MAX HOPP will play James Wade in Friday's European Darts Grand Prix first round as the PDC European Tour returns to action in Sindelfingen.
The year's fifth £135,000 European Tour event will see 48 players competing across the weekend at the Glaspalast, with the field having been finalised following the European and Host Nation Qualifiers on Thursday.
German sensation Hopp, who claimed European Tour glory in Saarbrucken last month, will play two-time event winner Wade in the pick of the first round ties, after the former World Youth Champion was one of five Host Nation Qualifiers.
Former Lakeside Champion Stephen Bunting meets former World Championship finalist Kirk Shepherd in a plum first round tie, while Poland's Krzysztof Ratajski takes on Dutchman Danny Noppert.
Two-time European Tour finalist Paul Nicholson will play emerging Canadian Dawson Murschell, who is making his European Tour debut in Sindelfingen on Friday.
Auckland Darts Masters champion Kyle Anderson plays Ricky Evans, while former World Youth Champion Arron Monk meets Peter Hudson and Latvia's Madars Razma takes on Steve Hine.
German World Cup ace Martin Schindler was amongst the Host Nation Qualifiers as he takes on Robert Owen in round one, with Gabriel Clemens, Christian Bunse and Robert Marijanovic also progressing.
Former Austrian Darts Open winner Vincent van der Voort was one of the eight European Qualifiers, as he now plays Irish youngster Steve Lennon.
PDC Unicorn World Youth Champion Dimitri Van den Bergh will play Matt Padgett, Spain's Toni Alcinas will meet Jermaine Wattimena, and Dutchman Mats Gies makes his European Tour debut against Alan Tabern.
Gies or Tabern will progress to play top seed Michael van Gerwen, the world number one, in round two, while defending champion Peter Wright takes on Bunting or Shepherd.
Adrian Lewis, who was one of the UK Qualifiers, has withdrawn through illness and was replaced by a fifth Host Nation Qualifier.
The European Darts Grand Prix will be broadcast throughout the weekend for PDCTV-HD Subscribers , and through a series of bookmakers' websites worldwide.
2018 European Darts Grand Prix
Draw Bracket
Michael van Gerwen (1) v Mats Gies/Alan Tabern
Darren Webster (16) v Robert Marijanovic/Andy Boulton
Dave Chisnall (8) v Matt Padgett/Dimitri Van den Bergh
Ian White (9) v Madars Razma/Steve Hine
Daryl Gurney (5) v Jamie Lewis/Christian Bunse
Mervyn King (12) v Dawson Murschell/Paul Nicholson
Michael Smith (4) v Peter Hudson/Arron Monk
Jelle Klaasen (13) v Jermaine Wattimena/Toni Alcinas
Peter Wright (2) v Stephen Bunting/Kirk Shepherd
Gerwyn Price (15) v Danny Noppert/Krzysztof Ratajski
Joe Cullen (7) v Martin Schindler/Robert Owen
Kim Huybrechts (10) v Ricky Evans/Kyle Anderson
Mensur Suljovic (6) v Jamie Caven/Mareno Michels
Simon Whitlock (11) v Gabriel Clemens/Jan Dekker
Rob Cross (3) v Steve Lennon/Vincent van der Voort
John Henderson (14) v James Wade/Max Hopp
Host Nation Qualifiers
HNQ1 Max Hopp
HNQ2 Martin Schindler
HNQ3 Gabriel Clemens
HNQ4 Christian Bunse
HNQ5 Robert Marijanovic
South & West Europe Qualifiers
EQ1 Toni Alcinas
EQ2 Vincent van der Voort
EQ3 Danny Noppert
EQ4 Mats Gies
EQ5 Jan Dekker
EQ6 Mareno Michels
EQ7 Jermaine Wattimena
EQ8 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Schedule of Play
Friday May 4
First Round
Afternoon Session (1pm local time, 12pm BST)
Peter Hudson v Arron Monk
Madars Razma v Steve Hine
Matt Padgett v Dimitri Van den Bergh
Steve Lennon v Vincent van der Voort
Gabriel Clemens v Jan Dekker
Stephen Bunting v Kirk Shepherd
Mats Gies v Alan Tabern
Martin Schindler v Robert Owen
Evening Session (7.15pm local time, 6.15pm BST)
Danny Noppert v Krzysztof Ratajski
Jermaine Wattimena v Toni Alcinas
Jamie Lewis v Christian Bunse
Jamie Caven v Mareno Michels
Ricky Evans v Kyle Anderson
James Wade v Max Hopp
Dawson Murschell v Paul Nicholson
Robert Marijanovic v Andy Boulton
Saturday May 5
Second Round
Afternoon Session (1pm local time, 12pm BST)
Ian White v Razma/Hine
Dave Chisnall v Padgett/Van den Bergh
Jelle Klaasen v Wattimena/Alcinas
Joe Cullen v Schindler/Owen
Gerwyn Price v Noppert/Ratajski
Michael Smith v Hudson/Monk
Kim Huybrechts v Evans/Anderson
Simon Whitlock v Clemens/Dekker
Evening Session (7.15pm local time, 6.15pm BST)
Daryl Gurney v J Lewis/Bunse
Darren Webster v Marijanovic/Boulton
Mervyn King v Murschell/Nicholson
Mensur Suljovic v Caven/Michels
Michael van Gerwen v Gies/Tabern
Peter Wright v Bunting/Shepherd
John Henderson v Wade/Hopp
Rob Cross v Lennon/Van der Voort
Sunday May 6
Afternoon Session (1pm local time, 12pm BST)
Third Round
Evening Session (7.15pm local time, 6.15pm BST)
Quarter-Finals
Semi-Finals
Final
Format
All games up to and including the quarter-finals are the best of 11 legs, with the semi-finals the best of 13 legs and the final the best of 15 legs.
Sunday's games played in Draw Bracket order
Watch Online
PDC European Tour events can be watched online by all PDCTV-HD Subscribers worldwide - click here to visit PDCTV-HD.
Live coverage with faster streams may also be available at the following bookmakers' websites:
bet365 - www.bet365.com - Worldwide
Bet90 - www.bet90.com - Brazil, Germany
Betfair - www.betfair.com - Brazil, Denmark, England, Ireland, Northern ireland, Scotland, Spain, Wales
Betfred - www.betfred.com - England, Ireland, Northern ireland, Scotland, Wales
bwin - www.bwin.com - Worldwide
Fonbet - www.fonbet.com - Armenia, Belarus, Cyprus, Kazakhstan, Russian federation, Ukraine
Ligastavok - www.ligastavok.ru/ - Russia
Marathonbet - www.betmarathon.com - Belarus, Russian federation, Spain, Ukraine
Napoleonbet - www.en-gb.sports.napoleongames.be - Belgium
Nike - www.nike.sk - Slovakia
Olimp - www.betolimp.com - Kazakhstan, Russian federation
Paddy Power - www.paddypower.com/ - England, Ireland, Northern ireland, Scotland, Wales
Stoiximan - www.stoiximan.gr - Cyprus, Greece, Romania
Superbet - www.superbet.ro/ - Romania, Poland
Tempobet - www.tempobet.org - Europe
Totogaming - www.totogaming.am/en/ - Armenia
Tipsport - www.tipsport.cz - Czech Republic & Slovakia
Unibet - www.unibet.com - Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, United Kingdom
William Hill - www.williamhill.com - Great Britain, Ireland, Spain
Winlinebet - www.winlinebet.ru - Russia
World Sports Betting - www.worldsportsbetting.co.za - Namibia, South Africa