The European Darts Championship 2026 in Dortmund kicked off its second round with a bang, seeing some major upsets and dominant performances. Most notably, defending champion Gian van Veen was sensationally knocked out by Luke Woodhouse in a thrilling encounter. Meanwhile, top contenders Gerwyn Price and Stephen Bunting showcased their class, securing comfortable wins to advance to the final day. Ross Smith also progressed, though not without a nervy finish against Damon Heta. Get ready for a full breakdown of the afternoon session’s electrifying action!
Defending Champion Stunned: Woodhouse Downs Van Veen
In perhaps the biggest shock of the afternoon, defending champion Gian van Veen crashed out of the tournament, losing 10-6 to Luke Woodhouse. This continues a challenging pattern for van Veen, who has struggled to find a win against Woodhouse.
Woodhouse started strong, opening with a superb 117 checkout. While van Veen quickly responded with 13 and 14-dart legs, Woodhouse immediately broke back and secured a 3-2 lead with a 79 checkout. The “9-Dart Hero” from Thursday then extended his advantage to 5-2.
Van Veen tried to mount a comeback, hitting a crucial 142 finish under pressure. However, Woodhouse consistently had an answer, including a 114 checkout to maintain his lead at 6-3. Despite van Veen’s resilient 118 checkout on D19, Woodhouse held his nerve with an 80-check against the darts, and later a brilliant 129 (T19-D18-D18).
The match remained tense, with van Veen staying in contention with a Shanghai finish on the 20s. But a 14-dart leg put Woodhouse on the brink of victory. When van Veen faltered, missing three darts at tops, Woodhouse stepped up to seal a memorable 10-6 victory, sending the defending champion home early.
Price and Bunting Power Through
Gerwyn Price Dominates Cameron Menzies
World No. 1 seed Gerwyn Price delivered a commanding performance, securing a 10-4 victory over Cameron Menzies. The early stages of the match saw both players holding their throws, with neither able to capitalize on minor break chances.
However, after Menzies leveled at 3-3 with a 13-dart leg, Price unleashed a devastating run of five consecutive legs. This crucial burst included finishes in 17, 15 (a brilliant 113 checkout), 21, 14, and 17 darts, creating an insurmountable lead. Menzies briefly halted the momentum with a 13-dart leg, but Price quickly closed out the match with checkouts of 75 and 109, showcasing his clinical finishing.
Stephen Bunting’s Clinical Display Against Kim Huybrechts
Stephen Bunting advanced to the final day with an impressive 10-3 win over Kim Huybrechts. “The Bullet” might not have hit any 180s, but his finishing was exceptional, highlighted by four checkouts of 100 or more.
Bunting started strong with 13 and 18-dart legs. He quickly built a 4-1 lead going into the first break with checkouts of 116 and 96. He continued his dominance with further finishes of 108 and 100, extending his lead to 8-1. Huybrechts managed to break Bunting’s six-leg winning streak, but it was too little, too late. Bunting sealed his victory with a 121 checkout, eventually crossing the finish line on his sixth match dart after some missed opportunities from both players.
Smith Survives Heta’s Comeback Scare
Ross Smith, the top seed in his section, endured a far more tense encounter than he might have expected, ultimately securing a 10-7 win against Damon Heta.
Smith began the match in sensational form, storming to a lead with legs in 11, 17, two 14-dart legs, and another 11-dart leg. He barely gave Heta a look-in during the opening session. However, seven missed darts in the sixth leg allowed Heta back into the match, and the Australian capitalized, winning the next leg as well.
Despite Heta’s fightback, Smith maintained a comfortable 7-3 lead by the second TV break. After two more holds, Smith produced the highlight of the match: a crucial 124 bull finish under pressure.
However, the match took a dramatic turn as Smith missed his first match dart, followed by three more. This allowed “The Heat” to close the gap to 9-7, putting significant pressure on Smith. Heta then missed four check darts of his own, providing Smith with another chance. Finally, on his eighth match dart, “Smudger” found the D16 to narrowly escape with the win.
What’s Next at the European Championship 2026?
The drama continues this evening! The remaining four second-round matches are scheduled for the evening session, starting at 19:00 CEST (Central European Summer Time).
Afternoon Session Results (Saturday, October 24th, 2026):
- Cameron Menzies 4-10 Gerwyn Price (Averages: 94.66 – 95.75)
- Stephen Bunting 10-3 Kim Huybrechts (Averages: 96.83 – 94.99)
- Ross Smith 10-7 Damon Heta (Averages: 96.19 – 90.70)
- Gian van Veen 6-10 Luke Woodhouse (Averages: 91.47 – 95.34)
Evening Session Matches (Saturday, October 24th, 2026 – from 19:00 CEST):
- Krzysztof Ratajski vs. Kevin Doets
- Martin Schindler vs. Jermaine Wattimena
- Nathan Aspinall vs. Luke Littler
- Jonny Clayton vs. Josh Rock
Tournament Format and Prize Money
The European Championship features a progressive format, with longer matches as the tournament progresses, leading to intense showdowns:
- First Round: Best of 11 Legs
- Last 16 (Achtelfinale): Best of 19 Legs
- Quarter-Finals: Best of 19 Legs
- Semi-Finals: Best of 21 Legs
- Final: Best of 21 Legs
Players are competing for a substantial prize fund, with the champion taking home a significant sum:
- Winner: £150,000
- Runner-Up: £80,000
- Semi-Finalists: £50,000
- Quarter-Finalists: £35,000
- Last 16: £20,000
- First Round: £7,500
Total Prize Fund: £750,000
Live Coverage
Fans can catch all the action live. In 2026, the European Championship is broadcast by Sport1 and available on the sports streaming service DAZN, ensuring comprehensive coverage of all major tournaments, European Tour events, and World Series events.
Sport1 Broadcast Times:
- Saturday, October 24th, 2026: 2nd Round – Evening Session: 19:00 – 23:00 CEST (Live)
- Sunday, October 25th, 2026: Quarter-Finals – Afternoon Session: 14:00 – 16:55 CEST (Live)
- Sunday, October 25th, 2026: Semi-Finals & Final – Evening Session: 19:00 – 23:00 CEST (Live)
Source: Based on an article from dartn.de.
