The Austrian Darts Open returns from May 8–10, 2026, for its 13th edition at Messe Congress Graz. It’s an event you won’t want to miss, and here I’ll break down everything you need to know to follow the event from start to finish.
The 2026 Austrian Darts Open at a Glance
This is the 6th of 15 stops on the 2026 PDC European Tour, sponsored this year by ELTEN Safety Shoes. The tournament brings together 48 players from around the world, with a total prize pool of £230,000 a significant increase compared to previous editions.
Data | Details |
|---|---|
Dates | May 8, 9, and 10, 2026 |
Venue | Hall A, Messe Congress Graz, Austria |
European Tour Stop | 6th of 15 |
Edition number | 13th |
Number of players | 48 |
Total prize pool | £230,000 |
Title sponsor | ELTEN Safety Shoes |
The defending champion is Germany’s Martin Schindler, who defeated Ross Smith 8-4 in last year’s final. With that victory, “The Wall” became the first player in history to win on the European Tour in Germany, Switzerland, AND Austria.
Tournament format and schedule
Draw structure
The tournament is played as a single-elimination bracket over three days.
The 16 seeded players advance directly to the second round (last 32), which spares them a first-round match. The other 32 players (ProTour qualifiers and regional qualifiers) face off in the first round to earn this privilege.
Match Format
Round | Format |
|---|---|
1st to 4th round | Best of 11 legs (BO11) |
Semifinals | Best of 13 legs (BO13) |
Final | Best of 15 legs (BO15) |
Session Schedule
Day | Session | Schedule (CET) | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
Friday, May 8 | Afternoon | 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM | Round 1 (8 matches) |
Friday, May 8 | Evening | 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM | First round (8 matches) |
Saturday, May 9 | Afternoon | 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM | Round 2 (8 matches) |
Saturday, May 9 | Evening | 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM | Round 2 (8 matches) |
Sunday, May 10 | Afternoon | 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM | Round 3 (Round of 16) |
Sunday, May 10 | Evening | 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM | Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Finals |
Prize Pool: How Much Can You Win in Graz?
The 2026 prize structure is as follows, following the significant increase decided by the PDC:
Round | Prize |
|---|---|
Champion | £35,000 |
Runner-up | £15,000 |
Semifinals (x2) | £10,000 each |
Quarterfinals (x4) | £8,000 each |
Round of 16 (x8) | £5,000 each |
Round of 32 (x16) | £3,500 each |
Round of 48 (Round 1 elimination) | £2,000 each |
An important point to note: seeded players who lose in their first match (i.e., in the second round for them) do not have their appearance fee recorded in the rankings. This is an additional risk for the big names who agree to make the trip.
These earnings accumulate across three separate rankings: the main PDC Order of Merit, the ProTour Order of Merit, and most importantly, the European Tour Order of Merit, which determines qualification for the European Darts Championship in Dortmund at the end of the season.
The field: who is playing in Graz?
The 16 seeded players
Seed | Player | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
1 | Gian van Veen | Netherlands |
2 | Michael van Gerwen | Netherlands |
3 | James Wade | England |
4 | Josh Rock | Northern Ireland |
5 | Danny Noppert | Netherlands |
6 | Ryan Searle | England |
7 | Chris Dobey | England |
8 | Ross Smith | England |
9 | Martin Schindler | Germany |
10 | Jermaine Wattimena | Netherlands |
11 | Mike De Decker | Belgium |
12 | Damon Heta | Australia |
13 | Wessel Nijman | Netherlands |
14 | Luke Woodhouse | England |
15 | Rob Cross | England |
16 | Daryl Gurney | Northern Ireland |
Big names missing
Several of the world’s top players will not be making the trip to Graz.
They have all declined the invitation. The main reason is the ongoing Premier League Darts, which will keep these players busy in the coming weeks, with some preferring to pace themselves.
This wave of absences inevitably opens the door to other title contenders. And in a short-format tournament like the European Tour, a single player in top form can go a long way.
Qualified via the ProTour Order of Merit
Player | Nationality |
|---|---|
Dirk van Duijvenbode | Netherlands |
Cameron Menzies | Scotland |
Niels Zonneveld | Netherlands |
Niko Springer | Germany |
Krzysztof Ratajski | Poland |
William O'Connor | Ireland |
Ryan Joyce | England |
Dave Chisnall | England |
Andrew Gilding | England |
Joe Cullen | England |
Karel Sedláček | Czech Republic |
Kevin Doets | Netherlands |
Peter Wright | Scotland |
Ricardo Pietreczko | Germany |
Raymond van Barneveld | Netherlands |
Tour Card and Regional Qualifiers
Player | Nationality |
|---|---|
Robert Owen | Wales |
Michael Smith | England |
James Hurrell | England |
Ian White | England |
Nick Kenny | Wales |
Chris Landman | Netherlands |
Cristo Reyes | Spain |
Gabriel Clemens | Germany |
Alan Soutar | Scotland |
Kim Huybrechts | Belgium |
Anton Östlund | Sweden (qualified for Nordic & Baltic) |
Patrik Kovács | Hungary (qualified from Eastern Europe) |
Host nation qualifier | To be confirmed |
The Draw
The official draw will be revealed on Thursday, May 7, around 12:00 p.m. (UK time), or 1:00 p.m. CET. That’s when we’ll find out the first-round matchups and each player’s potential path to the final.
Where to watch the 2026 Austrian Darts Open live?
There are several options available to ensure you don’t miss a moment of the tournament:
PDC TV: The PDC’s official streaming service offers live international access with original English commentary. A subscription is required to watch.
DAZN: For fans based in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland, DAZN broadcasts all sessions live in German.
PDC Europe social media: Real-time scores and highlights are available on PDC Europe’s official accounts.
Predictions: Who will lift the trophy in Graz?
The clear favorite: Wessel Nijman
If I had to pick a clear favorite, it would be Wessel Nijman. The 25-year-old Dutchman is arguably the hottest player on the PDC tour right now.
He has already won five ranking titles this season, including one on the European Tour (the European Darts Trophy), and his performances have been impressively consistent week after week. The open field in Graz offers him a real opportunity to claim a second continental title in 2026.
The contender for his first European title: Danny Noppert
Danny Noppert is the other major contender. The Dutchman has reached the final of a European Tour event three times in a row, including the recent final in Munich.
He also reached the final of the Austrian Darts Open in 2022. With a very solid game and rare consistency at the highest level, this tournament could be the one where he finally breaks through that glass ceiling.
Dark horses to watch
Kevin Doets and Niels Zonneveld are two of the most consistent players outside the major headliners, and both have what it takes to upset any opponent.
Martin Schindler, the defending champion, remains a threat despite a mixed 2026 season: the motivation to defend his title in Graz could make all the difference.
Josh Rock and Gian van Veen, this season’s European Tour world No. 1, also have what it takes to go far, even if van Veen seems to have hit a slight slump in recent weeks.
Finally, Chris Dobey and Krzysztof Ratajski, who have been excellent since the start of the year, are worth keeping an eye on. In such a short knockout format, a single weekend of good form is enough.
What I’m looking forward to in this tournament
What I particularly appreciate about the Austrian Darts Open is the total unpredictability that the format generates. Five events have been played on this 2026 European Tour, and five different winners have emerged. The trend could very well continue in Graz.
The absence of the big names is a double-edged sword: it deprives the tournament of a certain level of prestige, but it broadens the field of contenders and makes the matches even more open. It is often under these conditions that lesser-known players show what they’re really made of.