European Darts Open heads to Leverkusen

The PDC’s European Darts Open starts on Friday, July 10, in Leverkusen, Germany, with a 48-player field opening three days of Euro Tour play at the Ostermann-Arena. Sporting News said the event is the 10th European Tour stop of 2026 and the last one before the circuit resumes in late August. The field includes seeded entrants such as Gian van Veen, Michael van Gerwen, Gerwyn Price and defending champion Nathan Aspinall, with first-round matches beginning Friday afternoon local time. The World Matchplay follows in Blackpool from July 18 to July 26, according to the PDC. ### Which players are already through to Saturday? Sporting News listed 16 seeded players who receive byes into the second round on Saturday, including Gian van Veen, Michael van Gerwen, Jonny Clayton, James Wade, Gerwyn Price, Danny Noppert and Stephen Bunting. Chris Dobey, Ryan Searle, Nathan Aspinall, Ross Smith, Wessel Nijman, Jermaine Wattimena, Martin Schindler and Mike De Decker are also in that seeded group. (sportingnews.com) Sporting News also said Luke Woodhouse, Damon Heta and Krzysztof Ratajski were bumped up into seeded positions. The same qualifiers list said the field can still change before the event if players withdraw. ### Who has to play on Friday in Leverkusen? Sporting News said 32 players are scheduled for Friday’s first round across afternoon and evening sessions, with matches starting at 1:00 p.m. local time. (sportingnews.com) The opening session includes Ryan Joyce against Mio Varila, Karel Sedlacek against Rhys Griffin, Andrew Gilding against Rob Owen and Dirk van Duijvenbode against Jaimy Van de Weerd. The evening session begins at 7:00 p.m. local time and includes Kim Huybrechts against Samuel Price, Daryl Gurney against Maik Kuivenhoven, William O’Connor against Sebastian Bialecki and Rob Cross against Max Hopp. Joe Cullen faces Charlie Manby, Kevin Doets meets Dominik Gruellich, Niko Springer plays Darius Labanauskas and Niels Zonneveld takes on Daniel Klose. (sportingnews.com) ### How does the bracket feed into the seeded round? Saturday’s second round starts at 1:00 p.m. local time, with seeded players entering against Friday’s winners, Sporting News said. Damon Heta opens against Andrew Gilding or Rob Owen, Mike De Decker faces Cameron Menzies or Jan Schmidt, and Luke Woodhouse plays Mario Vandenbogaerde or Dragutin Horvat. (sportingnews.com) Michael van Gerwen is drawn against Joe Cullen or Charlie Manby, while Gian van Veen will face Niko Springer or Darius Labanauskas. Nathan Aspinall is set to begin against Mickey Mansell or Michal Smejda, and Martin Schindler awaits Kevin Doets or Dominik Gruellich. (sportingnews.com) ### Why does this stop sit where it does on the calendar? Sporting News said this weekend’s tournament is the last Euro Tour stop until late August. That places Leverkusen at the end of this stretch of European Tour events and one week before the World Matchplay opens at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool on July 18. The PDC said the 2026 World Matchplay runs from July 18 to July 26 with a 32-player field competing for the Phil Taylor Trophy. (sportingnews.com) That schedule leaves an immediate turn from Leverkusen into one of the circuit’s major summer events. ### What comes next after Friday’s opener? Sunday, July 12, is scheduled to host the later rounds and final session in Leverkusen after the first round on Friday and second round on Saturday, Sporting News said. (sportingnews.com) The same schedule page listed Sunday afternoon play from 1:00 p.m. local time, with the tournament concluding that night. (pdc.tv) Blackpool is next on the calendar after Leverkusen, with the 2026 Betfred World Matchplay set for July 18-26 at the Winter Gardens, according to the PDC. (pdc.tv) (sportingnews.com)