Luke Littler will open his defence of the Lecot Belgian Darts Open against Ryan Searle or Darryl Pilgrim, following confirmation of the draw and schedule for the opening PDC European Tour event of 2025.
Littler landed a memorable nine-dart finish on his way to glory in Wieze 12 months ago, denying Rob Cross in a captivating decider to triumph on his European Tour debut.
The World Champion will return to headline this year’s European Tour curtain-raiser at the Oktoberhallen, as a star-studded 48-player field compete for the £30,000 top prize from March 7-9.
Friday’s first round will feature 16 matches across two sessions, with home favourite Mike De Decker and 2022/23 World Champion Michael Smith amongst the star attractions on Day One.
World Grand Prix champion De Decker will mark his return to Belgian soil with a clash against Thomas Lovely, while Smith has been pitted against Ryan Joyce in one of Friday’s stand-out ties.
European Champion Ritchie Edhouse kicks off his campaign against Owen Bates, as two-time TV title winner Daryl Gurney plays French trailblazer Thibault Tricole for a place in round two.
German number one Martin Schindler faces European Tour debutant Jim Long, while five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld also faces a newcomer in the shape of emerging talent Cam Crabtree.
UK Open semi-finalist Josh Rock takes on Croatia’s Boris Krcmar, before Gian van Veen – who reached the last eight in Minehead last weekend – goes up against James Hurrell in his opener.
The 16 PDC Order of Merit Qualifiers will enter the fray in Saturday’s second round, as newly crowned UK Open champion Littler sets his sights on back-to-back big stage titles.
Luke Humphries will also headline this weekend’s action in Wieze, as the world number one faces a potential showdown against De Decker, in a repeat of October’s World Grand Prix final.
Dutch superstar Michael van Gerwen – a winner of 37 European Tour titles – faces Rock or Krcmar for a last 16 berth, while last year’s runner-up Cross could meet former European Champion Ross Smith.
Belgian number one Dimitri Van den Bergh will take centre stage on home soil on Saturday, although he faces a tough assignment against Canada's newest Tour Card Holder Long or 2024 European Tour Order of Merit winner Schindler.
2022 champion Dave Chisnall has been handed a second round tussle against Germany’s Ricardo Pietreczko or Matthew Dennant, with sixth seed Jonny Clayton up against Wessel Nijman or a Host Nation representative.
Australian number one Damon Heta opens his title tilt against Michael Smith or Joyce, while Van Veen and Hurrell go head-to-head for the right to play a resurgent Gerwyn Price on Saturday evening.
UK Open runner-up James Wade will face Van Barneveld or Crabtree, before Gary Anderson meets Luke Woodhouse or a Host Nation Qualifier, as the Scottish icon prepares to make his first European Tour appearance since April.
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.
Live coverage from the Belgian Darts Open will be streamed on DAZN for viewers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and through the DAZN Darts channel on Pluto TV.
Coverage will also be shown on PDCTV (excluding Germany, Austria and Switzerland) and through bookmakers' worldwide.
The field will be finalised on Thursday, with four players set to win through the Host Nation Qualifier in Wieze.
2025 Lecot Belgian Darts Open
Oktoberhallen, Wieze, March 7-9
Tournament Draw Bracket - Second Round Onwards
(1) Luke Humphries v Mike De Decker/Thomas Lovely
(16) Dimitri Van den Bergh v Martin Schindler/Jim Long
(8) Damon Heta v Michael Smith/Ryan Joyce
(9) Gerwyn Price v Gian van Veen/James Hurrell
(4) Rob Cross v Ross Smith/Host Nation Qualifier 1
(13) Peter Wright v Cameron Menzies/Matt Campbell
(5) Stephen Bunting v Jermaine Wattimena/Host Nation Qualifier 3
(12) Danny Noppert v Daryl Gurney/Thibault Tricole
(2) Luke Littler v Ryan Searle/Darryl Pilgrim
(15) Gary Anderson v Luke Woodhouse/Host Nation Qualifier 2
(7) Dave Chisnall v Ricardo Pietreczko/Matthew Dennant
(10) Nathan Aspinall v Ritchie Edhouse/Owen Bates
(3) Michael van Gerwen v Josh Rock/Boris Krcmar
(14) James Wade v Raymond van Barneveld/Cam Crabtree
(6) Jonny Clayton v Wessel Nijman/Host Nation Qualifier 4
(11) Chris Dobey v Dirk van Duijvenbode/Darius Labanauskas
Schedule of Play
Friday March 7
First Round
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 GMT)
Luke Woodhouse v Host Nation Qualifier 2
Cameron Menzies v Matt Campbell
Gian van Veen v James Hurrell
Ritchie Edhouse v Owen Bates
Ricardo Pietreczko v Matthew Dennant
Wessel Nijman v Host Nation Qualifier 4
Daryl Gurney v Thibault Tricole
Dirk van Duijvenbode v Darius Labanauskas
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 GMT)
Ross Smith v Host Nation Qualifier 1
Ryan Searle v Darryl Pilgrim
Jermaine Wattimena v Host Nation Qualifier 3
Josh Rock v Boris Krcmar
Michael Smith v Ryan Joyce
Raymond van Barneveld v Cam Crabtree
Mike De Decker v Thomas Lovely
Martin Schindler v Jim Long
Saturday March 8
Second Round
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 GMT)
Danny Noppert v Gurney/Tricole
Gary Anderson v Woodhouse/HNQ2
Dave Chisnall v Pietreczko/Dennant
Jonny Clayton v Nijman/HNQ4
Rob Cross v R Smith/HNQ1
Damon Heta v M Smith/Joyce
Stephen Bunting v Wattimena/HNQ3
Nathan Aspinall v Edhouse/Bates
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 GMT)
James Wade v Van Barneveld/Crabtree
Peter Wright v Menzies/Campbell
Gerwyn Price v Van Veen/Hurrell
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Schindler/Long
Luke Humphries v De Decker/Lovely
Luke Littler v Searle/Pilgrim
Michael van Gerwen v Rock/Krcmar
Chris Dobey v Van Duijvenbode/Labanauskas
Sunday March 9
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 GMT)
Third Round
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 GMT)
Quarter-Finals
Semi-Finals
Final
Sunday’s games played in Draw Bracket order