Gerwyn Price will begin his defence of the NEO.bet European Darts Open against Gabriel Clemens or Dirk van Duijvenbode, with the draw and schedule for this weekend's event now confirmed.
The Ostermann-Arena will play host to the year's eighth PDC European Tour event from June 21-23, as 48 players battle it out for the £30,000 top prize in Leverkusen.
Reigning champion Price could kick off his campaign against Van Duijvenbode in a repeat of last year's final, with world number one Luke Humphries and three-time World Champion Michael van Gerwen also in action this weekend.
Friday's first round - which will be broadcast through PDCTV, Viaplay and DAZN - will feature 16 matches across two sessions, as German World Cup star Clemens takes on 2023 runner-up Van Duijvenbode in his opener.
2023 World Champion Michael Smith will play ten-time TV title winner James Wade in another blockbuster tussle, while five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld meets Poland's number one Krzysztof Ratajski.
UK Open champion Dimitri Van den Bergh - a European Darts Open runner-up in 2022 - plays Ryan Meikle for a place in Saturday's second round, with 2023 UK Open champion Andrew Gilding up against in-form Swedish star Jeffrey de Graaf.
Former Masters champion Joe Cullen has been pitted against emerging youngster Owen Bates, Daryl Gurney faces Finland's Marko Kantele, while Mike De Decker and Luke Woodhouse collide in a crucial clash in the race for World Matchplay qualification.
The 16 seeded players will then enter the fray in Saturday's second round, as Price begins his title defence against home favourite Clemens or Van Duijvenbode.
Top seed Humphries will play 2012 champion Van Barneveld or Ratajski in his opener, while Van Gerwen opens his bid for a record-extending sixth European Darts Open crown against Jamie Hughes or Dylan Slevin.
Second seed Dave Chisnall has been pitted against De Decker or Woodhouse for a place in the last 16, while 2018 World Champion Rob Cross meets either Smith or Wade in a bumper second round tie.
Josh Rock - a winner at last month's Dutch Darts Championship - begins his bid for a second consecutive European Tour title against Meikle or Van den Bergh, as third seed Damon Heta faces either Radek Szaganski or Dom Taylor.
Germany's number one Martin Schindler gets his campaign underway against Karel Sedlacek or Matthew Dennant, with two-time European Darts Open champion Peter Wright up against Ritchie Edhouse or Jan Dueckers in round two.
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.
NB: From the original list of entries, Gary Anderson, Luke Littler, Nathan Aspinall, Jonny Clayton and Ryan Joyce have withdrawn from the event, and have been replaced by Ritchie Edhouse, Kevin Doets, Dylan Slevin, Jamie Hughes & Ryan Meikle from the Reserve List, with Gian van Veen replacing Anderson as a seed.
Live coverage of all 2024 European Tour events will be streamed through Viaplay, and through DAZN for viewers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Coverage will also be shown on PDCTV (excluding Germany, Austria and Switzerland) and through bookmakers' worldwide.
2024 NEO.bet European Darts Open
Ostermann-Arena, Leverkusen, June 21-23
Tournament Draw Bracket - Second Round Onwards
(6) Danny Noppert v Owen Bates/Joe Cullen
(11) Stephen Bunting v Benjamin Pratnemer/Kevin Troppmann
(3) Damon Heta v Radek Szaganski/Dom Taylor
(14) Chris Dobey v Jeffrey de Graaf/Andrew Gilding
(7) Michael van Gerwen v Jamie Hughes/Dylan Slevin
(10) Ryan Searle v Marko Kantele/Daryl Gurney
(2) Dave Chisnall v Mike De Decker/Luke Woodhouse
(15) Ricardo Pietreczko v Nico Blum/Kevin Doets
(5) Gerwyn Price v Gabriel Clemens/Dirk van Duijvenbode
(12) Martin Schindler v Karel Sedlacek/Matthew Dennant
(4) Rob Cross v Michael Smith/James Wade
(13) Peter Wright v Ritchie Edhouse/Jan Dueckers
(8) Josh Rock v Ryan Meikle/Dimitri Van den Bergh
(9) Ross Smith v Nico Kurz/Callan Rydz
(1) Luke Humphries v Raymond van Barneveld/Krzysztof Ratajski
(16) Gian van Veen v Andy Baetens/Nathan Rafferty
Schedule of Play
Friday June 21
First Round
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Radek Szaganski v Dom Taylor
Karel Sedlacek v Matthew Dennant
Jamie Hughes v Dylan Slevin
Nico Blum v Kevin Doets
Ritchie Edhouse v Jan Dueckers
Jeffrey de Graaf v Andrew Gilding
Andy Baetens v Nathan Rafferty
Marko Kantele v Daryl Gurney
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Benjamin Pratnemer v Kevin Troppmann
Nico Kurz v Callan Rydz
Owen Bates v Joe Cullen
Raymond van Barneveld v Krzysztof Ratajski
Michael Smith v James Wade
Mike De Decker v Luke Woodhouse
Gabriel Clemens v Dirk van Duijvenbode
Ryan Meikle v Dimitri Van den Bergh
Saturday June 22
Second Round
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Gian van Veen v Baetens/Rafferty
Stephen Bunting v Pratnemer/Troppmann
Damon Heta v Szaganski/D Taylor
Ryan Searle v Kantele/Gurney
Chris Dobey v De Graaf/Gilding
Dave Chisnall v De Decker/Woodhouse
Ross Smith v Kurz/Rydz
Ricardo Pietreczko v Blum/Doets
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Danny Noppert v Bates/Cullen
Rob Cross v M Smith/Wade
Gerwyn Price v Clemens/Van Duijvenbode
Michael van Gerwen v Hughes/Slevin
Martin Schindler v Sedlacek/Dennant
Luke Humphries v Van Barneveld/Ratajski
Peter Wright v Edhouse/Dueckers
Josh Rock v Meikle/Van den Bergh
Sunday June 23
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Third Round
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Quarter-Finals
Semi-Finals
Final
Sunday's games played in Draw Bracket order