The £600,000 event is set to kick off with reigning champion Peter Wright leading the charge, aiming for back-to-back victories after emerging victorious over James Wade to claim his second European Championship crown in 2023.
The star-studded tournament, now in its 17th staging, will see five former winners compete for glory, including world number one Luke Humphries, four-time champion Michael van Gerwen, and the teenage sensation Luke Littler. The competition is expected to draw record crowds to the Westfalenhalle from October 24-27.
Wright, who ended a two-year wait for a televised ranking title in last year’s final, is set to begin his campaign against Jermaine Wattimena on the second night of action. Despite a tough start to 2024, the two-time World Champion returned to winning ways in the German Darts Championship last month.
“Winning this trophy last year meant a lot to me,” Wright shared, reflecting on his past victories at the European Championship in 2020. “I showed I can still mix it with the very best, and I think some of my performances over the last few months have shown I’m still more than capable of beating anybody in the world.”
“I’m expecting a tough game against Jermaine. He’s had a strong year on the European Tour, but if I play my own game, I know I can have another great weekend in Dortmund,” he added. “I always get incredible support from the fans in Germany, and with so many big tournaments coming up, retaining this title would be a great way to kickstart my year.”
The action-packed event will feature Martin Schindler as the top seed, marking his return to home soil with a matchup against 2022 semi-finalist Dirk van Duijvenbode. Schindler has made waves in the past year, securing victories at the International Darts Open and the Swiss Darts Trophy to become the first German player to win multiple European Tour titles.