The draw and schedule for the 2018 Unibet European Championship, which takes place in Dortmund from October 25-28, has been confirmed.
The field is comprised solely of the top 32 players on the European Tour Order of Merit following this year’s 13 European Tour events, therefore the likes of Gary Anderson and Raymond van Barneveld won’t be featuring in Germany.
Michael van Gerwen is bidding to win a fifth successive European Championship crown and the top seed begins the defence of his title against Paul Nicholson, who has qualified for this event for the first time since 2013.
Van Gerwen will feature on the opening night alongside world champion Rob Cross, who faces a tricky first-round tie against former Lakeside finalist Danny Noppert. Meanwhile, world number two Peter Wright kicks off his campaign against quick-fire Dutchman Jermaine Wattimena on Thursday night in Dortmund.
2012 European Champion Simon Whitlock meets the veteran Steve Beaton in another tasty first-round clash, whilst Premier League finalist Michael Smith faces debutant Steve Lennon.
Fifth seed Joe Cullen plays former Lakeside champion Jelle Klaasen, whilst Dutch Darts Champion Ian White takes on Richard North, who sealed his last-gasp qualification by virtue of reaching the semi-finals in Gottingen over the weekend. Elsewhere, close friends Steve West and Mervyn King will lock horns in the tournament opener.
Friday afternoon sees the first round conclude with the eight ties from the bottom half of the draw, which includes an enthralling tussle between Dave Chisnall and 2013 champion Adrian Lewis.
German duo Max Hopp and Martin Schindler will be relying on home support when they face William O’Connor and James Wade respectively, whilst second seed Mensur Suljovic- who reached the final of this competition back in 2016, opens up against Spanish star Cristo Reyes.
Former World Grand Prix champion Daryl Gurney meets Dutch Darts Championship finalist Ricky Evans, whilst Premier League star Gerwyn Price takes on last year’s semi-finalist Kyle Anderson.
Darren Webster and Stephen Bunting will clash in the first-round for the second consecutive major, with Webster having whitewashed Bunting in the recent World Grand Prix. However, Austrian Darts Open winner Jonny Clayton and James Wilson will contest Friday’s curtain-raiser.
The second round begins on Friday night as the winners of Thursday’s matches return to the stage, with Saturday’s evening session concluding the quarter-final line-up. The tournament then concludes on Sunday October 28, with the quarter-finals in the afternoon session followed by the semi-finals and final in the evening session.
Photo Credit: Lawrence Lustig/PDC
Unibet European Championship
Schedule of Play
Thursday October 25 (2000 local time, 1900 UK time)
First Round x8
Steve West v Mervyn King
Ian White v Richard North
Simon Whitlock v Steve Beaton
Michael Smith v Steve Lennon
Joe Cullen v Jelle Klaasen
Michael van Gerwen v Paul Nicholson
Rob Cross v Danny Noppert
Peter Wright v Jermaine Wattimena
Friday October 26
Afternoon Session (1345 local time, 1245 UK time)
First Round x8
Jonny Clayton v James Wilson
Darren Webster v Stephen Bunting
Gerwyn Price v Kyle Anderson
Mensur Suljovic v Cristo Reyes
Daryl Gurney v Ricky Evans
Max Hopp v William O’Connor
James Wade v Martin Schindler
Adrian Lewis v Dave Chisnall
Evening Session (2000 local time, 1900 UK time)
Second Round x4
Cullen/Klaasen v Smith/Lennon
Whitlock/Beaton v Wright/Wattimena
White/North v Cross/Noppert
Van Gerwen/Nicholson v West/King
Saturday October 27 (2000 local time, 1900 UK time)
Second Round x4
Price/Anderson v Lewis/Chisnall
Suljovic/Reyes v Webster/Bunting
Wade/Schindler v Gurney/Evans
Hopp/O’Connor v Clayton/Wilson
Sunday October 28
Afternoon Session (1345 local time, 1245 UK time)
Quarter-Finals
Evening Session (2000 local time, 1900 UK time)
Semi-Finals
Final
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