Get ready for the German Darts Grand Prix 2026! This Easter weekend, Munich hosts a thrilling European Tour event featuring top darts talent. Six German players are set to challenge established stars like Michael van Gerwen, but several big names, including Luke Littler and Luke Humphries, are surprisingly absent. Dive into the full schedule, prize money details, and find out how to catch all the live action from April 4-6.
The Stage is Set: German Darts Grand Prix 2026 in Munich
The traditional Easter tournament on the European Tour circuit is upon us, with the German Darts Grand Prix taking centre stage in Munich. This highly anticipated event, a key fixture on the PDC European Tour, promises three days of intense darts action. With the draw now complete, all eyes are on the matchups, especially those involving the six local German players hoping to make a significant impact on home soil.
Key Matchups and German Hopes
The first round on Saturday features several intriguing clashes, setting the stage for potential upsets and exciting encounters:
- A German Derby: The opening day culminates in an all-German battle between Niko Springer and European Tour debutant Jan Schmidt. The winner faces a monumental challenge in the second round against none other than the defending champion and world number two, Michael van Gerwen.
- Early Challenges:
- Finn Behrens kicks off the German challenge on Saturday afternoon against the experienced Ryan Joyce, who enters as the favourite.
- Kevin Troppmann takes on Ritchie Edhouse, who hasn’t been in peak form recently. An opening victory for Troppmann would set up a second-round clash with Danny Noppert.
- Evening Encounters:
- Marcel Hausotter faces darts legend Raymond van Barneveld in the evening session. The victor will then meet Jonny Clayton in Round 2.
- Fan favourite Ricardo Pietreczko, known as “Pikachu,” will aim to collect crucial ranking prize money against substitute player Ian White. A win would see him advance to play Nathan Aspinall.
- Awaiting on Sunday: Martin Schindler is already qualified for Sunday’s second round, where he will face the winner of the match between Brendan Dolan and Cor Dekker.
Top Stars Absent: Who’s Missing in Munich?
In a surprising turn of events, several high-profile players have withdrawn from the tournament at short notice. Fans will be disappointed to learn that Luke Littler (who didn’t even register), Luke Humphries, Gerwyn Price, Gary Anderson, and Chris Dobey will not be competing. These absences significantly shake up the seeded players, leading to shifts in the draw.
Tournament Schedule at a Glance (All times MESZ)
Saturday, April 4, 2026: Round 1
Afternoon Session (from 13:00):
- William O’Connor – Sebastian Bialecki
- Ryan Joyce – Finn Behrens
- Krzysztof Ratajski – Thomas Lovely
- Niels Zonneveld – Adam Lipscombe
- Cameron Menzies – Karel Sedlacek
- Ritchie Edhouse – Kevin Troppmann
- Wessel Nijman – Andrew Gilding
- Joe Cullen – Patrik Kovacs
Evening Session (from 19:00):
- Michael Smith – James Hurrell
- Dirk van Duijvenbode – Stephen Burton
- Brendan Dolan – Cor Dekker
- Kevin Doets – Anton Ostlund
- Raymond van Barneveld – Marcel Hausotter
- Peter Wright – Kim Huybrechts
- Ricardo Pietreczko – Ian White
- Niko Springer – Jan Schmidt
Sunday, April 5, 2026: Round 2 (Seeded players enter)
Afternoon Session (from 13:00):
- Ross Smith (10) – Cullen/Kovacs
- Jermaine Wattimena (12) – Zonneveld/Lipscombe
- Damon Heta (11) – Menzies/Sedlacek
- Daryl Gurney (16) – Nijman/Gilding
- Ryan Searle (7) – Ratajski/Lovely
- Danny Noppert (6) – Edhouse/Troppmann
- Mike De Decker (13) – Van Duijvenbode/Burton
- Dave Chisnall (15) – M Smith/Hurrell
Evening Session (from 19:00):
- Luke Woodhouse (14) – Wright/Huybrechts
- Josh Rock (5) – Joyce/Behrens
- James Wade (4) – Doets/Ostlund
- Jonny Clayton (3) – Van Barneveld/Hausotter
- Michael van Gerwen (2) – Springer/Schmidt
- Nathan Aspinall (8) – Pietreczko/White
- Martin Schindler (9) – Dolan/Dekker
- Gian van Veen (1) – O’Connor/Bialecki
Monday, April 6, 2026: Finals Day
Afternoon Session (from 13:00): Last 16 Matches (in Draw Bracket Order)
Evening Session (from 19:00):
- Quarter-Finals: Four matches determining the semi-finalists.
- Semi-Finals: Two matches to decide the finalists.
- Final: The ultimate showdown to crown the German Darts Grand Prix 2026 Champion.
Who’s Playing? A Look at the Participants
The tournament features 48 players who qualified through various routes. The 16 seeded players automatically advance to Sunday’s second round, while the remaining 32 battle it out on Saturday.
Seeded Players (PDC Tour Order of Merit):
These 16 players received a bye to the second round, based on their position in the PDC Order of Merit among active participants:
- Gian van Veen (1)
- Michael van Gerwen (2)
- Jonny Clayton (3)
- James Wade (4)
- Josh Rock (5)
- Danny Noppert (6)
- Ryan Searle (7)
- Nathan Aspinall (8)
- Martin Schindler (9)
- Ross Smith (10)
- Damon Heta (11)
- Jermaine Wattimena (12)
- Mike De Decker (13)
- Luke Woodhouse (14)
- Dave Chisnall (15)
- Daryl Gurney (16)
Qualifiers:
- Pro Tour Order of Merit Qualifiers: Wessel Nijman, Cameron Menzies, Dirk van Duijvenbode, William O’Connor, Niko Springer, Ryan Joyce, Krzysztof Ratajski, Joe Cullen, Niels Zonneveld, Raymond van Barneveld, Ricardo Pietreczko, Peter Wright.
- Tour Card Holder Qualifiers: Stephen Burton, Thomas Lovely, Ritchie Edhouse, James Hurrell, Michael Smith, Kevin Doets, Adam Lipscombe, Brendan Dolan, Kim Huybrechts, Sebastian Bialecki.
- Eastern Europe Qualifier: Patrik Kovacs
- Nordic & Baltic Qualifier: Anton Östlund
- Host Nation Qualifiers (Germany): Jan Schmidt, Marcel Hausotter, Kevin Troppmann, Finn Behrens.
Last-Minute Replacements: Due to the four short-notice withdrawals, Andrew Gilding, Ian White, Karel Sedlacek, and Cor Dekker were added to the tournament field.
Prize Money: What’s at Stake?
A substantial total prize fund of £230,000 is up for grabs at the German Darts Grand Prix 2026. The eventual champion will walk away with a handsome £35,000.
Important Note on Ranking Points: For the 32 pre-qualified players (those from the PDC Order of Merit and Pro Tour Order of Merit), prize money only counts towards their respective ranking lists (PDC Order of Merit, European Tour Order of Merit, and Pro Tour Order of Merit) if they win their opening match. If they lose their first game, they still receive the prize money, but it does not contribute to their rankings.
Here’s the full breakdown:
- Winner: £35,000
- Runner-Up: £15,000
- Semi-Finalists: £10,000 each
- Quarter-Finalists: £8,000 each
- Last 16 (Round 3): £5,000 each
- Last 32 (Round 2): £3,500 each
- Last 48 (Round 1): £2,000 each
Total Prize Fund: £230,000
How to Watch the German Darts Grand Prix 2026
Darts fans have several options to catch all the live action from Munich:
Streaming via DAZN
The sports streaming service DAZN will broadcast all major PDC tournaments, including all European Tour events and World Series events, LIVE and in HD. You can stream the action on Smart TVs, smartphones, PCs, laptops, and tablets. DAZN offers a wide range of live sports beyond darts, such as top football leagues (Bundesliga, Champions League), NFL, and NBA. A key benefit of DAZN is the ability to re-watch missed games at any time.
Live on Sport1 (Germany)
German free-to-air channel Sport1 will also be providing live coverage of the German Darts Grand Prix 2026. Here are the scheduled broadcast times (all MESZ):
- Saturday, April 4, 2026:
- Round 1 – Afternoon Session: 12:30 – 17:00 (including countdown)
- Round 1 – Evening Session: 19:00 – 23:00 (including countdown)
- Sunday, April 5, 2026:
- Round 2 – Afternoon Session: 14:00 – 17:00
- Round 2 – Evening Session: 19:00 – 23:00
- Monday, April 6, 2026:
- Last 16 – Afternoon Session: 12:15 – 18:00 (including countdown & analysis)
- Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals & Final – Evening Session: 18:00 – 23:00 (including countdown)
Prepare for an unforgettable Easter weekend filled with world-class darts in Munich!
Source: Based on an article from dartn.de.
