Niko Springer's brother Felix set for PDC debut in Hildesheim as German duo become just 5th siblings in history of European Tour

This Friday afternoon in Hildesheim, Germany, the 2025 German Darts Championship gets underway — the fourteenth and final event of this year’s European Tour campaign. One of the most interesting talking points ahead of this weekend’s action is the debut of Felix Springer, the younger brother of Niko Springer. Felix is hoping to follow in his brother’s footsteps after Niko claimed the Hungarian Darts Trophy last month in his biggest career success to date.

Unlike his brother, Felix has successfully qualified for the main draw of the 2025 German Darts Championship this weekend, where he will face the experienced Pole Krzysztof Ratajski in his opening match.

The Springer brothers become just the fifth sibling duo ever to have both played at least one match on the European Tour. Before them, Tony and Steve West, Joey and Lee Palfreyman, Kim and Ronny Huybrechts, and Dimitri and Xanti Van den Bergh had all achieved the same feat. However, no family has made quite the mark of the Rodriguez brothers — Rowby-John, Rusty-Jake, and Roxy-James — who all featured on the European Tour at one stage.

This weekend’s German Darts Championship represents the final opportunity for players to secure qualification for the European Championship. The top 32 on the European Tour Order of Merit will book their place in the prestigious major.

Last year’s edition of the European Championship in Dortmund produced something of a shock winner in Ritchie Edhouse, who claimed an emphatic 11–3 victory over fellow first time major finalist Jermaine Wattimena in the final. Perhaps showing the surprise nature of Edhouse's win, the 42-year-old Englishman will not be able to defend his title this time around, having failed to even qualify for either this weekend’s German Darts Championship in Hildesheim, or the end of season Euro Tour finale in Dortmund.