Since 2008, the PDC European Championship has proudly occupied its spot as the grand finale of the European based season. And in true darting fashion, the story began exactly as you’d expect – with Phil Taylor winning. In fact, he didn’t just win once. He won the first four.
After that, The Power didn’t bother the roll of honour, and Simon Whitlock and Adrian Lewis took their turns to triumph. Then along came a certain Dutch juggernaut who fancied getting in on the act himself – Michael van Gerwen. He rattled off four straight titles before the silverware started getting shared around again.
Since then, we’ve seen a nice smattering of different champions: James Wade (goes without saying really) then Rob Cross and Peter Wright (twice each). Then in recent years even less heralded names lifted the trophy, first Smith of the Ross variety and last season, Ritchie Edhouse who disappointingly for him isn’t there to defend it. Tough school.
Traditionally staged in Germany – because, let’s face it, everything else on the European calendar seems to be – the event has occasionally flirted with Belgium, Austria, and the Netherlands. But it now seems settled in Dortmund, home of yellow walls, beer, and more cowbells than any crowd outside of alpine skiing really needs.
Now, while Luke Littler is technically qualified and scheduled to face Raymond van Barneveld, let’s not forget his recent remarks about German crowds. He might fancy a quiet weekend at home playing FIFA instead. If so, Andrew Gilding is next in line. For defending champ Ritchie Edhouse to sneak in, we’d need another to pull a “no thanks, not a fan of Deutschland” act. Still, with £120,000 to the winner and £7,500 just for turning up, that’s a decent incentive – plus ranking points to boot.
With the draw determined by the European Order of Merit, we already know the match-ups and potential routes to glory. So, let’s take a look at the tastiest ties in Dortmund:
Nathan Aspinall v Rob Cross
We’ll start at the top, where number one seed Nathan Aspinall – this year’s Euro Tour hat-trick hero – takes on Rob Cross. At the start of the season, Aspinall had no Euro titles to his name; now, he’s got three. Cross, meanwhile, already had two of these big shiny things, though 2025 hasn’t exactly been Voltage’s most electric year. Still, he’s Rob Cross. The man can flick the switch at any moment and turn into a powerhouse. Shame one of these two has to go home early.
Gerwyn Price v Daryl Gurney
As soon as this draw dropped, the whispers started. On paper, it’s a terrific clash – two multiple major winners and Premier League stars past and present. But let’s not pretend this is just another fixture. Their heated Matchplay meeting a few months ago is still fresh in everyone’s mind. Both insist the bad blood is over. They said that before Blackpool, too. With both on yellow cards – and the DRA no doubt rubbing their hands eagerly hoping to increase their Christmas party budget – I’m sure this one will go off without a hitch. Probably.
Dirk van Duijvenbode v Danny Noppert
Two Dutch powerhouses hitting form at the same time – this is the darting equivalent of Godzilla versus King Kong dressed in big orange suits. Noppert is quietly getting back to his best, while Dirk has just thrown a ridiculous 117 average on his last Euro Tour outing. This one’s a coin toss. Expect fireworks and probably a thrilling game which goes all the way to a tense decider.
Gian van Veen v Damon Heta
Keep an eye on this one. Gian van Veen is right on the brink of possibly his first major title. He’s been brilliant and unlucky in equal measure. How unlucky? He set a record average at the Grand Prix… and still lost. To Luke Littler, obviously. Damon Heta, meanwhile, has been Mr. Consistency for years without quite cracking the stage code. Cool, calm, and laid-back – essentially your run-of-the-mill Aussie. Either of these two lifting the trophy would go down with fans very well indeed.
Wessel Nijman v Michael van Gerwen
This is a fascinating one. Think Star Wars: the Jedi Master versus the Padawan. MVG versus the apprentice Dutchman. That’s probably doing Nijman a slight disservice – he’s no rookie – but he’s still got a fair bit to prove. Alongside Van Veen, he’s been tipped as the future of Dutch darts, ready to take over when the current giants finally slow down. Which version of MVG shows up will decide this one. If it’s the ruthless World Series Finals in Amsterdam edition, he wins. If it’s the misfiring one – you’d edge towards Nijman.
Gary Anderson v Cameron Menzies
A battle of Scots with very different vibes. Anderson – two-time World Champion, darting royalty, and occasional grumpy genius. Menzies – fiery, emotional, and quietly improving after a turbulent spell where certain media organisations have painted the wall with Menzies’ emotional emulsion. When Gary’s in the mood, he’s near unbeatable. When he’s not, well, he is human. Cammie, though, is starting to find a calmer composure on stage. He’ll need every ounce of it to beat his legendary countryman.
The European Championship always brings drama, quality, and a touch of chaos – and Dortmund promises all three in abundance. Whether it’s the veterans defending their turf or the next generation breaking through, one thing’s certain: someone’s walking away with a big cheque and an even bigger grin.
Full Draw Bracket[1] Nathan Aspinall – Rob Cross [32]
[16] Dirk van Duijvenbode – Danny Noppert [17]
[8] Josh Rock – Ricardo Pietreczko [25]
[9] Niko Springer – Jermaine Wattimena [24]
[4] Luke Littler – Raymond van Barneveld [29]
[13] James Wade – Mike De Decker [20]
[5] Luke Humphries – Krzysztof Ratajski [28]
[12] Gary Anderson – Cameron Menzies [21]
[2] Martin Schindler – Dave Chisnall [31]
[15] Ryan Joyce – Luke Woodhouse [18]
[7] Jonny Clayton – Ryan Searle [26]
[10] Gian van Veen – Damon Heta [23]
[3] Stephen Bunting – Chris Dobey [30]
[14] Wessel Nijman – Michael van Gerwen [19]
[6] Gerwyn Price – Daryl Gurney [27]
[11] Ross Smith – Peter Wright [22]
—–ENDS—–
Images: PDC Europe
