Dave Chisnall will begin his defence of the Blåkläder Belgian Darts Open against either home favourite Kim Huybrechts or Ricky Evans, with the draw and schedule for this weekend’s event now confirmed.
The seventh PDC European Tour event of 2023 will take place in Wieze from May 5-7, as reigning champion Chisnall aims to retain his crown at the Oktoberhallen.
Chisnall has enjoyed a terrific start to 2023, winning February’s inaugural Baltic Sea Darts Open, before doubling his yearly tally with victory at last weekend’s Dutch Darts Championship.
He also claimed victory in last year's inaugural visit to Wieze, and is set to star in this year's hugely popular event when he begins his title defence on Saturday.
Top seed Luke Humphries and three-time World Champion Michael van Gerwen will also headline this weekend’s action, as 48 players battle it out for the £30,000 top prize in Belgium.
Friday’s first round - which will be broadcast through PDCTV, Viaplay and DAZN - will feature 16 matches across two sessions, as Belgian number one Dimitri Van den Bergh headlines on home soil.
Premier League star Van den Bergh will take on three-time European Tour event winner Ian White in round one, while two-time World Champion Gary Anderson continues his comeback against Polish number one Krzysztof Ratajski.
Ten-time TV title winner James Wade and five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld collide in another high-profile tussle, before Belgian number two Huybrechts stars on home soil against Evans.
Masters champion Chris Dobey has been pitted against Czech debutant Dalibor Smolik in his opener, with European Champion Ross Smith up against quick-fire Dutchman Martijn Kleermaker.
Elsewhere, a resurgent Daryl Gurney faces Irish newcomer Dylan Slevin, while Germany's number one Gabriel Clemens plays Graham Usher in another tasty tussle.
The 16 seeded players enter the fray in Saturday’s second round, as second seed Chisnall kicks off his title defence alongside some of the sport’s top names.
Top seed Humphries – runner-up at last weekend’s Dutch Darts Championship – opens his challenge for a first European Tour title of 2023 against former World Youth Champion Bradley Brooks or Richard Veenstra.
Van Gerwen begins his campaign with a potential showdown against former Grand Slam champion Jose de Sousa, with fifth seed Dirk van Duijvenbode - who competes despite having suffered a knee injury last weekend - set to meet Wade or Van Barneveld.
World Champion Michael Smith will face home hero Van den Bergh or White in his opener, while Keane Barry and Sven Hilling battle it out for the right to play Austrian Darts Open winner Jonny Clayton.
Austrian Darts Open finalist Josh Rock is set for a potential second round showdown against Dobey, with Ryan Searle drawn against his practice partner Anderson or Ratajski at the same stage.
Eighth seed Nathan Aspinall will meet Ross Smith or Kleermaker for a place in round three, while seven-time European Tour event winner Peter Wright kicks off his title tilt against Clemens or Usher.
UK Open champion Andrew Gilding - the runner-up to Chisnall in Wieze last year - will be aiming to go one better in Belgium as he kicks off Saturday's second round action against Jermaine Wattimena or a Host Nation Qualifier.
Following Saturday’s second round, the last 16 will take place on Sunday afternoon, before the tournament concludes with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final in a bumper evening session.
Live coverage of all 2023 European Tour events will be streamed through Viaplay in the UK, the Netherlands, Poland and all Nordic & Baltic countries, and through DAZN for viewers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Coverage will also be shown on PDCTV (excluding Germany, Austria and Switzerland) and through bookmakers' worldwide.
The field will be completed on Thursday night, with two places on offer in the Host Nation Qualifier in Wieze as a field of over 170 entrants compete for a spot in the main event.
NB: Cameron Menzies has withdrawn through injury, and has been replaced from the reserve list by Gabriel Clemens.
2023 Blåkläder Belgian Darts Open
Tournament Draw Bracket - Second Round Onwards
Luke Humphries (1) v Bradley Brooks/Richard Veenstra
Andrew Gilding (16) v Jermaine Wattimena/Andy Baetens
Nathan Aspinall (8) v Martijn Kleermaker/Ross Smith
Danny Noppert (9) v Dennis Nilsson/Ted Evetts
Damon Heta (4) v Jeff Smith/Damian Mol
Jonny Clayton (13) v Sven Hilling/Keane Barry
Dirk van Duijvenbode (5) v James Wade/Raymond van Barneveld
Joe Cullen (12) v Callan Rydz/Matt Campbell
Dave Chisnall (2) v Kim Huybrechts/Ricky Evans
Josh Rock (15) v Dalibor Smolik/Chris Dobey
Michael Smith (7) v Dimitri Van den Bergh/Ian White
Peter Wright (10) v Gabriel Clemens/Graham Usher
Michael van Gerwen (3) v Francois Schweyen/Jose De Sousa
Martin Schindler (14) v Daryl Gurney/Dylan Slevin
Rob Cross (6) v Robert Owen/Stefan Bellmont
Ryan Searle (11) v Gary Anderson/Krzysztof Ratajski
Schedule of Play
Friday May 5
First Round
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Bradley Brooks v Richard Veenstra
Dennis Nilsson v Ted Evetts
Jeff Smith v Damian Mol
Sven Hilling v Keane Barry
Gabriel Clemens v Graham Usher
Francois Schweyen v Jose De Sousa
Robert Owen v Stefan Bellmont
Jermaine Wattimena v Andy Baetens
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Callan Rydz v Matt Campbell
Daryl Gurney v Dylan Slevin
Martijn Kleermaker v Ross Smith
Gary Anderson v Krzysztof Ratajski
James Wade v Raymond van Barneveld
Kim Huybrechts v Ricky Evans
Dalibor Smolik v Chris Dobey
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Ian White
Saturday May 6
Second Round
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Andrew Gilding v Wattimena/Baetens
Rob Cross v Owen/Bellmont
Joe Cullen v Rydz/Campbell
Danny Noppert v Nilsson/Evetts
Damon Heta v J Smith/Mol
Martin Schindler v Gurney/Slevin
Ryan Searle v Anderson/Ratajski
Jonny Clayton v Hilling/Barry
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Nathan Aspinall v Kleermaker/R Smith
Luke Humphries v Brooks/Veenstra
Dave Chisnall v Huybrechts/Evans
Dirk van Duijvenbode v Wade/Van Barneveld
Peter Wright v Clemens/Usher
Michael van Gerwen v Schweyen/De Sousa
Michael Smith v Van den Bergh/White
Josh Rock v Smolik/Dobey
Sunday May 7
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Third Round
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Quarter-Finals
Semi-Finals
Final
Sunday’s games played in Draw Bracket order