Defending champion Nathan Aspinall will face Mickey Mansell or Michal Smejda at the Elten Safety Shoes European Darts Open, with the draw and schedule for this weekend’s event in Leverkusen now confirmed.
The 10th European Tour event of 2026 will see 48 players battle for the £35,000 top prize at the Ostermann-Arena from July 10-12, with Dutch Nos 1 and 2 Gian van Veen and Michael van Gerwen also in action.
Aspinall’s title defence kicks off against Mansell or Smedja, while Van Gerwen searches for a sixth title in Leverkusen against Joe Cullen or Charlie Manby.
Schedule of Play
Friday July 10
Round One
Afternoon Session (12pm)
Ryan Joyce vs Mio Varila
Karel Sedlacek vs Rhys Griffin
Mario Vandenbogaerde vs Dragutin Horvat
Andrew Gilding vs Rob Owen
Cameron Menzies vs Jan Schmidt
Mickey Mansell vs Michal Smejda
Lukas Wenig vs Bradley Brooks
Dirk van Duijvenbode vs Jaimy van de Weerd
Evening Session (6pm)
Kim Huybrechts vs Samuel Price
Daryl Gurney vs Maik Kuivenhoven
William O’Connor vs Sebastian Bialecki
Rob Cross vs Max Hopp
Joe Cullen vs Charlie Manby
Kevin Doets vs Dominik Gruellich
Niko Springer vs Darius Labanauskas
Niels Zonneveld vs Daniel Klose
Saturday July 11
Round Two
Afternoon Session (12pm)
Damon Heta vs Gilding/Owen
Mike De Decker vs Menzies/Schmidt
Luke Woodhouse vs Vandenbogaerde/Horvat
Danny Noppert vs O’Connor/Bialecki
Jermaine Wattimena vs Huybrechts/Price
Chris Dobey vs Van Duijvenbode/Van de Weerd
Wessel Nijman vs Wenig/Brooks
Krzysztof Ratajski vs Cross/Hopp
Evening Session (6pm)
Stephen Bunting vs Joyce/Varila
James Wade vs Gurney/Kuivenhoven
Jonny Clayton vs Sedlacek/Griffin
Michael van Gerwen vs Cullen/Manby
Gian van Veen vs Springer/Labanauskas
Martin Schindler vs Doets/Gruellich
Nathan Aspinall vs Mansell/Smejda
Ross Smith vs Zonneveld/Klose
Sunday July 12
Afternoon Session (12pm)
Round Three
Evening Session (6pm)
Quarter-Finals
Semi-Finals
Final
What’s happening on Sky Sports next?
The 2026 Betfred World Matchplay will take place at the iconic Winter Gardens from July 18-26, as a 32-player field competes for the prestigious Phil Taylor Trophy.
World No 1 Luke Littler will be eyeing back-to-back titles in Blackpool, with 2024 champion Luke Humphries and three-time World Matchplay winner Van Gerwen also set to star in the £1m event.
This summer’s action will also feature the fifth staging of the Betfred Women’s World Matchplay, as eight of the biggest names in the women’s game battle it out for the title currently held by Lisa Ashton.
Who will win this year’s World Matchplay Darts? Luke Littler will be defending his title and you can watch all the action on Sky Sports. Stream darts and more top sport with NOW.
