Baltic Sea Darts Open 2026

29 – 31 May 2026 · Merkur Ostseehalle, Kiel, Deutschland

Part of: European Tour

The Baltic Sea Darts Open 2026 were held from 29 to 31 May 2026 at the Merkur Ostseehalle in Kiel as the eighth of fifteen events on the PDC European Tour. Luke Woodhouse won the first European Tour title of his career with an 8-4 win in the final over Ryan Joyce.

The Baltic Sea Darts Open 2026 – staged as the Elten Safety Shoes Baltic Sea Darts Open for sponsorship reasons – took place from 29 to 31 May 2026 at the Merkur Ostseehalle in Kiel. Organised by the Professional Darts Corporation, the ranking tournament was the eighth of fifteen events on the PDC European Tour 2026 and was played with a field of 48 players and a total prize fund of £230,000, of which £35,000 went to the winner. The defending champion was Gerwyn Price, who had won 8-3 against Gary Anderson in 2025 in a duel between two former world champions. Price withdrew his entry for Kiel, however, and was therefore unable to defend his title. Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen, Jonny Clayton and Josh Rock also pulled out; Rob Cross, Dimitri Van den Bergh, Richard Veenstra, Christian Kist and Cristo Reyes came into the field from the reserve list, while Wessel Nijman, Damon Heta, Luke Woodhouse, Daryl Gurney and Dave Chisnall moved up to seeded places 12 to 16. The tournament was marked by numerous early defeats for seeded players: Stephen Bunting, Danny Noppert, Chris Dobey, Nathan Aspinall, Ross Smith, Martin Schindler, Jermaine Wattimena, Mike De Decker and Daryl Gurney, among others, all went out in their opening match. The debutants and outsiders caused a stir: Jimmy van Schie reached the quarter-finals on his European Tour debut, Justin Hood and Sebastian Białecki stood on the final day of a European Tour event for the first time, and Niko Springer was the last remaining German player. Cameron Menzies set the highest average of the opening day with 108.41 points as he beat Rob Cross 6-4. On finals day, Luke Woodhouse and Ryan Joyce came through. Woodhouse beat Cameron Menzies (6-1), Jimmy van Schie (6-3) and Ricky Evans in the semi-final (7-2), while Joyce saw off Niko Springer (6-4), Dave Chisnall (6-1) and Damon Heta in a deciding leg (7-6). In the final, Woodhouse came out on top 8-4 with an average of 98.61 to 94.46 and, twelve days after his first PDC ranking title at Players Championship 18, celebrated the first European Tour title of his career. He was also the eighth different European Tour champion in the first eight events of the 2026 season.

At a glance

  • Event: 8th of 15 tournaments on the PDC European Tour 2026
  • Venue: Merkur Ostseehalle, Kiel (Germany)
  • Date: 29 to 31 May 2026
  • Organiser: Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) / PDC Europe
  • Winner: Luke Woodhouse (8-4 against Ryan Joyce)
  • Defending champion: Gerwyn Price – withdrew from the tournament
  • Total prize money: £230,000 (winner: £35,000)
  • Participants: 48 players
  • First edition: 2023
  • Best German: Niko Springer (last 16)
  • Spectators: 9,000 fans over the weekend
  • 180s: 356 180s thrown

Related rankings

FAQ

When and where did the Baltic Sea Darts Open 2026 take place?

The tournament was held from 29 to 31 May 2026 at the Merkur Ostseehalle in Kiel. It was the eighth of fifteen events on the 2026 PDC European Tour.

Who won the Baltic Sea Darts Open 2026?

Luke Woodhouse won the final 8-4 against Ryan Joyce, claiming his first European Tour title. He sealed it with a 160 finish; in the final Woodhouse threw an average of 98.61, Joyce 94.46.

Who was the defending champion at the European Tour event in Kiel?

The defending champion was Gerwyn Price, who had won the 2025 final 8-3 against Gary Anderson. Price withdrew his entry for the Baltic Sea Darts Open and therefore could not defend his title.

How much prize money was there at the Baltic Sea Open 2026?

A total of £230,000 was paid out at the Baltic Sea Darts Open 2026. The winner received £35,000, the runner-up £15,000, the semi-finalists £10,000 each and the first-round losers £2,000 each.

What format was played at the Merkur Ostseehalle?

It was played as a knockout with 48 players. From the first round to the quarter-finals it was best of 11 legs, in the semi-finals best of 13 legs and in the final best of 15 legs, each in double-out format.

Where was the darts tournament in Kiel shown on TV and stream?

Streaming service DAZN broadcast every session of the Baltic Sea Darts Open 2026 live and in HD. The tournament was also available free of charge on the DAZN Darts X Pluto TV channel.

How do you qualify for the Baltic Sea Darts Open?

The top 16 of the PDC Order of Merit are seeded and only enter in round 2, joined by the 16 best players not yet qualified from the Pro Tour Order of Merit. The remaining 16 places went to ten players from the Tour Card Holder Qualifier, four from the Host Nation Qualifier and one each from the Nordic & Baltic and the East European Associate Member Qualifier.

What were the best performances at the darts in Kiel in 2026?

The highest average on day one was thrown by Cameron Menzies with 108.41 in his 6-4 win over Rob Cross. The highest checkout of the Baltic Sea Darts Open 2026 was 170, hit by Lukas Wenig, Cameron Menzies and William O'Connor; in total 356 180s were thrown over the weekend in front of 9,000 fans.

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