The 2024 Machineseeker European Championship gets underway on Thursday, as the top 32 players from the 2024 European Tour Order of Merit compete for the coveted title in Dortmund.
Reigning champion Peter Wright will be one of five former winner vying for glory in the £600,000 event, after the Scot defeated James Wade to clinch his second European Championship crown in 2023.
The tournament’s 17th staging - being played in front of record crowds - will also feature world number one Luke Humphries, four-time champion Michael van Gerwen and teenage sensation Luke Littler, as the sport’s biggest names go head-to-head at the Westfalenhalle from October 24-27.
The first round will be held across evening sessions on Thursday and Friday, as Wright kicks off his campaign against Jermaine Wattimena on the second night of action.
Wright ended his two-year wait for a televised ranking title in last year’s showpiece, and following a difficult start to 2024 returned to the winner’s circle in last month’s German Darts Championship.
“Winning this trophy last year meant a lot to me,” revealed the two-time World Champion, who also lifted the European Championship title in 2020.
“I showed I can still mix it with the very best, and I think some of my performances over the last few months have shown I’m still more than capable of beating anybody in the world.
“I’m expecting a tough game against Jermaine. He’s had a strong year on the European Tour, but if I play my own game, I know I can have another great weekend in Dortmund.
“I always get incredible support from the fans in Germany, and with so many big tournaments coming up, retaining this title would be a great way to kickstart my year.”
Thursday’s star-studded line-up will be headlined by top seed Martin Schindler, who marks his return to home soil with a clash against 2022 semi-finalist Dirk van Duijvenbode.
Schindler has broken new ground over the last 12 months, celebrating success at the International Darts Open and the Swiss Darts Trophy to become the first German player to win multiple European Tour titles.
“I’m very proud of the year I’ve had on the European Tour, and being the number one seed is a great feeling," declared Schindler, who is now eyeing a first victory on the European Championship stage.
“The European Tour has always been a very big step for players; if they handled the European Tour they would perform even better in major tournaments.
“I’m really looking forward to Dortmund. It’s one of the best tournaments we have here in Germany, and hopefully I can get my first win there as well!
“I think I have really progressed in the last three or four years. I have grown as a player, I have grown as human being, and this is probably the key to my success."
Schindler’s World Cup partner Gabriel Clemens will also be in opening night action in Dortmund, as he plays four-time European Champion Van Gerwen for a place in Saturday’s second round.
2022 champion Ross Smith takes on debutant Luke Woodhouse, while Dave Chisnall - a two-time winner on the European Tour in 2024 - faces world number two Michael Smith.
Masters champion Stephen Bunting and two-time World Champion Gary Anderson lock horns in another blockbuster clash, while eighth seed Ryan Searle meets two-time semi-finalist Raymond van Barneveld.
2019 runner-up Gerwyn Price kicks off his campaign against a resurgent Daryl Gurney, while last year’s semi-finalist Gian van Veen plays the returning Ritchie Edhouse in Thursday’s curtain-raiser.
The first round will conclude on Friday evening, as World Champion Humphries begins his bid for a maiden European Championship title against 2023 World Matchplay winner Nathan Aspinall.
Having stormed to victory in April’s German Darts Grand Prix, Humphries doubled his 2024 European Tour title tally on Sunday, boasting a tournament average of 105 to secure his second Czech Darts Open crown.
“I felt really good in Prague; it was a nice way to end the European Tour season,” reflected second seed Humphries, a runner-up at the World Grand Prix earlier this month.
“I think I took the defeat at the World Grand Prix really well. Sometimes you just have to accept that the better player won, and Mike [De Decker] deserved it.
“It was nice to bounce back [from the World Grand Prix] so quickly, because when you lose in major finals it’s not easy; it does hurt you.
“The European Tour has been a massive catalyst for my success over the last few years, so I would love to add this title to my résumé this weekend.”
Friday’s play will also see Littler make his European Championship debut, as the 17-year-old superstar goes up against former UK Open champion Andrew Gilding.
Rob Cross and James Wade renew their rivalry in a battle of former European Champions, as sixth seed Josh Rock - a European Tour winner in the Netherlands this year - takes on newly crowned World Grand Prix champion De Decker.
Ricardo Pietreczko makes his European Championship return against Australian number one Damon Heta, while 2022 semi-finalist Chris Dobey and world number six Jonny Clayton collide.
Elsewhere, 2023 semi-finalist Danny Noppert kicks off Friday’s bumper evening session against Joe Cullen, who reached the last four in 2018 and 2021.
The second round will then take place across two sessions on Saturday, with the quarter-finals being held on Sunday afternoon, ahead of the decisive semi-finals and final on Sunday evening.
The tournament will be the biggest-ever event staged by the PDC in Europe, with over 30,000 tickets sold already across the six sessions at the Westfalenhalle.
The Machineseeker European Championship will be broadcast live on ITV4 in the UK, through the PDC's worldwide broadcast partners including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV (excluding subscribers based in the UK, Germany, Austria & Switzerland).
2024 Machineseeker European Championship
Draw Bracket
(1) Martin Schindler v (32) Dirk van Duijvenbode
(16) Gerwyn Price v (17) Daryl Gurney
(8) Ryan Searle v (25) Raymond van Barneveld
(9) Ross Smith v (24) Luke Woodhouse
(4) Dave Chisnall v (29) Michael Smith
(13) Gian van Veen v (20) Ritchie Edhouse
(5) Michael van Gerwen v (28) Gabriel Clemens
(12) Stephen Bunting v (21) Gary Anderson
(2) Luke Humphries v (31) Nathan Aspinall
(15) Chris Dobey v (18) Jonny Clayton
(7) Rob Cross v (26) James Wade
(10) Peter Wright v (23) Jermaine Wattimena
(3) Luke Littler v (30) Andrew Gilding
(14) Ricardo Pietreczko v (19) Damon Heta
(6) Josh Rock v (27) Mike De Decker
(11) Danny Noppert v (22) Joe Cullen
Schedule of Play
Thursday October 24 (1900-2300 CEST, 1800-2200 BST)
First Round x8
Gian van Veen v Ritchie Edhouse
Gerwyn Price v Daryl Gurney
Ross Smith v Luke Woodhouse
Stephen Bunting v Gary Anderson
Ryan Searle v Raymond van Barneveld
Michael van Gerwen v Gabriel Clemens
Martin Schindler v Dirk van Duijvenbode
Dave Chisnall v Michael Smith
Friday October 25 (1900-2300 CEST, 1800-2200 BST)
First Round x8
Danny Noppert v Joe Cullen
Chris Dobey v Jonny Clayton
Rob Cross v James Wade
Ricardo Pietreczko v Damon Heta
Peter Wright v Jermaine Wattimena
Luke Littler v Andrew Gilding
Luke Humphries v Nathan Aspinall
Josh Rock v Mike De Decker
Saturday October 26
Afternoon Session (1245-1700 CEST, 1145-1600 BST)
Second Round x4
Evening Session (1900-2300 CEST, 1800-2200 BST)
Second Round x4
Sunday October 27
Afternoon Session (1245-1700 CET, 1145-1600 GMT)
Quarter-Finals
Evening Session (1900-2300 CET, 1800-2200 GMT)
Semi-Finals
Final
Prize Fund
Winner - £120,000
Runner-Up - £60,000
Semi-Finalists - £40,000
Quarter-Finalists - £25,000
Second Round - £15,000
First Round - £7,500
Total Prize Fund: £600,000
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