Van Gerwen Handed Tough Hungarian Darts Trophy Opener

Michael van Gerwen will begin his defence of the Hungarian Darts Trophy against Andrew Gilding or Matthew Dennant, with the draw and schedule for this weekend’s PDC European Tour event confirmed.

It’s European Tour weekend again, and with three stops remaining this season, the action comes from the Hungarian capital, Budapest, whose name was famously derived from a popular George Ezra song. Or come to think of it, could have been the other way around.

This weekend’s showpiece will see a 48-player field competing for the £30,000 top prize in Budapest, with Van Gerwen one of four former champions featuring in a star-studded line-up at the MVM Dome.

Of course, being in Hungary, the line-up features a couple of Nandors. Not to be mistaken for the popular chicken eatery where you’re trusted to fetch your own cutlery. These Nandors are named Pres and Major – they throw darts rather than come with a side of spicy rice.

Now, onto the actual darts. As was long written in the unwritten rulebook of Euro Tour weekends, Michael van Gerwen shows up as defending champion, looking dangerous and ready to add another shiny trophy to his already groaning shelf. He opens against either Andrew Gilding or Matthew Dennant, who won’t be thrilled to face a seemingly fully operational MVG.

Forty-eight hopefuls have made the pilgrimage to the MVM Dome, where £30,000 is up for grabs and reputations are usually torn to shreds. Among them are four former champions, which means the other 44 can make a bit of history.

Van Gerwen, who just remembered how to win things again in Amsterdam, is hunting a record-extending 39th European Tour title. He’s 36, which in darts years is basically mid-life crisis territory, but the Dutchman still insists on battering anyone who dares step near a board.

2025 WORLD SERIES OF DARTS FINALS: Watch Michael van Gerwen end wait for televised title

Friday’s curtain-raiser is your usual bloodbath of 16 matches. Last year’s finalist Gian van Veen, forever tipped as the next big thing, faces Niko Springer – the German who is constantly going fairly deep in these things of late. Joe Cullen, the 2022 champ, begins his weekend against Lukas Wenig, while Ritchie Edhouse takes on Ryan Joyce.

Nathan Aspinall – who’s hoovered up a couple of these Euro Tour bad boys this year – meets local qualifier Levente Sarai, a man carrying the hopes of a nation and probably a borrowed set of darts. Raymond van Barneveld, meanwhile, faces local lad, Nandor Major. By local, I mean he’s Hungarian. Truth is, it could in fact take him longer to get home than Barney.

The seeded mob parachute in on Saturday. World number one Luke Humphries lurks on Aspinall’s side of the draw, which is basically like finding a wasp in your pint – you know it’s going to ruin your evening. World Champion Luke Littler could run into Cullen, which should be tasty, while Gerwyn Price plays either Richard Veenstra or Cam Crabtree, depending on who survives the first-round coin toss.

Dave Chisnall, the 2023 winner, waits for either Van Barneveld or Major, while Josh Rock – who keeps making finals like it’s his weekend hobby – meets either Ricardo Pietreczko or Jim Williams. James Wade, who’s been around so long he should get a loyalty card, starts off against either Luke Woodhouse or Hungarian hopeful Andras Borbely. Rob Cross, desperate to avoid missing the European Championship cut, could find himself bumping into Daryl Gurney which would be tasty.

By Sunday, whoever hasn’t been sent packing will be battling through the third round in the afternoon, before the quarter-finals, semis and final close things out in one of those evening sessions where everyone suddenly pretends they predicted the winner all along.

For those watching at home, DAZN has you covered in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, while the rest of us get PDCTV or whatever bookmaker stream you accidentally click while trying to check the football scores.

2025 Hungarian Darts Trophy

MVM Dome, Budapest, September 19-21
Tournament Draw Bracket – Second Round Onwards
(6) Chris Dobey v Wessel Nijman/Darren Beveridge
(11) Ross Smith v Cameron Menzies/Nandor Pres
(3) Michael van Gerwen v Andrew Gilding/Matthew Dennant
(14) Danny Noppert v Ryan Searle/Rob Owen
(7) Gerwyn Price v Richard Veenstra/Cam Crabtree
(10) Dave Chisnall v Raymond van Barneveld/Nandor Major
(2) Luke Littler v Joe Cullen/Lukas Wenig
(15) Martin Schindler v Ryan Joyce/Ritchie Edhouse
(5) James Wade v Luke Woodhouse/Andras Borbely
(12) Peter Wright v Kim Huybrechts/Andreas Hyllgaardhus
(4) Stephen Bunting v Jermaine Wattimena/Thibault Tricole
(13) Josh Rock v Ricardo Pietreczko/Jim Williams
(8) Rob Cross v Daryl Gurney/Leon Weber
(9) Damon Heta v Gian van Veen/Niko Springer
(1) Luke Humphries v Nathan Aspinall/Levente Sarai
(16) Mike De Decker v Dirk van Duijvenbode/Tom Bissell

Schedule of Play

Friday September 19

Round One
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Andrew Gilding v Matthew Dennant
Cameron Menzies v Nandor Pres
Ryan Joyce v Ritchie Edhouse
Ricardo Pietreczko v Jim Williams
Kim Huybrechts v Andreas Hyllgaardhus
Luke Woodhouse v Andras Borbely
Wessel Nijman v Darren Beveridge
Dirk van Duijvenbode v Tom Bissell

Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)

Jermaine Wattimena v Thibault Tricole
Ryan Searle v Rob Owen
Daryl Gurney v Leon Weber
Raymond van Barneveld v Nandor Major
Richard Veenstra v Cam Crabtree
Joe Cullen v Lukas Wenig
Gian van Veen v Niko Springer
Nathan Aspinall v Levente Sarai

Saturday September 20

Round Two
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Martin Schindler v Joyce/Edhouse
Ross Smith v Menzies/Pres
Danny Noppert v Searle/Owen
Chris Dobey v Nijman/Beveridge
Rob Cross v Gurney/Weber
James Wade v Woodhouse/Borbely
Peter Wright v Huybrechts/Hyllgaardhus
Dave Chisnall v Van Barneveld/Major

Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Damon Heta v Van Veen/Springer
Gerwyn Price v Veenstra/Crabtree
Michael van Gerwen v Gilding/Dennant
Luke Littler v Cullen/Wenig
Luke Humphries v Aspinall/Sarai
Stephen Bunting v Wattimena/Tricole
Josh Rock v Pietreczko/Williams
Mike De Decker v Van Duijvenbode/Bissell

Sunday September 21