Swiss Darts Trophy 2026: Full Tournament Preview
After Stephen Bunting claimed the 2025 title by defeating Luke Woodhouse in the final, the PDC European Tour returns to Basel for another three days of high-quality darts.
The tournament brings together a 48-player field, including some of the biggest names on the PDC circuit alongside ProTour qualifiers and players who have come through the various regional qualifying routes. With £230,000 in prize money and valuable ranking points available, there is plenty at stake across the weekend.
With the 2026 field featuring Luke Humphries, Gian van Veen, Jonny Clayton, James Wade, Michael van Gerwen, Gerwyn Price and several other major contenders, another competitive weekend awaits in Basel.
When Is The Swiss Darts Trophy?
The Swiss Darts Trophy 2026 takes place from Friday 9 October to Sunday 11 October 2026 at the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland. It is the 14th of the 15 European Tour events on the 2026 PDC calendar.
The opening two days feature afternoon and evening sessions. On Friday and Saturday, the afternoon sessions begin at 13:00 local time, with evening sessions starting at 19:00. On Sunday, the afternoon session begins at 12:00, before the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final take place from 18:00.
For UK viewers, Switzerland is one hour ahead of the UK, meaning the Friday and Saturday sessions begin at 12:00 and 18:00 UK time, while Sunday’s sessions begin at 11:00 and 17:00 respectively.
The tournament follows the standard European Tour format. The first four rounds are played over the best of 11 legs, the semi-finals are best of 13, and the final is best of 15.
Where Is The Swiss Darts Trophy Held?
The 2026 Swiss Darts Trophy is being held at the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland. The venue has hosted the tournament since its introduction, with the PDC returning to Basel for the third consecutive edition in 2026.
The St. Jakobshalle is located on Brüglingerstrasse in Basel and provides the setting for all six sessions across the tournament weekend. The venue will host the opening-round matches on Friday, the second round on Saturday and the decisive stages on Sunday.
Basel has quickly become an established stop on the European Tour calendar, with the previous two editions producing two different champions. Martin Schindler won the 2024 tournament after beating Ryan Searle 8–7 in a dramatic final, while Stephen Bunting defeated Luke Woodhouse 8–3 to win the 2025 edition.
Who Is Competing In The 2026 Swiss Darts Trophy?
The 2026 tournament features 48 players, with the field split between seeded players, ProTour qualifiers, Tour Card qualifiers and players from regional and host-nation qualifying events.
The top 16 seeds enter the competition in the second round, while the remaining 32 players contest the first round. The players competing in the tournament are:
Seeded players
- Luke Humphries
- Gian van Veen
- Jonny Clayton
- James Wade
- Michael van Gerwen
- Josh Rock
- Stephen Bunting
- Danny Noppert
- Ryan Searle
- Chris Dobey
- Wessel Nijman
- Ross Smith
- Jermaine Wattimena
- Luke Woodhouse
- Martin Schindler
- Krzysztof Ratajski
PDC Pro Tour Order of Merit qualifiers
- Kevin Doets
- Andrew Gilding
- Rob Cross
- William O’Connor
- Niko Springer
- Niels Zonneveld
- Dirk van Duijvenbode
- Joe Cullen
- Cameron Menzies
- Damon Heta
- Sebastian Bialecki
- Dave Chisnall
Tour Card qualifier
- Bradley Brooks
- Mensur Suljovic
- Tom Bissell
- Jeffrey de Graaf
- Michael Smith
- Mario Vandenbogaerde
- Raymond van Barneveld
- Sietse Lap
- Maik Kuivenhoven
- Cristo Reyes
Host Nation qualifier
- Stefan Bellmont
- Roman Wellinger
- Bruno Stockli
- Alex Fehlmann
Nordic & Baltic qualifier
- Jani Haavisto
East European qualifier
- Gyorgy Jehirszki
Reserve list
- Karel Sedlacek
- Alan Soutar
- Rob Owen
- Nick Kenny
Who Is Favourite To Win The Swiss Darts Trophy?
Luke Humphries heads the field as the No. 1 seed and is naturally among the leading contenders for the title. However, the tournament has a deep field, meaning several players have realistic chances of going all the way in Basel.
Gian van Veen occupies the second seed position, while Jonny Clayton, James Wade and Michael van Gerwen make up the next three seeds.
Stephen Bunting deserves particular attention as the defending champion. He produced an excellent run in 2025 before defeating Luke Woodhouse 8–3 in the final, claiming his second European Tour title of the year.
As always with darts betting, outright prices can change significantly as the tournament approaches and once the draw is confirmed. Anyone following the betting markets should check the latest odds and set sensible limits before placing a wager.
What Is The Prize Money at the Swiss Darts Trophy?
The 2026 Swiss Darts Trophy has a total prize fund of £230,000, representing a significant increase from the £175,000 available at the 2025 tournament. The winner will receive £35,000.
The confirmed prize-money breakdown is:
- Winner: £35,000
- Runner-up: £15,000
- Semi-finalists: £10,000 each
- Quarter-finalists: £8,000 each
- Round of 16 losers: £5,000 each
- Second-round losers: £3,500 each
- First-round losers: £2,000 each
The increased prize fund is part of a wider rise in prize money for the 2026 European Tour. The money won also counts towards the PDC Order of Merit, ProTour Order of Merit and European Tour Order of Merit, making the tournament important for players competing for ranking positions and qualification for the European Championship.
With £35,000 going to the champion and ranking points available throughout the tournament, there is plenty for the field to play for when the action begins in Basel.
Bet on the Swiss Darts Trophy at Bet442
The Swiss Darts Trophy provides plenty of opportunities for darts fans to follow the action and, where appropriate, consider the betting markets around one of the final European Tour events of the season.
If you choose to bet on the tournament, take time to compare the available markets and odds before placing a wager.
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**The information provided in this blog is intended for educational purposes and should not be construed as betting advice or a guarantee of success. Always gamble responsibly.