Michael van Gerwen will begin his defence of the Hungarian Darts Trophy against Andrew Gilding or Matthew Dennant, with the draw and schedule for this weekend’s PDC European Tour event confirmed.
This weekend’s showpiece will see a 48-player field competing for the £30,000 top prize in Budapest, with Van Gerwen one of four former champions featuring in a star-studded line-up at the MVM Dome.
The Dutch superstar returned to winning ways on home soil at the World Series of Darts Finals last weekend, producing a string of superb displays to end his two-year wait for a PDC Premier event title.
The 36-year-old will now be aiming to continue his revival in the Hungarian capital, as he sets his sights on a record-extending 39th European Tour success.
Friday’s first round will feature 16 matches across two sessions, as 2024 runner-up Gian van Veen takes on Niko Springer in a battle between two of the sport’s most exciting talents.
2022 Hungarian Darts Trophy champion Joe Cullen kicks off his campaign against Germany’s Lukas Wenig, while European Champion Ritchie Edhouse faces Ryan Joyce for a place in round two.
Nathan Aspinall - a two-time winner on the European Tour in 2025 - faces Host Nation Qualifier Levente Sarai, while Dutch icon Raymond van Barneveld also faces Hungarian opposition in the form of Nandor Major.
The top 16 players on the PDC Werner Rankings Ladder will enter the tournament in round two on Saturday, as Van Gerwen - fresh from his Amsterdam exploits - prepares to face former UK Open champion Gilding or Dennant.
World number one Luke Humphries faces a potential showdown against Aspinall, while World Champion Luke Littler will meet either Cullen or Wenig for a place at Finals Day.
2021 champion Gerwyn Price will play either Richard Veenstra or Cam Crabtree in his opener, with 2023 winner Dave Chisnall awaiting Van Barneveld or Major for a place in round three.
Josh Rock - a European Tour finalist in Antwerp and Prague over the last month - also headlines this weekend’s action, with the Northern Irishman pitted against Ricardo Pietreczko or Jim Williams.
Jermaine Wattimena and Thibault Tricole lock horns for the right to play fourth seed Stephen Bunting, while James Wade will begin his bid against Luke Woodhouse or Hungary’s Andras Borbely.
Two-time European Champion Rob Cross is currently outside of the provisional qualification places for next month’s European Championship, and he could take on Northern Ireland’s World Cup champion Daryl Gurney, who meets Leon Weber in round one.
Ninth seed Damon Heta will do battle against Van Veen or Springer in one of Saturday’s stand-out ties, as Germany’s number one Martin Schindler kicks off his title challenge against Joyce or Edhouse.
Following Saturday’s second round action, 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 Hungarian Darts Trophy 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 Hungarian Darts Trophy
MVM Dome, Budapest, September 19-21
Tournament Draw Bracket - Second Round Onwards
(6) Chris Dobey v Wessel Nijman/Darren Beveridge
(11) Ross Smith v Cameron Menzies/Nandor Pres
(3) Michael van Gerwen v Andrew Gilding/Matthew Dennant
(14) Danny Noppert v Ryan Searle/Rob Owen
(7) Gerwyn Price v Richard Veenstra/Cam Crabtree
(10) Dave Chisnall v Raymond van Barneveld/Nandor Major
(2) Luke Littler v Joe Cullen/Lukas Wenig
(15) Martin Schindler v Ryan Joyce/Ritchie Edhouse
(5) James Wade v Luke Woodhouse/Andras Borbely
(12) Peter Wright v Kim Huybrechts/Andreas Hyllgaardhus
(4) Stephen Bunting v Jermaine Wattimena/Thibault Tricole
(13) Josh Rock v Ricardo Pietreczko/Jim Williams
(8) Rob Cross v Daryl Gurney/Leon Weber
(9) Damon Heta v Gian van Veen/Niko Springer
(1) Luke Humphries v Nathan Aspinall/Levente Sarai
(16) Mike De Decker v Dirk van Duijvenbode/Tom Bissell
Schedule of Play
Friday September 19
Round One
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Andrew Gilding v Matthew Dennant
Cameron Menzies v Nandor Pres
Ryan Joyce v Ritchie Edhouse
Ricardo Pietreczko v Jim Williams
Kim Huybrechts v Andreas Hyllgaardhus
Luke Woodhouse v Andras Borbely
Wessel Nijman v Darren Beveridge
Dirk van Duijvenbode v Tom Bissell
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Jermaine Wattimena v Thibault Tricole
Ryan Searle v Rob Owen
Daryl Gurney v Leon Weber
Raymond van Barneveld v Nandor Major
Richard Veenstra v Cam Crabtree
Joe Cullen v Lukas Wenig
Gian van Veen v Niko Springer
Nathan Aspinall v Levente Sarai
Saturday September 20
Round Two
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Martin Schindler v Joyce/Edhouse
Ross Smith v Menzies/Pres
Danny Noppert v Searle/Owen
Chris Dobey v Nijman/Beveridge
Rob Cross v Gurney/Weber
James Wade v Woodhouse/Borbely
Peter Wright v Huybrechts/Hyllgaardhus
Dave Chisnall v Van Barneveld/Major
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Damon Heta v Van Veen/Springer
Gerwyn Price v Veenstra/Crabtree
Michael van Gerwen v Gilding/Dennant
Luke Littler v Cullen/Wenig
Luke Humphries v Aspinall/Sarai
Stephen Bunting v Wattimena/Tricole
Josh Rock v Pietreczko/Williams
Mike De Decker v Van Duijvenbode/Bissell
Sunday September 21
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Round Three
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, Jonny Clayton, Gary Anderson and Boris Krcmar have withdrawn from the event, and have been replaced from the Reserve List by Richard Veenstra, Kim Huybrechts and Matthew Dennant, with Martin Schindler and Mike De Decker moving into the seeded positions.