The PDC European Tour reaches a special milestone this weekend. With the first edition of the Slovak Darts Open in Bratislava, the 25th different tournament will be played since the European Tour was founded in 2012. What began as a modest series of five events has grown over fourteen years into one of the key circuits in professional darts, with events staged across Europe.
ADVERTISEMENT
New step in international expansion
The Slovak Darts Open is the ninth event of the 2026 European Tour season, and it is also the first ever European Tour tournament to be held in Slovakia. With that, the PDC once again takes a step in the ongoing international expansion of the Tour, which never seems to stand still. Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, welcomes the European darts elite for the first time this weekend and immediately writes itself into the history books as the host of the 25th unique Euro Tour tournament.
Since the start of the European Tour, numerous events have come and gone. Some tournaments disappeared from the calendar after a few editions, while others grew into fixtures of the circuit. The outright leader in terms of number of editions is the German Darts Championship. This tournament is being staged for the thirteenth time this year and is therefore the longest-running event on the European Tour calendar.
Close behind are the European Darts Open, the Austrian Darts Open, and the European Darts Grand Prix, each of which has been held twelve times. The International Darts Open is also among the most established names on the circuit and now stands at eleven editions. Over the years, these tournaments have developed into true classics that players and supporters look forward to every year.
Significant expansion
The introduction of the Slovak Darts Open underlines how strongly the European Tour has developed since 2012. Where the tour consisted of just five events in its first year, the number of tournaments has now expanded considerably. In addition, new venues and countries are being chosen more often, allowing professional darts to reach an ever wider audience.
ADVERTISEMENT
For darts fans in Slovakia, this weekend marks a historic moment. For the first time, they have the chance to see the biggest names in the sport up close during an official European Tour event. At the same time, the Slovak Darts Open has the honor of being the 25th unique tournament to be part of the rich history of the European Tour.
2️⃣5️⃣ Tomorrow the Slovak Darts Open will become the 25th event on the European Tour. Taking place in the Slovakian capital city of Bratislava it will be the 9th tournament of the Euro Tour season. pic.twitter.com/xuRJF4jXem
— TheRedBit 🔴 (@TheRedBit180) June 18, 2026
Whoever takes the title home on Sunday evening, his name will in any case be added as the first winner of the Slovak Darts Open to an ever-growing roll of honor of winners on the PDC European Tour. That gives this new event an immediate special place within the European darts landscape.
Samuel GillChief Content Officer
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- He produced some impressive numbers in that qualifying campaign. I'm excited to see him compete at the World Championship once again, even if it will be difficult to replicate last year's success even with an improved performance, with the draw playing a huge role in determining his fortunes.Deduce635811-11-2026
- I often think about this very question. I think they should revive the format. They could even invite representatives from MODUS Super Series, with four series winners from the past year, and the ADC, with finalists from the Global Championship and perhaps other events. Why not throw in eligible representatives from the JDC and even the soft-tip game too?Deduce635811-11-2026
- So what if littler missed out, he doesnt have to enter everythingant10-11-2026
- Good, absolutely no loss if we never see this dancing goof ever again......no that is not fair. He absolutely cannot and has never been remotely able to dance!richieburnettrocks10-11-2026
- Yes Phil,now the money in the game is bigger than ever,you'd play littler. Well so would I! Retire on your memory Phil,and your successful careerrick6709-11-2026
- And why should he listen to you?Deduce635807-11-2026
- Ultimately it is a bye for whoever draws Barney. It will be another stroppy and sulky performance once he goes behind. Barney was excellent but really must completely call it a day now.richieburnettrocks07-11-2026
- I'm disappointed he was not able to secure a spot at the Grand Slam. With Carl Sneyd taking care of Daryl Gurney, he would have had to beat Andy Boulton before facing the winner of Sneyd vs Mensur Suljović for a Grand Slam spot. Unfortunately, after beating Filip Bereza comfortably, he succumbed to Boulton, and the board would ultimately be won by the highly inconsistent Carl Sneyd. Since he could instead have been drawn against the likes of Cristo Reyes, Dirk van Duijvenbode and Stephen Bunting, I think once Gurney was out of the picture he would have been favourite to win his board, and it seems like a massive missed opportunity to put 5 grand on his ranking and seal another major TV appearance ahead of the Worlds. The highs and lows of following Raymond van Barneveld!Deduce635806-11-2026
- Probably i will receive a lot of backlash and hate for this reaction, but well, so be it. I am more than sick and tired of those lies of you Barry Hearn. How dare you defend yourself over the back of Fallon’s son! He has a disability and not an illness, so let me correct that for you! I know because I have the exact same disability. I have tried to reach out to Fallon in the past, and offered her to help her and her son, because I was struggling with the same problems, and I understood the boy. I wanted him to have finally someone who understood him. However she told me that she did not want my help, and I have respected Fallon’s choice. I have never asked Fallon for money. They don’t need money in that case. I only ever wanted the best for Fallon and Rory, but I have to be honest about the situation. Fallon should tell the true story and not be forced to tell lies. I don’t hate Fallon, and I don’t begrudge or envy a single penny that she gets, but this situation/case is just not fair. I hate the lies and the dishonesty and injustice. I don’t want Fallon to be hated because there is an unfair disadvantage created. Don’t proclaim your false lies over the back of Rory! I only stand for integrity and justice. I am precisely the one who always sticks up for Fallon. And you don't, you don't give a damn about them. You were never there for them, and now you only want to save your own position! You are just trying to talk your way out of your own bad behavior at the expense of someone with a disability. And to Fallon, I don’t know if this may ever reach you, and you read it, but I want you to know I love you and I love your son Rory very much, I am sorry how things developed and went. I hope you and Harriet are still friends. I am sorry if I were too persistent to you, or you experienced it that way, but it was never my intention. Please understand I have autism as well. As Barry Hearn would say, I am only just a human being too, and I also make mistakes and misjudge things sometimes. I promise you I did everything out of the deepest love and care for you and Rory. If I were you, I should just keep all the money, only please never be dishonest or tell lies anymore for Barry Hearn, or anyone else. I hope you have the best life, and I wish nothing more than the best for you. I have always loved the two of you. Farewell.Hiddo05-11-2026
- She is a professional. If darts is her income, she is a professional. Same as Adrian Lewis, Martin Adams. A tour card just means someone can play on the PDC tour. You could even make a case that Clayton wasn't a professional (until recently I believe) because he had employment elsewhere.BandB04-11-2026