A classic returns home: The ELTEN Safety Shoes European Darts Open will once again be held in Leverkusen in 2026, celebrating another chapter in its impressive history. As one of the oldest events on the European Tour, the tournament can look back on many unforgettable moments. From Raymond van Barneveld’s maiden victory in 2012 to van Gerwen’s dominance with a total of five titles and Nathan Aspinall’s tournament victory last year. The Ostermann Arena provides the perfect stage for this tradition, where year after year the elite meet to compete for the prestigious trophy in the heart of North Rhine-Westphalia.
General tournament information
Date: 10 to 12 July 2026
Venue: Ostermann-Arena, Leverkusen (Germany)
Competition: European Tour (Event No. 10)
Field of participants: 48 players
Match overview with session information
The tournament will be played in the classic knockout system. The first four rounds will be played in a best of 11 legs format, the semi-finals in a best of 13 legs format and the final in a best of 15 legs format. All legs will be played in double-out mode. Tickets for the individual sessions are available HERE.
Match schedule & sessions
Friday, 10 July 2026
Afternoon session (from 1 p.m.) – 1st round
Evening session (from 7 p.m.) – 1st round
Saturday, 11 July 2026
Afternoon session (from 1 p.m.) – 2nd round
Evening session (from 7 p.m.) – 2nd round
Sunday, 12 July 2026
Afternoon session (from 1 p.m.) – Round of 16
Evening session (from 7 p.m.) – Quarter-finals, semi-finals & final
The top-ranked players in the PDC Order of Merit will enter the tournament in the second round, while the remaining players will compete in the first round.
Prize money
In 2026, the prize money for European Tour events was significantly increased. A total of £230,000 will be distributed as follows:
- Winner: £ 35,000
- Runner-up: £ 15,000
- Semi-finalists: £ 10,000
- Quarter-finalists: £ 8,000
- Round of 16: £ 5,000
- Second round: £ 3,500
- First round: £ 2,000
The prize money counts towards the PDC Order of Merit, the ProTour Order of Merit and the European Tour Order of Merit (qualification for the European Championship).
Qualification
The field of participants is made up of various qualification routes to ensure a mix of world stars and regional talent:
Top 16 of the PDC Order of Merit: Automatically qualified for the second round on Saturday.
Top 16 of the ProTour Order of Merit: Highest-ranked players after the top 16.
Tour Card Holder Qualifier: 10 places for PDC Tour Card holders.
Host Nation Qualifier: 4 places for players from Germany.
Nordic & Baltic Qualifier: 1 place for players from the Scandinavian/Baltic region.
East Europe Qualifier: 1 place for players from Eastern Europe.
TV broadcast
Fans can watch the entire tournament live. The ELTEN Safety Shoes European Darts Open will be broadcast on the following channels:
PDC TV:
International live stream for subscribers (original commentary).
SOCIAL MEDIA:
Current scores and highlights can be found on the PDC Europe channels.
DAZN:
Broadcasts all sessions live in Germany, Austria and Switzerland in German.
Previous winners
- 2025: Nathan Aspinall 8:6 Damon Heta
- 2024: Dave Chisnall 8:6 Ross Smith
- 2023: Gerwyn Price 8:7 Dirk van Duijvenbode
- 2022: Michael van Gerwen 8:5 Dimitri van den Bergh
- 2019: Michael van Gerwen 8:6 Rob Cross
- 2018: Michael van Gerwen 8:7 Peter Wright
- 2017: Peter Wright 6:2 Merwyn King
- 2016: Michael van Gerwen 6:5 Peter Wright
- 2015: Robert Thornton 6:2 Kim Huybrechts
- 2014: Peter Wright 6:2 Simon Whitlock
- 2013: Michael van Gerwen 6:2 Simon Whitlock
- 2012: Raymond van Barneveld 6:4 Dave Chisnall
