Dave Chisnall will begin his defence of the Elten Safety Shoes European Darts Open against Cameron Menzies or Kim Huybrechts, with the draw and schedule confirmed for this weekend’s action.
The year’s eighth European Tour event will see a 48-player field competing for the £30,000 top prize, as Chisnall chases back-to-back titles in Leverkusen.
Chisnall defeated Ross Smith 8-6 to triumph at the Ostermann-Arena 12 months ago, and the St Helens star will headline this weekend’s showpiece, which takes place from May 30-June 1.
Friday’s first round will feature 16 matches across two sessions, as German number two Ricardo Pietreczko kicks off his campaign against European Tour debutant Moritz Bohrmann.
Dutch Darts Championship runner-up Niko Springer will also take centre stage on home soil, with the young German pitted against Dirk van Duiivenbode in arguably the tie of the round.
Wessel Nijman – a semi-finalist in Rosmalen last weekend – meets the returning Brendan Dolan, while Joe Cullen takes on former World Youth Champion Bradley Brooks.
Raymond van Barneveld lifted the inaugural European Darts Open title in 2012, and the Dutch veteran opens his challenge against Swedish star Andreas Harrysson.
Ryan Joyce and Ricky Evans go head-to-head in a battle of the former TV semi-finalists, with Ireland’s former World Cup runner-up William O’Connor up against Grand Slam semi-finalist Mickey Mansell.
The 16 PDC Order of Merit Qualifiers will enter the tournament in Saturday’s second round, as reigning champion Chisnall sets his sights on a ninth European Tour crown.
Newly crowned Dutch Darts Champion Jonny Clayton will also be in action in Leverkusen, and the Welshman begins his bid for back-to-back titles against Jermaine Wattimena or Joshua Hermann.
Top seed Stephen Bunting plays Luke Woodhouse or Dragutin Horvat, with O’Connor or Mansell awaiting Australia's premier player Damon Heta in round two.
German number one Martin Schindler faces a potential second round showdown against his World Cup partner Pietreczko, who currently occupies the final qualification place in July’s World Matchplay.
2022/23 World Champion Michael Smith also faces a battle to book his place in Blackpool, with Van Barneveld or Harrysson awaiting the former world number one on Saturday evening.
Two-time European Darts Open champion Peter Wright will lock horns with Latvia’s Madars Razma or Darryl Pilgrim in his opener, as the Scottish icon bids to add to his title wins in 2014 and 2017.
Cullen or Brooks will take on European Darts Trophy champion Nathan Aspinall, while Gary Anderson’s bid for a second European Tour title of 2025 begins with a tie against Nijman or Dolan.
Dutch number two Danny Noppert could meet Ritchie Edhouse for a place in the last 16, although the European Champion must first overcome Czechia’s World Cup star Petr Krivka on Friday afternoon.
Following Saturday’s play, the third round will take place on Sunday afternoon, before the tournament concludes with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final in a blockbuster evening session.
Live coverage from the European Darts Open will be streamed on DAZN for viewers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and through the DAZN Darts channel on Pluto TV.
Coverage will also be shown on PDCTV (excluding Germany, Austria and Switzerland) and through bookmakers' worldwide.
2025 Elten Safety Shoes European Darts Open
May 30 - June 1, Ostermann-Arena, Leverkusen
Tournament Draw Bracket - Second Round Onwards
Players seeded based on PDC Order of Merit position
(6) James Wade v Niels Zonneveld/Lukas Wenig
(11) Ross Smith v Matt Campbell/Alan Soutar
(3) Damon Heta v William O'Connor/Mickey Mansell
(14) Michael Smith v Raymond van Barneveld/Andreas Harrysson
(7) Dave Chisnall v Cameron Menzies/Kim Huybrechts
(10) Danny Noppert v Ritchie Edhouse/Petr Krivka
(2) Jonny Clayton v Jermaine Wattimena/Joshua Hermann
(15) Mike De Decker v Ryan Joyce/Ricky Evans
(5) Nathan Aspinall v Joe Cullen/Bradley Brooks
(12) Martin Schindler v Ricardo Pietreczko/Moritz Bohrmann
(4) Chris Dobey v Dirk van Duijvenbode/Niko Springer
(13) Ryan Searle v Andrew Gilding/Kevin Knopf
(8) Peter Wright v Madars Razma/Darryl Pilgrim
(9) Gary Anderson v Wessel Nijman/Brendan Dolan
(1) Stephen Bunting v Luke Woodhouse/Dragutin Horvat
(16) Gian van Veen v Daryl Gurney/Richard Veenstra
Schedule of Play
Friday May 30
First Round
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Madars Razma v Darryl Pilgrim
Ritchie Edhouse v Petr Krivka
William O'Connor v Mickey Mansell
Niels Zonneveld v Lukas Wenig
Matt Campbell v Alan Soutar
Jermaine Wattimena v Joshua Hermann
Andrew Gilding v Kevin Knopf
Wessel Nijman v Brendan Dolan
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Ricardo Pietreczko v Moritz Bohrmann
Cameron Menzies v Kim Huybrechts
Ryan Joyce v Ricky Evans
Raymond van Barneveld v Andreas Harrysson
Joe Cullen v Bradley Brooks
Dirk van Duijvenbode v Niko Springer
Luke Woodhouse v Dragutin Horvat
Daryl Gurney v Richard Veenstra
Saturday May 31
Second Round
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Ross Smith v Campbell/Soutar
Ryan Searle v Gilding/Knopf
Damon Heta v O'Connor/Mansell
Danny Noppert v Edhouse/Krivka
Dave Chisnall v Menzies/Huybrechts
Gary Anderson v Nijman/Dolan
Mike De Decker v Joyce/Evans
Gian van Veen v Gurney/Veenstra
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Chris Dobey v Van Duijvenbode/Springer
James Wade v Zonneveld/Wenig
Peter Wright v Razma/Pilgrim
Jonny Clayton v Wattimena/Hermann
Michael Smith v Van Barneveld/Harrysson
Nathan Aspinall v Cullen/Brooks
Martin Schindler v Pietreczko/Bohrmann
Stephen Bunting v Woodhouse/Horvat
Sunday June 1
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
NB: From the original entries, Rob Cross withdrew from the European Darts Open and was replaced by Madars Razma.
Luke Humphries and Michael van Gerwen have also withdrawn from the event, and have been replaced from the Reserve List by William O'Connor and Matt Campbell, with Michael Smith, Mike De Decker and Gian van Veen moving into the seeded positions.