MICHAEL VAN GERWEN will begin his defence of the Unibet European Championship title against Dutch debutant Jeffrey de Zwaan, while Belgian ace Kim Huybrechts will meet Mervyn King in his home country when the event begins on October 30.
World number one van Gerwen hit a stunning nine-dart finish on his way to the title last year, before overcoming Terry Jenkins in the final to add the European Championship title to his ever-growing roll of honour.
He will face another Dutch ace, emerging star de Zwaan, when the £300,000 tournament begins next weekend at the Ethias Arena in Hasselt, as the PDC stages its first major TV event in Belgium, live on ITV4.
De Zwaan, 19, joined the PDC circuit this year when he won a Tour Card at Qualifying School, and has already landed a nine-dart finish and qualified for the UK Open during a successful 2015.
However, he will face his toughest test yet when he steps onto stage at the Ethias Arena, with van Gerwen having claimed victory in The Unibet Masters, UK Open and World Matchplay this year.
The tournament's move to Belgium will also see Kim Huybrechts step into the spotlight in his home country, with the 29-year-old making the ideal preparation by winning last weekend's European Tour event in Sindelfingen.
Huybrechts will begin his Unibet European Championship challenge against Mervyn King, a semi-finalist in last year's tournament.
The 2014 European Championship runner-up, Terry Jenkins, will take on world number seven James Wade in a high-profile first round contest.
Phil Taylor, the winner of the first four European Championships from 2008-2011, will begin his challenge for a fifth title against Dutchman Vincent van der Voort - who claimed victory when the pair met in the World Grand Prix earlier in October.
World Grand Prix champion Robert Thornton faces an all-Scottish battle with John Henderson, while World Champion Gary Anderson - also the Premier League winner this year - meets Northern Ireland's Brendan Dolan.
Colourful Peter Wright, the number four seed, takes on another European Championship debutant Alan Norris, who won a Players Championship event in Dublin recently to seal his spot in Hasselt.
2013 European Champion Adrian Lewis, the number six seed, takes on another of the exciting crop of Dutch youngsters, Benito van de Pas, while 2012 winner Simon Whitlock has drawn Swedish qualifier Magnus Caris.
Number eight seed Ian White plays Stephen Bunting, while another crunch all-Dutch clash sees former finalist Raymond van Barneveld drawn against Jelle Klaasen, who has won two ranking titles this year.
In-form Mensur Suljovic, who reached the World Grand Prix semi-finals, plays Dave Chisnall, while Michael Smith has drawn Welsh debutant Gerwyn Price and Justin Pipe takes on emerging Dutchman Dirk van Duijvenbode.
Holland's Christian Kist will take on former World Youth Championship finalist Rowby-John Rodriguez - the youngster from Austria - while Spanish debutant Cristo Reyes has drawn German teenager Max Hopp.
The 19-year-old starlet also enters the European Championship on a high, after he won through to the PDC Unicorn World Youth Championship final on Monday evening.
The Unibet European Championship will be held at the Ethias Arena in Hasselt, Belgium from Friday October 30-Sunday November 1. For tickets, visit www.pdc-europe.tv.
Click below to watch PDC Chairman Barry Hearn conduct the Unibet European Championship Draw
2015 Unibet European Championship
First Round Draw & Tournament Bracket
Michael van Gerwen (1) v Jeffrey de Zwaan
Cristo Reyes v Max Hopp
Ian White (8) v Stephen Bunting
Mensur Suljovic v Dave Chisnall
Robert Thornton (5) v John Henderson
Christian Kist v Rowby-John Rodriguez
Peter Wright (4) v Alan Norris
Kim Huybrechts v Mervyn King
Gary Anderson (2) v Brendan Dolan
Simon Whitlock v Magnus Caris
James Wade (7) v Terry Jenkins
Jelle Klaasen v Raymond van Barneveld
Adrian Lewis (6) v Benito van de Pas
Justin Pipe v Dirk van Duijvenbode
Phil Taylor (3) v Vincent van der Voort
Michael Smith v Gerwyn Price
Schedule of Play
Friday October 30
Afternoon Session (1.45pm-6pm local time, 12.45pm-5pm UK time)
First Round x8
Cristo Reyes v Max Hopp
Christian Kist v Rowby-John Rodriguez
Simon Whitlock v Magnus Caris
Justin Pipe v Dirk van Duijvenbode
Michael Smith v Gerwyn Price
Ian White v Stephen Bunting
Robert Thornton v John Henderson
Peter Wright v Alan Norris
Evening Session (8pm-12am local time, 7pm-11pm UK time)
First Round x8
Adrian Lewis v Benito van de Pas
Mensur Suljovic v Dave Chisnall
James Wade v Terry Jenkins
Gary Anderson v Brendan Dolan
Jelle Klaasen v Raymond van Barneveld
Phil Taylor v Vincent van der Voort
Michael van Gerwen v Jeffrey de Zwaan
Kim Huybrechts v Mervyn King
Saturday October 31
Afternoon Session (1.45pm-6pm local time, 12.45pm-5pm UK time)
Second Round x4
Thornton/Henderson v Kist/Rodriguez
White/Bunting v Suljovic/Chisnall
Lewis/van de Pas v Pipe/van Duijvenbode
Anderson/Dolan v Whitlock/Caris
Evening Session (8pm-12am local time, 7pm-11pm UK time)
Second Round x4
Wright/Norris v Huybrechts/King
Taylor/van der Voort v Smith/Price
van Gerwen/de Zwaan v Reyes/Hopp
Wade/Jenkins v Klaasen/van Barneveld
Sunday November 1
Afternoon Session (1.45pm-6pm local time, 12.45pm-5pm UK time)
Quarter-Finals
Order of play TBC
Evening Session (8pm-12am local time, 7pm-11pm UK time)
Semi-Finals & Final
Format
First Round - Best of 11 legs
Second Round - Best of 19 legs
Quarter-Finals - Best of 19 legs
Semi-Finals - Best of 21 legs
Final - Best of 21 legs
Prize Fund
Winner £65,000
Runner-Up £35,000
Semi-Finalists £17,000
Quarter-Finalists £11,500
Second Round Losers £7,000
First Round Losers £4,000
Total £300,000