“We shouldn’t have left the EU” – Chris Dobey fumes over Brexit travel chaos after Belgian Darts Open win

Chris Dobey has progressed to the next round of the 2026 Belgian Darts Open, but it was far from convincing. Afterwards, the Englishman remained notably critical, both of his own performance and the circumstances surrounding the tournament. By his own admission, ‘Hollywood’ was far from ideally prepared for the match.

What began as a straightforward reflection on his 6-3 win over Dave Chisnall in the second round developed into a broader story about frustration, ambition and the reality of life on the modern darts circuit.

Dobey knew he was facing an experienced and dangerous opponent, even if Chisnall is not currently at his very best. “Yeah, of course, it’s always good to beat Chizzy. He’s a fantastic player, and the last few times he’s played really well against me,” he told Tungsten Tales afterwards.

He remained honest about the level of the match itself. “It’s not the best version of Chizzy and definitely not the best version of myself, but any win against Dave Chisnall is a big win.”

While the conversation initially focused on the match, it quickly shifted to the travel problems affecting many British players on the European Tour. Like Nathan Aspinall and Jonny Clayton, Dobey made clear his frustration with the situation. “It is frustrating because you want to come here and be prepared well, but it’s just how things go.”

He pointed directly to the root cause. “I think we shouldn’t have left the EU, I think that’s the big problem. It’s the same for most of the British lads.”

Dobey outlined the reality players are currently dealing with. “It’s not nice because we had to wait over two and a half hours just for the passport. It was the same in Poland a few weeks back, so hopefully something can change, and we can enjoy these European Tours again.”

Those delays are not just inconvenient, they impact preparation and recovery. “Yesterday we landed early, around half one or quarter to two, and we didn’t get out of the airport until about ten to five.”

That, in turn, takes away one of the usual positives of the European Tour. “I used to enjoy coming here, travelling straight through the airport and getting to see some of the city,” he says. “It’s off-putting because on your day off, you want to go out and see the place, but we didn’t get to do any of that. It was just food and straight to bed when I got in.”

It raises the question of whether these issues could affect his schedule later in the year. “I think for some it could, but it’s still early doors so you want to play as many as possible.”

Dobey pointed to upcoming events where similar problems may arise. “Easter weekend in Munich is probably going to be the same, so I don’t know. It’s tempting to think about skipping it, but I want to play in them all.”

Despite the frustration, he underlined the importance of the European Tour. “You love playing on the European Tour. That’s where the big money is on the rankings, so you don’t want to miss them. Hopefully we can get it sorted and start enjoying it again.”

Notably, the European Tour has not historically been Dobey’s strongest arena. Despite his success in televised events, including winning the Masters, a breakthrough on the European stage has yet to fully materialise.

“I don’t really know why it hasn’t clicked. I used to have to qualify for these events, and it’s not easy to come through those qualifiers. You’re playing tough games just to get here.”

Now seeded, his position has improved. “I just want to stay here, and the more times I do and reach the later stages, it’s going to come sooner or later.”