Dutch Darts Championship 2026 | Day One Preview and Order of Play
The 2026 Dutch Darts Championship commences in Maastricht on Friday as the qualifiers face off in the opening round.
The 15th and final European Tour event of the year features 48 players competing for £230,000 in prize money at the MECC Maastricht from October 16-18.
Following Sunday’s action, the top 32 players on the European Tour Order of Merit will form the line-up for next week’s European Championship in Dortmund.
Six places remain up for grabs in the £750,000 ranked major, with Stephen Bunting currently occupying 32nd spot, £2,000 ahead of nearest challenger Karel Sedlacek.
The Czech number one has enjoyed a sensational recent run of form, picking up his first Players Championship title and reaching the quarter-finals of last week’s Swiss Darts Trophy.
Sedlacek, however, faces a tough opener against three-time Players Championship event winner Callan Rydz in the afternoon session.
Eight-time European Tour event winner Dave Chisnall aims to runner-stamp his trip to Dortmund by overcoming Finland’s Jonas Masalin – who pulled off a shock win over Kevin Doets earlier this season.
Cameron Menzies, a winner of two Players Championship events this season, opens up against Welsh World Cup representative Nick Kenny – who is chasing a spot in December’s World Championship.
Former UK Open champion Andrew Gilding looks to bounce back from last week’s first round defeat to Stefan Bellmont in Basel when he faces former European Tour event winner Max Hopp.
Jeffrey De Graaf, winner of a ProTour event earlier in the year, faces former Grand Slam semi-finalist Mickey Mansell, while former European Tour event finalist Ryan Joyce meets three-time Development Tour winner Owen Bates.
World Matchplay semi-finalist Dirk van Duijvenbode is set for a roof-raising reception on home soil when he steps out to face the equally enigmatic James Hurrell.
Former German Darts Championship winner Ricardo Pietreczko returns to the European Tour stage to face debutant host nation qualifier Heine Uuldriks.
The evening session features a showdown between home favourite Niels Zonneveld – twice a European Tour semi-finalist this season – and former World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker, who has tumbled to 34th in the Order of Merit.
Former European Championship finalist Michael Smith must reach at least the quarter-final stage this weekend if he is to have any chance to securing a return to Dortmund, and the former World Champion opens up with a tie against Stephen Burton.
Belgian ace Kim Huybrechts aims to clinch his European Championship spot by overcoming 2025 WDF World Champion Jimmy van Schie.
Maikel Verberk, who came through the host nation qualifier alongside Van Schie, takes on Damon Heta – a four-time semi-finalist on the European Tour this season.
One of the stand-out ties of the opening round sees former European Tour event winner Niko Springer and recent Players Championship event finalist Scott Williams collide.
Daryl Gurney looks to take full advantage of his late call-up via the reserve list when he meets European Darts Open semi-finalist Sebastian Bialecki.
Spanish number one Cristo Reyes starts out against Poland’s Krzysztof Kciuk, while former World Cup finalist William O’Connor takes on former Lakeside semi-finalist Richard Veenstra.
The action gets under way from 12pm BST, with first round ties to be contested over the best of 11 legs.
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Dutch Darts Championship 2026 Day One Schedule
All times BST (local time +1 hour)
Friday October 16
Round One
Afternoon Session (12pm-4pm)
Karel Sedlacek v Callan Rydz
Cameron Menzies v Nick Kenny
Jeffrey de Graaf v Mickey Mansell
Dave Chisnall v Jonas Masalin
Andrew Gilding v Max Hopp
Ryan Joyce v Owen Bates
Ricardo Pietreczko v Heine Uuldriks
Dirk van Duijvenbode v James Hurrell
Evening Session (6pm-10pm)
Sebastian Bialecki v Daryl Gurney
William O’Connor v Richard Veenstra
Niko Springer v Scott Williams
Niels Zonneveld v Mike De Decker
Kim Huybrechts v Jimmy van Schie
Cristo Reyes v Krzysztof Kciuk
Damon Heta v Maikel Verberk
Michael Smith v Stephen Burton
