European Tour Order of Merit update: Luke Littler closes gap to Nathan Aspinall after title success, top names currently missing Dortmund

The Flanders Darts Trophy was held in Antwerp last weekend. With ten of the fourteen tournaments behind us we are starting to get a good view of who is already sure of qualifying for the European Championship and who will have to come on strong in the coming tournaments. Some big names might not qualify.

This year's European Championship will take place in Dortmund from October 23 to 26. The 32 best players of the European Tour 2025 may participate in this tournament. The Flanders Darts Trophy was the tenth tournament, with the Czech Darts Open, the Hungarian Darts Trophy, the Swiss Darts Trophy and the German Darts Championship to follow in the coming weeks.

Nathan Aspinall, who was absent for the Flanders Darts Trophy last weekend, still leads the rankings. 'The Asp', winner of the European Darts Open and the European Darts Trophy earlier this year, already earned £76,000.

Luke Littler is quietly hot on Aspinall's heels in second place. 'The Nuke,' who managed to win the tournament in Antwerp last weekend by beating Josh Rock 8-7 in the final, is now approaching Aspinall to less than 10000 pounds. Littler, by the way, shares second place with Martin Schindler.

While Gary Anderson who was absent is fourth, Jonny Clayton, Gerwyn Price, Ross Smith, Stephen Bunting, Wessel Nijman form the top ten alongside Josh Rock who reached the final losing to Littler in dramatic circumstances. Rock rises into the top 10 after that run.

Michael van Gerwen has dropped out of the top ten after the Flanders Darts Trophy. 'Mighty Mike', winner of the German Darts Grand Prix earlier this year, immediately lost in his first match against Gian van Veen last weekend. However, Van Gerwen, who has already won the European Championship four times, can book his ticket to Dortmund.

Ex-world champion Luke Humphries, who was absent for the Flanders Darts Trophy last weekend, is currently fifteenth in the rankings. The European Championship is one of the few majors that 'Cool Hand Luke' has never managed to win. With four tournaments to go he is not quite sure of qualification, but it would be strange for him to fall outside the top 32. Just behind Humphries is Mike De Decker in sixteenth place. The Real Deal, who reached the final of the Belgian Darts Open at the opening tournament of the European Tour 2025, reached the second round last weekend. In it, De Decker had to lose to Martin Schindler.

Raymond van Barneveld is in the 32nd and final spot for qualification for Dortmund but it could be said that Chris Dobey, current European Champion Ritchie Edhouse as well as even up to Peter Wright aren't fully safe yet. Jermaine Wattimena also despite reaching the final of the European Championship last year is out of the spots currently. Joe Cullen and Michael Smith follows along in 34th and 35th spots respectively.

Rob Cross as well as Kim Huybrechts, Mensur Suljovic and also Dimitri van den Bergh ae all currently set to miss Dortmund with only a few tournaments to go and not much room for maneuver.