Defending champion Gerwyn Price will take on either Keegan Brown or Mensur Suljovic in his Gibraltar Darts Trophy opener, with the draw and schedule for this weekend’s PDC European Tour event now confirmed.
The Victoria Stadium in Gibraltar will play host to the year’s final European Tour event from October 14-16, as the race for Cazoo European Championship qualification reaches its conclusion.
Price relinquished his world number one status at last weekend’s BoyleSports World Grand Prix, and his bid to return to winning ways could begin with a showdown against Suljovic, in a repeat of last year’s Gibraltar final.
Fresh from scooping his sixth World Grand Prix title, Michael van Gerwen will also be in action, alongside new world number one Peter Wright and top seed Luke Humphries - who celebrated the birth of his first child, Rowan, earlier this week.
Friday’s first round will feature 16 matches across two sessions, with six qualification spots available in Thursday’s Host Nation Qualifier following the withdrawals of Krzysztof Kciuk and Karel Sedlacek.
Stephen Bunting will take on two-time TV title winner Daryl Gurney in a blockbuster first round clash, with Germany’s number two Martin Schindler up against Dutch veteran Vincent van der Voort.
Rowby-John Rodriguez - a finalist on the European Tour earlier this year - plays UK Open semi-finalist Keane Barry in another intriguing tie, while World Youth Championship finalist Josh Rock faces Ryan Meikle.
The 16 seeded players enter the fray in Saturday’s second round, with reigning champion Price set to meet either 2021 runner-up Suljovic or a resurgent Brown, who ended his seven-year wait for a ProTour title in August.
Van Gerwen is eyeing his fourth European Tour title of 2022 in Gibraltar, and the Dutchman will open his campaign against either Steve Beaton or Gibraltar's World Cup star Justin Hewitt.
World Champion Wright will lock horns with Belgium’s Mario Vandenbogaerde or Hewitt's World Cup partner Craig Galliano, with top seed Humphries up against Kenny Neyens or Sean Negrette in round two.
World Grand Prix runner-up Nathan Aspinall takes on Schindler or Van der Voort on Saturday afternoon, as Jonny Clayton begins his campaign with a tough test against the winner of the tie between Bunting and Gurney.
Fourth seed Michael Smith will play Rock or Meikle for a place in round three, while Belgian Darts Open winner Dave Chisnall begins his bid for back-to-back European Tour titles against Jeff Smith or Wesley Plaisier.
Following Saturday’s second round, the last 16 will take place on Sunday afternoon, before the tournament concludes with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final in a bumper evening session.
Coverage will be streamed through DAZN for viewers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and through PDCTV for subscribers in all other territories, as well as through bookmakers worldwide.
2022 Gibraltar Darts Trophy
Tournament Draw Bracket - Second Round Onwards
(1) Luke Humphries v Sean Negrette/Kenny Neyens
(16) Dave Chisnall v Jeff Smith/Wesley Plaisier
(8) Ryan Searle v Jim Williams/William O'Connor
(9) Peter Wright v Mario Vandenbogaerde/Craig Galliano
(4) Michael Smith v Ryan Meikle/Josh Rock
(13) Jonny Clayton v Stephen Bunting/Daryl Gurney
(5) Rob Cross v Marko Kantele/Rusty-Jake Rodriguez
(12) Danny Noppert v Dyson Parody/Ryan Joyce
(2) Michael van Gerwen v Steve Beaton/Justin Hewitt
(15) Jose de Sousa v Rowby-John Rodriguez/Keane Barry
(7) Nathan Aspinall v Martin Schindler/Vincent van der Voort
(10) Dirk van Duijvenbode v Jason Lowe/Manuel Vilerio
(3) Gerwyn Price v Keegan Brown/Mensur Suljovic
(14) Dimitri Van den Bergh v Gabriel Clemens/Adam Hunt
(6) Damon Heta v Chris Dobey/Dylan Duo Jnr
(11) Joe Cullen v Ritchie Edhouse/John Henderson
Schedule of Play
Friday October 14
First Round
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Mario Vandenbogaerde v Craig Galliano
Jim Williams v William O'Connor
Jason Lowe v Manuel Vilerio
Sean Negrette v Kenny Neyens
Steve Beaton v Justin Hewitt
Ritchie Edhouse v John Henderson
Jeff Smith v Wesley Plaisier
Marko Kantele v Rusty-Jake Rodriguez
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Rowby-John Rodriguez v Keane Barry
Dyson Parody v Ryan Joyce
Stephen Bunting v Daryl Gurney
Chris Dobey v Dylan Duo Jr
Ryan Meikle v Josh Rock
Martin Schindler v Vincent van der Voort
Keegan Brown v Mensur Suljovic
Gabriel Clemens v Adam Hunt
Saturday October 15
Second Round
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Rob Cross v Kantele/Rusty-Jake Rodriguez
Ryan Searle v Williams/O'Connor
Dave Chisnall v J Smith/Plaisier
Dirk van Duijvenbode v Lowe/Vilerio
Danny Noppert v Parody/Joyce
Jose de Sousa v Rowby-John Rodriguez/Barry
Damon Heta v Dobey/Duo Jr
Nathan Aspinall v Schindler/Van der Voort
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Michael Smith v Meikle/Rock
Luke Humphries v Negrette/Neyens
Peter Wright v Vandenbogaerde/Galliano
Jonny Clayton v Bunting/Gurney
Michael van Gerwen v Beaton/Hewitt
Gerwyn Price v K Brown/Suljovic
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Clemens/Hunt
Joe Cullen v Edhouse/Henderson
Sunday October 16
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Third Round
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Quarter-Finals
Semi-Finals
Final