Michael van Gerwen is determined to end his recent title drought at the Elten Safety Shoes Dutch Darts Championship, with the tournament's draw and schedule now finalized. The three-time world champion faced a disappointing first-round exit at the World Grand Prix against Ryan Joyce, followed by a second-round defeat to Mensur Suljovic at last weekend's Swiss Darts Trophy.

Taking place from October 16-18, 2026 at MECC Maastricht, this final European Tour event is crucial for players vying for qualification to the £750,000 European Championship in Dortmund. Van Gerwen, known as 'The Green Machine,' hopes to reclaim his glory in front of his home crowd, last winning a significant tournament at the Nordic Darts Masters in June, where he triumphed over Luke Humphries.

Van Gerwen will begin his campaign on Saturday against either William O'Connor or Richard Veenstra. The stakes are high, with the top 32 players in the European Tour rankings securing spots in the prestigious Dortmund event.

Tournament Schedule

Friday, October 16

• Afternoon Session (12pm):

  • Karel Sedlacek vs. Callan Rydz
  • Cameron Menzies vs. Nick Kenny
  • Jeffrey de Graaf vs. Mickey Mansell
  • Dave Chisnall vs. Jonas Masalin
  • Andrew Gilding vs. Max Hopp
  • Ryan Joyce vs. Owen Bates
  • Ricardo Pietreczko vs. Heine Uuldriks
  • Dirk van Duijvenbode vs. James Hurrell

• Evening Session (6pm):

  • Sebastian Bialecki vs. Daryl Gurney
  • William O'Connor vs. Richard Veenstra
  • Niko Springer vs. Scott Williams
  • Niels Zonneveld vs. Mike De Decker
  • Kim Huybrechts vs. Jimmy van Schie
  • Cristo Reyes vs. Krzysztof Kciuk
  • Damon Heta vs. Maikel Verberk
  • Michael Smith vs. Stephen Burton

Saturday, October 17

• Afternoon Session (12pm): Matches to be determined based on Friday's results.
• Evening Session (6pm): Includes Van Gerwen's match and Jonny Clayton defending his title.

Sunday, October 18

• Afternoon Session (12pm): Round Three
• Evening Session (6pm): Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals, and Final.