Rob Cross will open his defence of the Elten Safety Shoes Baltic Sea Darts Open against Raymond van Barneveld or Andy Baetens, with the draw and schedule of play confirmed for this weekend’s tournament.
The PDC European Tour season will resume at the Wunderino Arena in Kiel from July 11-13, as some of the sport’s biggest names battle it out for the £30,000 top prize on German soil.
Reigning champion Cross will headline the 48-player field, which also includes world number one Luke Humphries and Nathan Aspinall – a two-time winner on the European Tour in 2025.
Friday’s first round will feature 16 matches across two sessions, as World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker takes on Austrian stalwart Mensur Suljovic in a blockbuster opening night showdown.
De Decker's fellow countryman Baetens will play five-time World Champion Van Barneveld in his opener, while European Championship runner-up Jermaine Wattimena faces Callan Rydz in another eye-catching tie.
German number two Ricardo Pietreczko marks his return to home soil against former UK Open quarter-finalist Sebastian Bialecki, with Poland's number one Krzysztof Ratajski pitted against quick-fire Dutch star Richard Veenstra.
Dutch Darts Championship runner-up Niko Springer will play Kevin Troppmann in an all-German affair, as Kim Huybrechts and Ian White renew their rivalry on the European Tour stage.
World Youth Champion Gian van Veen will meet Sweden's Johan Engstrom, before Northern Ireland’s World Cup winner Daryl Gurney takes on Grand Slam of Darts runner-up Martin Lukeman.
The top 16 players on the PDC Werner Rankings Ladder will kick off their campaigns in Saturday’s second round, as Cross begins his bid for back-to-back titles against Van Barneveld or Baetens.
Humphries - the runner-up to Cross in 2024 - will also take centre stage in Kiel, and he will open his title challenge against Grand Slam semi-finalist Mickey Mansell or Poland's Miroslaw Grudziecki.
Second seed Stephen Bunting plays the winner of the all-German showdown between Springer and Troppmann, while Welsh number one Jonny Clayton awaits either Van Veen or Engstrom.
Clayton’s fellow countryman Gerwyn Price will face William O'Connor or Tytus Kanik, with German number one Martin Schindler handed a tough opening assignment against Wattimena or Rydz.
Dave Chisnall lifted the inaugural Baltic Sea Darts Open title two years ago, and the 2023 champion locks horns with Gurney or Lukeman on his return to the Wunderino Arena.
Fourth seed Aspinall will begin his bid for a third European Tour title of the year against Pietreczko or Bialecki, while two-time World Champion Gary Anderson takes on Veenstra or Ratajski for a place in the last 16.
Fresh from his Players Championship success on Tuesday, Australia’s number one Damon Heta will meet Wessel Nijman or debutant Martin Kramer, as fifth seed Chris Dobey prepares to play an in-form Dirk van Duijvenbode or Ryan Meikle.
Elsewhere, Dutch number two Danny Noppert awaits either De Decker or Suljovic, with Northern Ireland's World Cup champion Josh Rock facing a potential clash against Joe Cullen, who must first overcome Justin Hood on Friday.
Following Saturday’s second round, the last 16 will return to the stage on Sunday afternoon, before the tournament concludes with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final in a bumper evening session.
Live coverage from the Baltic Sea 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.
Please note that both sessions of the Baltic Sea Darts Open on Sunday July 13 will begin one hour earlier than usual, at 1100 BST and 1700 BST respectively.
2025 Elten Safety Shoes Baltic Sea Darts Open
July 11-13, Wunderino Arena, Kiel
Tournament Draw Bracket - Second Round Onwards
Players seeded based on PDC Order of Merit position
(1) Luke Humphries v Mickey Mansell/Miroslaw Grudziecki
(16) Ryan Searle v Cameron Menzies/Yorick Hofkens
(8) Damon Heta v Wessel Nijman/Martin Kramer
(9) Gerwyn Price v William O’Connor/Tytus Kanik
(4) Nathan Aspinall v Ricardo Pietreczko/Sebastian Bialecki
(13) Danny Noppert v Mike De Decker/Mensur Suljovic
(5) Chris Dobey v Dirk van Duijvenbode/Ryan Meikle
(12) Ross Smith v Kim Huybrechts/Ian White
(2) Stephen Bunting v Niko Springer/Kevin Troppmann
(15) Martin Schindler v Jermaine Wattimena/Callan Rydz
(7) James Wade v Luke Woodhouse/Liam Maendl-Lawrence
(10) Dave Chisnall v Daryl Gurney/Martin Lukeman
(3) Jonny Clayton v Gian van Veen/Johan Engstrom
(14) Josh Rock v Joe Cullen/Justin Hood
(6) Rob Cross v Raymond van Barneveld/Andy Baetens
(11) Gary Anderson v Richard Veenstra/Krzysztof Ratajski
Schedule of Play
Friday July 11
First Round
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Mickey Mansell v Miroslaw Grudziecki
Luke Woodhouse v Liam Maendl-Lawrance
Cameron Menzies v Yorick Hofkens
Gian van Veen v Johan Engstrom
Jermaine Wattimena v Callan Rydz
Richard Veenstra v Krzysztof Ratajski
Wessel Nijman v Martin Kramer
Kim Huybrechts v Ian White
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Dirk van Duijvenbode v Ryan Meikle
Niko Springer v Kevin Troppmann
William O'Connor v Tytus Kanik
Raymond van Barneveld v Andy Baetens
Daryl Gurney v Martin Lukeman
Mike De Decker v Mensur Suljovic
Ricardo Pietreczko v Sebastian Bialecki
Joe Cullen v Justin Hood
Saturday July 12
Second Round
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Ross Smith v Huybrechts/White
Ryan Searle v Menzies/Hofkens
Damon Heta v Nijman/Kramer
Gary Anderson v Veenstra/Ratajski
Jonny Clayton v Van Veen/Engstrom
James Wade v Woodhouse/Maendl-Lawrance
Danny Noppert v De Decker/Suljovic
Dave Chisnall v Gurney/Lukeman
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Gerwyn Price v O'Connor/Kanik
Rob Cross v Van Barneveld/Baetens
Stephen Bunting v Springer/Troppmann
Luke Humphries v Mansell/Grudziecki
Josh Rock v Cullen/Hood
Martin Schindler v Wattimena/Rydz
Nathan Aspinall v Pietreczko/Bialecki
Chris Dobey v Van Duijvenbode/Meikle
Sunday July 13
Afternoon Session (1200 local time, 1100 BST)
Third Round
Evening Session (1800 local time, 1700 BST)
Quarter-Finals
Semi-Finals
Final
Sunday’s games played in Draw Bracket order
NB: From the original list of entries, Michael van Gerwen, Peter Wright, Ryan Joyce, Michael Smith and Andrew Gilding have withdrawn from the Baltic Sea Darts Open.
They have been replaced from the Reserve List by Mickey Mansell, William O'Connor, Kim Huybrechts, Richard Veenstra and Niko Springer, with Martin Schindler and Ryan Searle moving into the seeded positions.