The European Tour makes its eagerly awaited return between 28-30 August, 2026, with the Hungarian Darts Trophy taking centre stage at the MVM Dome in Budapest, Hungary. As the eleventh of fifteen PDC European Tour events on the 2026 ProTour, the tournament boasts a field of 48 players competing for £230,000 in prize money, with £35,000 reserved for the winner. Niko Springer enters as the defending champion, having defeated Danny Noppert in the 2025 final to become the latest German European Tour winner.
The event marks a return to action after the big names travelled to Australia and New Zealand for the World Series. In a historic moment, Beau Greaves will become the first woman to compete on the European Tour, continuing her incredible year. The field features a host of top talent, including Luke Humphries, Gian van Veen, Michael van Gerwen, Jonny Clayton, Gerwyn Price, and Gary Anderson. Luke Littler, as ever, has opted out, having been on holiday in America, though he has signalled his intention to play ProTours in a bid to qualify for Minehead and has signed up for some European Tours later in the season.
Friday's opening round promises plenty of intrigue. In the afternoon session, Kevin Doets opens against Jonas Masalin, while former UK Open champion Andrew Gilding faces Milan Biro. Niko Springer takes on Maik Kuivenhoven, Martin Schindler meets Keane Barry, and Dave Chisnall faces Hungarian qualifier Andras Borbely. Ryan Joyce against Cristo Reyes is another fascinating contest. The evening session carries the biggest headline of the day as Beau Greaves faces former world champion Rob Cross. Dirk van Duijvenbode and David Pisek open the evening, while Daryl Gurney takes on Laszlo Kadar, Joe Cullen faces Adam Leek, Niels Zonneveld meets Nandor Major, Cameron Menzies plays Tom Sykes, and Damon Heta closes against James Hurrell.
The draw has been confirmed, with the top 16 seeded players entering in round two. Luke Humphries, the number one seed, awaits the winner of Van Duijvenbode and Pisek, while Luke Woodhouse faces the Cross-Greaves winner. Other notable second-round ties include Danny Noppert against Ritchie Edhouse or Connor Scutt, Ryan Searle versus Niko Springer or Maik Kuivenhoven, and Michael van Gerwen taking on Damon Heta or James Hurrell. The tournament follows a best-of-11 legs format through the quarter-finals, with semi-finals best-of-13 and the final best-of-15.
History shows the Hungarian Darts Trophy has produced thrilling finals, with Niko Springer's 8-7 win over Danny Noppert in 2025, Michael van Gerwen's 8-7 victory over Gian van Veen in 2024, and Dave Chisnall's 8-7 triumph over Luke Humphries in 2023. Looking ahead, our editors have made their predictions. Samuel Gill of DartsNews.com has picked James Wade to win, praising his class in Australia and recovery time. Mats Leering of DartsNieuws.com sees Luke Humphries as the clear favourite, citing his floor title this week and the absence of Littler and Price. Pieter Verbeek also backs Humphries, noting his Players Championship 28 win, while tipping James Wade, Gian van Veen, and Wessel Nijman as contenders. With such a strong field and historic debut, Budapest is set for a spectacular weekend of darts.
