Slovak Darts Open 2026

19 – 21 June 2026 · Incheba Expo, Bratislava

Part of: European Tour

The Slovak Darts Open 2026 was the first PDC European Tour event in Slovakia, held from 19 to 21 June 2026. At the Incheba Expo in Bratislava, Wessel Nijman claimed the inaugural title with an 8-3 win over Rob Cross in the final.

The Slovak Darts Open 2026 (also known as the Niké Slovak Darts Open for sponsorship reasons) was a ranking tournament of the Professional Darts Corporation, held from 19 to 21 June 2026 at the Incheba Expo in Bratislava. It was the ninth of 15 events on the PDC European Tour 2026 and the first ever PDC event on Slovak soil. 48 players took part and a total of £230,000 was shared out, £35,000 of which went to the winner. The tournament was played as a knockout: from the first round through to the quarter-finals in best of 11 legs, the semi-finals in best of 13 legs and the final in best of 15 legs, each with double-out. The top 16 of the PDC Order of Merit were seeded and only entered on the Saturday in the second round, while the 16 best players from the Pro Tour Order of Merit not yet qualified faced the 16 qualifiers on the Friday. The tournament produced plenty of surprises. Top seed Gian van Veen went out 3-6 to Rob Cross, Gerwyn Price lost 2-6 to Cameron Menzies (average 106.00) and Jonny Clayton lost 5-6 to Ryan Joyce. European Tour debutant Tom Sykes reached the semi-finals after wins over Niko Springer, Martin Schindler, Cameron Menzies and Jermaine Wattimena (6-2 in the quarter-finals), making him only the eighth player to reach the semi-finals at his first European Tour event. All four Slovak host nation qualifiers went out in the first round; Ján Sliacky was the first Slovak ever on the European Tour, and Adrián Dudek only lost to Dave Chisnall in the deciding leg despite a 150 checkout. In the final, Wessel Nijman beat Rob Cross 8-3 to become the first champion of the Slovak Darts Open. The Dutchman, who had earlier beaten Ross Smith 7-6 in the deciding leg of the semi-final (with a 161 checkout), won his second European Tour title after the European Darts Trophy in March 2026 with an average of 103.80 – Cross managed 102.57. It was Nijman's eighth ranking title of 2026 and his eleventh PDC ranking title overall; after Phil Taylor, Michael van Gerwen and Peter Wright he became the fourth player with at least eight Pro Tour titles in a season, took the lead in the European Tour Order of Merit 2026 and climbed to number 14 in the world rankings. Both finalists had travelled to Bratislava as winners of the previous week's Players Championships 21 (Nijman) and 22 (Cross); for Cross it was the twelfth European Tour final of his career.

At a glance

  • Edition: First edition 2026
  • Event: 9th of 15 events on the PDC European Tour 2026
  • Venue: Incheba Expo, Bratislava (Slovakia)
  • Date: 19 to 21 June 2026
  • Organiser: Professional Darts Corporation / PDC Europe
  • Participants: 48 players
  • Total prize money: £230,000
  • Winner: Wessel Nijman (Netherlands)
  • Final result: Wessel Nijman 8:3 Rob Cross
  • Highlight: First PDC tournament in Slovakia
  • Spectators: 6,000 fans over the weekend
  • 180s: 298 180s thrown

Related rankings

FAQ

When and where did the Slovak Darts Open 2026 take place?

The Slovak Darts Open 2026 were held from 19 to 21 June 2026 at the Incheba Expo in Bratislava. It was the first ever PDC tournament in Slovakia and the ninth of 15 events on the European Tour 2026.

Who won the darts tournament in Bratislava in 2026?

Wessel Nijman won the Slovak Darts Open 2026 with an 8-3 victory over Rob Cross in the final and is therefore the tournament's first champion. For the Dutchman it was his second European Tour title after the European Darts Trophy in March 2026, his eighth ranking title of 2026 and his eleventh PDC ranking title overall; he moved up to 14th in the world rankings.

How much prize money was there at the Niké Slovak Darts Open 2026?

A total of £230,000 was paid out at the Slovak Darts Open 2026. The winner received £35,000, the runner-up £15,000, the semi-finalists £10,000 each and the 1st-round losers £2,000 each.

What format was played at the Slovak Open 2026?

The Slovak Darts Open 2026 were played as a knockout event with 48 players. From the 1st 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.

How could you qualify for the Slovak Darts Open 2026?

The top 16 of the PDC Order of Merit were seeded and entered in the 2nd round, while the 16 best players from the Pro Tour Order of Merit who had not yet qualified started in round 1. The remaining 16 places went to players from the Tour Card Holder Qualifier (10), the Host Nation Qualifier (4) plus one each from a Nordic & Baltic and an East Europe Qualifier.

Where was the European Tour in Slovakia shown on TV and stream?

In German-speaking countries, the streaming services DAZN and Pluto TV broadcast the Slovak Darts Open 2026. Internationally, the tournament was available via the PDC TV live stream.

Which favourites went out early at the Slovak Open in Bratislava?

Top seed Gian van Veen lost 3-6 to Rob Cross in the 2nd round, Gerwyn Price went down 2-6 to Cameron Menzies (average 106.00) and Jonny Clayton fell 5-6 to Ryan Joyce. Michael van Gerwen went out in the last 16, losing 4-6 to Andrew Gilding.

How did the Slovakian players do at the darts in Bratislava?

All four host nation qualifiers Gabriel Varaljay, Juraj Holub, Adrián Dudek and Ján Sliacky went out in the first round at the Slovak Darts Open 2026. Sliacky was the first ever Slovak on the European Tour, and Dudek lost to Dave Chisnall 5-6 only in the deciding leg despite a 150 finish.

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