European Championship Darts 2026: Dates, Dortmund Venue, Format and Schedule
The top 32 players from the European Tour meet in Dortmund from 22 to 25 October. Here is the schedule, how qualification works and what is at stake.
The European Championship darts 2026 tournament takes place from Thursday 22 to Sunday 25 October at the Westfalenhalle in Dortmund, Germany. It is the finale of the European Tour season: only the 32 players who earned the most prize money across this year’s 15 European Tour events get a place on stage.
On this page
- Dates: 22–25 October 2026 (four days)
- Venue: Westfalenhalle, Dortmund, Germany
- Players: 32 — the top 32 on the 2026 European Tour Order of Merit
- Format: Straight knockout, played in legs
- Prize fund: £750,000
European Championship darts 2026 schedule
| Dates | Event | TV (UK) | Starts (your time) |
|---|---|---|---|
22Oct
22–25 Oct 2026
|
European Championship 2026 Major Westfalenhalle, Dortmund | TBC (UK) | Times TBC |
Start times are converted automatically for every visitor. You are seeing: UK time
Four days means a compact schedule. Traditionally the first round is spread across Thursday and Friday, the second round follows on Saturday, and Sunday hosts the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final in afternoon and evening sessions. The official order of play is announced a few days before the event, and we will add session times here as soon as it is released.
Clock change alert: UK and European clocks go back one hour in the early hours of Sunday 25 October — finals day. If you are watching from Pakistan, India, the US or anywhere else that does not change on the same night, the gap between your time and Dortmund shrinks or grows by an hour for the final session. The times shown on this site adjust automatically.
How players qualify for Dortmund
There are no invitations and no wildcards. Qualification is decided entirely by the European Tour Order of Merit, a ranking built only from prize money won at the 15 European Tour events of 2026. The top 32 at the end of the final event are in. Everyone else watches from home.
That makes the last two weekends of the European Tour unusually tense. Players hovering around 32nd place need a deep run to climb above the cut, while the leaders are playing for seeding:
- Swiss Darts Trophy — 9–11 October, St. Jakobshalle, Basel
- Dutch Darts Championship — 16–18 October, MECC Maastricht
Format
The European Championship uses legs, not sets, which keeps matches quick and makes upsets more likely than at Ally Pally. Matches get longer each round, building up to the final on Sunday night. Because the field is only 32 strong, the champion needs five wins across four days.
Prize money
As part of the PDC’s record prize money increase, the European Championship prize fund rose to £750,000 from 2026, with £150,000 to the winner.
The Westfalenhalle
The Westfalenhalle is a regular home of the event, and the 2027 edition returns here too.
Bigger from 2027
This is the last four-day European Championship for now. The 2027 PDC calendar expands the event to six days, from 26 to 31 October 2027 in Dortmund, with the prize fund rising to £1 million. See all the dates in our darts schedule 2027.
Not to be confused with the European Open, a brand-new PDC Major in Salzburg from 18 to 20 June 2027.
Players to watch
Luke Littler has won almost everything else, but the European Championship is still missing from his CV, which gives him an obvious reason to go all out. Luke Humphries, with more European Tour titles than most, is always dangerous on this format. And with a home crowd behind them, the leading German players tend to raise their level in Dortmund.
Where to watch
The European Championship is televised in the UK and streamed internationally. UK channel details are confirmed closer to the event, so check our darts on TV guide for the latest, including options for viewers in Pakistan, India and the USA.
For the full list of events through to the World Championship, see our darts schedule 2026–27.
Official dates: the PDC tournament calendar. For everything else coming up, see our live darts schedule.
European Championship FAQ
When is the European Championship darts 2026?
From Thursday 22 to Sunday 25 October 2026 at the Westfalenhalle in Dortmund, Germany.
How do players qualify for the European Championship?
The top 32 players on the European Tour Order of Merit — prize money won at the 15 European Tour events of 2026 — qualify automatically.
What is the prize money for the European Championship 2026?
The total prize fund is £750,000, following the PDC’s prize money increase for 2026.
Is the European Championship played in sets or legs?
Legs. Matches get longer each round, ending with the final on Sunday evening.
Where is the European Championship 2027?
Dortmund again, from 26 to 31 October 2027, expanded to 48 players over six days with a £1 million prize fund.
