Niko Springer will open his defence of the Hungarian Darts Trophy against Maik Kuivenhoven, as Luke Humphries makes his European Tour return in Budapest this weekend.
The 2026 European Tour season will resume at the MVM Dome from August 28-30, as a star-studded 48-player field compete for the £35,000 top prize in the Hungarian capital.
Friday’s opening round will see 16 matches take place across a bumper double session, as reigning champion Springer aims to repeat former glories in Budapest.
The 26-year-old defeated Gian van Veen, Damon Heta, Rob Cross, Humphries, Josh Rock and Danny Noppert to triumph 12 months ago, and he begins his latest title tilt against Dutch star Kuivenhoven.
Beau Greaves is also poised to make history this weekend, with the Doncaster darter set to become the first woman to compete in a European Tour event.
However, the three-time Women’s World Matchplay champion has been handed a tough test on debut, as she goes head-to-head with 2017/18 World Champion Cross in a blockbuster clash.
Former Hungarian Darts Trophy winners Joe Cullen and Dave Chisnall will take on Adam Leek and Andras Borbely respectively, with Australian number one Heta pitted against James Hurrell.
German number one Martin Schindler faces Ireland’s Keane Barry for a place in round two, while Krzysztof Ratajski kicks off his bid for back-to-back European Tour titles against Callan Rydz.
Elsewhere, Ryan Joyce – a two-time finalist on the European Tour circuit – meets Spanish star Cristo Reyes, while Cameron Menzies and Tom Sykes lock horns in another intriguing tussle.
The top 16 players on the PDC Werner Rankings Ladder will enter the tournament in round two on Saturday, as top seed Humphries returns to the European Tour stage for the first time since March’s Belgian Darts Open.
Humphries - fresh from Players Championship 28 glory in Leicester – faces a potential tie against World Matchplay semi-finalist Dirk van Duijvenbode, who meets Czechia’s David Pisek in round one.
Dutch number one Van Veen will play his fellow countryman Niels Zonneveld or Host Nation qualifier Nandor Major, while Michael van Gerwen begins his bid for a second Hungarian Darts Trophy crown against Heta or Hurrell.
Fourth seed Jonny Clayton enters the fray against Daryl Gurney or Laszlo Kadar, as Schindler or Barry await newly crowned Australian Darts Masters champion James Wade on Saturday evening.
Austrian Darts Open champion Rock has been handed a tough test against either Cullen or Leek, while Kevin Doets takes on Finland’s Jonas Masalin for the right to play Stephen Bunting.
Last year’s runner-up Noppert will have to navigate a tie against 2024 European Champion Ritchie Edhouse or Connor Scutt, with Ryan Searle drawn against reigning champion Springer or Kuivenhoven.
Two-time World Champion Gary Anderson marks his return to European Tour action against Ratajski or Rydz, while Chris Dobey goes up against Menzies or Sykes for a place in the last 16.
Wessel Nijman will open his challenge for a third European Tour title of the year against 2023 champion Chisnall or Borbely, before Baltic Sea Darts Open winner Luke Woodhouse takes on either Cross or Greaves for a place at Finals Day.
Following the conclusion of round two, the last 16 will take place on Sunday afternoon, before the tournament concludes with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final during an action-packed evening session.
NB: From the original list of entries, Gerwyn Price has withdrawn from the event, and has been replaced by Callan Rydz from the Reserve List.
2026 Hungarian Darts Trophy (ET11)
Tournament Draw Bracket - Second Round Onwards
Players seeded based on PDC Ranking position
(1) Luke Humphries v Dirk van Duijvenbode/David Pisek
(16) Luke Woodhouse v Rob Cross/Beau Greaves
(8) Danny Noppert v Ritchie Edhouse/Connor Scutt
(9) Ryan Searle v Niko Springer/Maik Kuivenhoven
(4) Jonny Clayton v Daryl Gurney/Laszlo Kadar
(13) Ross Smith v William O'Connor/Samuel Price
(5) James Wade v Martin Schindler/Keane Barry
(12) Wessel Nijman v Dave Chisnall/Andras Borbely
(2) Gian van Veen v Niels Zonneveld/Nandor Major
(15) Jermaine Wattimena v Andrew Gilding/Milan Biro
(7) Stephen Bunting v Kevin Doets/Jonas Masalin
(10) Gary Anderson v Krzysztof Ratajski/Callan Rydz
(3) Michael van Gerwen v Damon Heta/James Hurrell
(14) Nathan Aspinall v Ryan Joyce/Cristo Reyes
(6) Josh Rock v Joe Cullen/Adam Leek
(11) Chris Dobey v Cameron Menzies/Tom Sykes
Schedule of Play
Friday August 28
Round One
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST
Kevin Doets v Jonas Masalin
Andrew Gilding v Milan Biro
Ritchie Edhouse v Connor Scutt
Niko Springer v Maik Kuivenhoven
William O'Connor v Samuel Price
Martin Schindler v Keane Barry
Ryan Joyce v Cristo Reyes
Dave Chisnall v Andras Borbely
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Dirk van Duijvenbode v David Pisek
Daryl Gurney v Laszlo Kadar
Krzysztof Ratajski v Callan Rydz
Joe Cullen v Adam Leek
Rob Cross v Beau Greaves
Niels Zonneveld v Nandor Major
Cameron Menzies v Tom Sykes
Damon Heta v James Hurrell
Saturday August 29
Round Two
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Ross Smith v O'Connor/Price
Wessel Nijman v Chisnall/Borbely
Jermaine Wattimena v Gilding/Biro
Danny Noppert v Edhouse/Scutt
Ryan Searle v Springer/Kuivenhoven
Luke Woodhouse v Cross/Greaves
Gary Anderson v Ratajski/Rydz
Chris Dobey v Menzies/Sykes
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Stephen Bunting v Doets/Masalin
Jonny Clayton v Gurney/Kadar
James Wade v Schindler/Barry
Luke Humphries v Van Duijvenbode/Pisek
Michael van Gerwen v Heta/Hurrell
Gian van Veen v Zonneveld/Major
Nathan Aspinall v Joyce/Reyes
Josh Rock v Cullen/Leek
Sunday August 30
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Round Three
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Quarter-Finals
Semi-Finals
Final
