16 players from the PDC Order of Merit enter the competition in round two on Saturday, with Dutch number one Gian van Veen set to highlight. Top seed Van Veen will face either Sebastian Bialecki or Northern Ireland’s former World Cup winner Daryl Gurney, both of whom have slim chances of qualifying for the European Championship. On Saturday evening, reigning champion Clayton, fresh from his heroics in Switzerland, will face either Australian number one Heta or a representative from the Host Nation.
From the original field of entries, Luke Humphries and Joe Cullen have withdrawn from the event and have been replaced by Mike De Decker and Daryl Gurney from the Reserve List.
2026 Elten Safety Shoes Dutch Darts Championship (ET15) – Tournament Draw Bracket – Second Round Onwards
(Players seeded based on PDC Ranking position)
(1) Gian van Veen v Sebastian Bialecki/Daryl Gurney
(16) Rob Cross v Ricardo Pietreczko/HNQ2
(8) Ryan Searle v Dirk van Duijvenbode/James Hurrell
(9) Ross Smith v Ryan Joyce/Owen Bates
(4) Michael van Gerwen v William O’Connor/HNQ3
(13) Luke Woodhouse v Andrew Gilding/Max Hopp
(5) Danny Noppert v Dave Chisnall/Jonas Masalin
(12) Jermaine Wattimena v Kim Huybrechts/HNQ1
(2) Gerwyn Price v Niko Springer/Scott Williams
(15) Krzysztof Ratajski v Niels Zonneveld/Mike De Decker
(7) Wessel Nijman v Jeffrey de Graaf/Mickey Mansell
(10) Chris Dobey v Cristo Reyes/Krzysztof Kciuk
(3) Jonny Clayton v Damon Heta/HNQ4
(14) Martin Schindler v Karel Sedlacek/Callan Rydz
(6) Stephen Bunting v Cameron Menzies/Nick Kenny
(11) Nathan Aspinall v Michael Smith/Stephen Burton
Schedule of Play – SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Friday October 16
Round One
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Karel Sedlacek v Callan Rydz
Cameron Menzies v Nick Kenny
Jeffrey de Graaf v Mickey Mansell
Dave Chisnall v Jonas Masalin
Andrew Gilding v Max Hopp
Ryan Joyce v Owen Bates
Ricardo Pietreczko v Host Nation Qualifier 2
Dirk van Duijvenbode v James Hurrell
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Sebastian Bialecki v Daryl Gurney
William O’Connor v Host Nation Qualifier 3
Niko Springer v Scott Williams
Niels Zonneveld v Mike De Decker
Kim Huybrechts v Host Nation Qualifier 1
Cristo Reyes v Krzysztof Kciuk
Damon Heta v Host Nation Qualifier 4
Michael Smith v Stephen Burton
Saturday October 17
Round Two
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Martin Schindler v Sedlacek/Rydz
Wessel Nijman v De Graaf/Mansell
Luke Woodhouse v Gilding/Hopp
Ross Smith v Joyce/Bates
Danny Noppert v Chisnall/Masalin
Ryan Searle v Van Duijvenbode/Hurrell
Rob Cross v Pietreczko/HNQ2
Krzysztof Ratajski v Zonneveld/De Decker
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Gerwyn Price v Springer/Williams
Jermaine Wattimena v Huybrechts/HNQ1
Stephen Bunting v Menzies/Kenny
Gian van Veen v Bialecki/Gurney
Michael van Gerwen v O’Connor/HNQ3
Jonny Clayton v Heta/HNQ4
Nathan Aspinall v M Smith/Burton
Chris Dobey v Reyes/Kciuk
Sunday October 18
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Round Three
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Quarter-Finals
Semi-Finals
Final
Sunday’s games played in Draw Bracket order
