Get ready for thrilling darts action as the European Darts Trophy 2026, the second European Tour event of the season, descends upon Göttingen, Germany! This highly anticipated tournament sees some big names like Gary Anderson, James Wade, and even defending champion Nathan Aspinall withdraw, making way for exciting replacements like Mensur Suljovic and Lukas Wenig. German fans have plenty to cheer for, with local talents such as Kai Gotthardt facing Niko Springer, and Florian Hempel eyeing a potential clash with Martin Schindler. Catch all the drama live on DAZN and Sport1.
Key Absences & Replacements Shake Up the Field
The European Darts Trophy in Göttingen has seen some notable changes to its player lineup. Several top contenders, including **UK Open finalist James Wade and darts legend Gary Anderson**, have pulled out. Most surprisingly, **last year’s champion, Nathan Aspinall, also withdrew** from the event.
These withdrawals have opened doors for new opportunities:
- **Mensur Suljovic** and **Keane Barry** have stepped in as replacements.
- German hopeful **Lukas Wenig**, who was the runner-up in the qualification stages, secured his spot in the main draw.
- **Martin Schindler** has also seen his seeding improve, moving up to 11th on the seeded list.
German Hopes and Must-Watch First Round Matches
The first round promises some electrifying encounters, with a strong focus on German players:
- **Lukas Wenig** will kick off his tournament on Friday afternoon against **Ryan Joyce**.
- Later that evening, **Kai Gotthardt**, who directly qualified, will face fellow German **Niko Springer**. This is a highly anticipated rematch, as Gotthardt emerged victorious in their last encounter at the UK Open.
- **Mensur Suljovic** will make his entrance against Ireland’s **William O’Connor**.
The Host Nation Qualifiers: A Strong German Contingent
Göttingen boasts one of the strongest quartets of German Host Nation Qualifiers this year:
- **Florian Preis**
- **Florian Hempel**
- **Dragutin Horvat**
- **Paul Krohne**
Among them, **Paul Krohne stands out** despite not holding a Tour Card. His recent form has been exceptional, including multiple wins on the PDC Europe Next Gen tour and a victory at the Dutch Open. He will be a formidable opponent for **Cameron Menzies**.
The return of **Florian Hempel** is also eagerly awaited. After losing his Tour Card, he immediately qualified for this event. A win against **Richard Veenstra** could set up an exciting German showdown with **Martin Schindler**. Hempel last appeared on the European Tour in Budapest in September 2024, reaching the second round.
**Florian Preis**, an 18-year-old rising star, is making his PDC stage debut. With a Development Tour title and three quarter-final appearances this year, he’s one to watch. He faces **Ricky Evans** on Friday afternoon.
Experienced Kassel player **Dragutin Horvat** will compete in the evening session against **Luke Woodhouse**. The session concludes with a potential highlight match between **Wessel Nijman** and **Cristo Reyes**.
Tournament Schedule: Don’t Miss a Dart!
There’s a key change to the usual schedule: **Sunday’s sessions will start one hour earlier**.
Friday, March 13, 2026
- **Afternoon Session (from 1:00 PM CET):**
- Andrew Gilding – Darius Labanauskas
- Kevin Doets – Jonas Masalin
- Ricky Evans – Florian Preis
- Niels Zonneveld – Keane Barry
- Cameron Menzies – Paul Krohne
- Richard Veenstra – Florian Hempel
- Krzysztof Ratajski – Shane McGuirk
- Ryan Joyce – Lukas Wenig
- **Evening Session (from 7:00 PM CET):**
- Dave Chisnall – Jeffrey de Zwaan
- Dirk van Duijvenbode – Mario Vandenbogaerde
- Luke Woodhouse – Dragutin Horvat
- Daryl Gurney – Sebastian Bialecki
- Joe Cullen – Wojciech Brulinski
- Niko Springer – Kai Gotthardt
- William O’Connor – Mensur Suljovic
- Wessel Nijman – Cristo Reyes
Saturday, March 14, 2026
- **Afternoon Session (from 1:00 PM CET):**
- Jermaine Wattimena (14) – Joyce/Wenig winner
- Damon Heta (13) – Gilding/Labanauskas winner
- Danny Noppert (8) – Evans/Preis winner
- Ross Smith (12) – Chisnall/De Zwaan winner
- Rob Cross (16) – Van Duijvenbode/Vandenbogaerde winner
- Mike De Decker (15) – Nijman/Reyes winner
- Chris Dobey (10) – Woodhouse/Horvat winner
- Ryan Searle (6) – Gurney/Bialecki winner
- **Evening Session (from 7:00 PM CET):**
- Josh Rock (7) – Menzies/Krohne winner
- Gerwyn Price (9) – Cullen/Brulinski winner
- **Martin Schindler (11) – Veenstra/Hempel winner**
- Michael van Gerwen (3) – Zonneveld/Barry winner
- Luke Humphries (1) – O’Connor/Suljovic winner
- Gian van Veen (2) – Ratajski/McGuirk winner
- Stephen Bunting (5) – Springer/Gotthardt winner
- Jonny Clayton (4) – Doets/Masalin winner
Sunday, March 15, 2026
- **Afternoon Session (from 12:00 PM CET):** Round of 16
- **Evening Session (from 6:00 PM CET):** Quarter-finals, Semi-finals, and Final
Prize Money: What’s at Stake?
The European Darts Trophy offers a substantial prize fund, with a **total of £230,000** up for grabs. The ultimate champion will walk away with a hefty **£35,000**.
An important rule to note: **all 32 pre-qualified players (via PDC Order of Merit and Pro Tour Order of Merit) must win their opening match for their prize money to count towards the various ranking lists.** If they lose their first game, they still receive the prize money, but it will not contribute to the PDC Order of Merit, European Tour Order of Merit, or Pro Tour Order of Merit.
Here’s the prize money breakdown:
- **Winner:** £35,000
- **Runner-Up:** £15,000
- **Semi-finalists:** £10,000 each
- **Quarter-finalists:** £8,000 each
- **Last 16 (2nd Round winners):** £5,000 each
- **Last 32 (1st Round winners):** £3,500 each
- **First Round Losers:** £2,000 each
Where to Watch the Action Live
Fans can follow all the darts drama from Göttingen through two main broadcasters:
DAZN
**DAZN provides comprehensive live and HD coverage** of all major tournaments, European Tour events, and World Series events. You can stream on Smart TVs, smartphones, PCs, laptops, and tablets. DAZN offers various subscription plans, typically including an ‘Unlimited’ annual subscription at a lower monthly rate, or a flexible monthly subscription. Beyond darts, DAZN features a vast array of live sports, including football leagues like the Bundesliga and Champions League, as well as the NFL and NBA. A key benefit of DAZN is the ability to re-watch missed games at any time.
Sport1
Sport1 will also be broadcasting the European Darts Trophy 2026 live. Here are their scheduled broadcast times (all times CET and include pre-show/analysis where noted):
- **Friday, March 13, 2026:**
- 1st Round – Afternoon Session: 12:45 PM – 6:00 PM
- 1st Round – Evening Session: 6:00 PM – 11:00 PM
- **Saturday, March 14, 2026:**
- 2nd Round – Afternoon Session: 12:30 PM – 5:00 PM
- 2nd Round – Evening Session: 7:30 PM – 11:00 PM
- **Sunday, March 15, 2026:**
- Round of 16 – Afternoon Session: 2:00 PM – 4:45 PM
- Quarter-finals, Semi-finals & Final – Evening Session: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Source: Based on an article from dartn.de.
