The PDC European Tour is making its debut in Slovakia.
Luke Littler and Luke Humphries are missing from the lineup, but the field remains strong, led by Gian van Veen, Michael van Gerwen, Gerwyn Price, and Jonny Clayton. Here’s everything you need to know to follow this historic tournament.
This is the very first time a PDC event has been held on Slovak soil. Until now, fans in the region had to travel to Prague or Budapest. Bratislava is now becoming a major hub for the world of darts.
A Historic Moment for Slovakia
The European Tour is making its debut in Slovakia. Where Bratislava Castle usually overlooks the Danube, the dartboards will now be the center of attention. PDC Europe is opening a new chapter by bringing the darts elite to the Slovak capital.
The groundwork was laid in advance. The Nike Darts Night held earlier in the region demonstrated the local audience’s enthusiasm for the sport. This full-scale European Tour event, which brings the world’s best players live to the stage, is expected to surpass that initial success. The atmosphere at the Incheba Expo is expected to be electric.
The question remains: Which champion will make history by becoming the first winner on Slovak soil?
The Day-by-Day Schedule
The tournament takes place over three days with two sessions each day, one in the afternoon and one in the evening.
Friday, June 19, 2026 Afternoon session (starting at 1:00 p.m.): first round Evening session (starting at 7:00 p.m.): first round
Saturday, June 20, 2026 Afternoon session (starting at 1:00 p.m.): second round Evening session (starting at 7:00 p.m.): second round
Sunday, June 21, 2026 Afternoon session (starting at 1:00 p.m.): Round of 16 Evening session (starting at 7:00 p.m.): Quarterfinals, semifinals, and final
The top-ranked seeds enter the tournament in the second round on Saturday. The other players begin in the first round on Friday.
Admission Times Afternoon: Doors open at 12 p.m., matches from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Evening: Doors open at 6 p.m., matches from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Please note: After the afternoon session, all spectators must leave the arena before the evening session begins.
Tournament Format
The Slovak Darts Open is played under the classic single-elimination system. The format changes as the tournament progresses.
The first four rounds are best-of-11 legs.
The semifinals are best-of-13 legs.
The final is played as a best-of-15 legs match.
All legs are played as double-out. A player must finish his leg on a double to win it.
Prize money: £230,000 up for grabs
In 2026, the PDC significantly increased prize money on the European Tour. The total prize pool is £230,000 for each tournament, distributed as follows.
Prize Money by Finishing Position | Prize |
|---|---|
Winner | £35,000 |
Runner-up | £15,000 |
Semifinalists | £10,000 |
Quarterfinalists | £8,000 |
Round of 16 | £5,000 |
Second round | £3,500 |
First round | £2,000 |
These prize earnings count toward three rankings: the PDC Order of Merit, the ProTour Order of Merit, and the European Tour Order of Merit. The latter serves as a qualifier for the European Championship in Dortmund.
An important note regarding the rules: Players who are pre-qualified via the Orders of Merit and lose their first match will not be credited with prize money toward the rankings. However, a player who qualifies through a qualifying tournament and becomes a seeded player following a withdrawal retains their prize money, regardless of how far they advance in the tournament.
The Qualification System
The 48-player field combines global stars and regional talents. Several qualification paths coexist.
Top 16 of the PDC Order of Merit: automatically qualified for the second round on Saturday. These are the seeded players.
Top 16 of the ProTour Order of Merit: the highest-ranked players after the top 16, qualified for the first round.
Tour Card Holder Qualifier (10 spots): Merwyn King, Owen Bates, Benjamin Pratnemer, Jim Long, Keane Barry, Tyler Thorpe, Justin Hood, Tom Sykes, Jeffrey De Graaf, and Cristo Reyes.
Host Nation Qualifier: 4 spots reserved for Slovakian players, via a tournament held on June 18 at the Pole Pole club in Bratislava.
Nordic & Baltic Qualifier: Johan Engström.
East Europe Qualifier: Péter Kelemen.
The 16 seeded players
The top 16 players in the PDC Order of Merit are exempt from the first round. They advance directly to the second round on Saturday, where they face the winners of Friday’s matches.
Gian van Veen
Michael van Gerwen
Jonny Clayton
Gerwyn Price
Notable Absences
Two big names are missing from the lineup—and not just any names. World champion Luke Littler and world No. 1 Luke Humphries have skipped Bratislava.
The reason is logistical. Both Englishmen are competing in the Darts World Cup and will head straight to New York afterward. Humphries explained on X that traveling directly to New York presented a logistical headache. He believes Littler would have played as well if the tournament had been better positioned on the calendar.
Their absence opens up the bracket. Gian van Veen, the top seed, is the favorite on paper, ahead of the ever-formidable Michael van Gerwen and Gerwyn Price, who will have the home crowd behind him.
Where to Watch the 2026 Slovak Darts Open
The tournament is being broadcast in its entirety. Several options are available depending on your location.
PDC TV: the international live stream for subscribers, with the original commentary. This is the go-to option for following all sessions no matter where you are.
DAZN: Broadcasts all sessions live in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, in German.
Social media: Live scores and highlights are available on PDC Europe’s channels, including Instagram.
Ticketing and Practical Information
Tickets are on sale via Ticketportal. Tickets are sold by session—afternoon or evening—with each day requiring a separate ticket, as the arena clears out between sessions.
The Incheba Expo is located in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, which is easily accessible from Vienna or Budapest. The city offers the perfect setting to combine a weekend of top-level darts with sightseeing in the old town and along the banks of the Danube.
