Van Gerwen Eyes Third European Darts Grand Prix Title, Possibly Facing O'Connor

Dutch darts sensation Michael van Gerwen is on the hunt for his third European Darts Grand Prix title in Sindelfingen, where he may face William O'Connor. Van Gerwen's campaign begins against either O'Connor or Michael Unterbuchner, while two-time World Champion Gary Anderson starts his quest for a third consecutive title against either Niko Springer or Robin Masino. The fifth European Tour event of 2026 features a 48-player field competing for the £35,000 top prize from April 17-19. Anderson, who hasn't competed on the European Tour since February, joins five other former European Darts Grand Prix winners in the fray. The opening round on Friday includes 16 matches across two sessions, with German star Springer facing compatriot Masino, who makes his big-stage debut on home soil. Former champions Rob Cross, Peter Wright, and Kim Huybrechts are also in action on Day One, alongside 2019 winner Ian White, who replaces Ryan Joyce. Other notable clashes include Scottish star Cameron Menzies against five-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld and Australian No 1 Damon Heta against Latvia's Madars Razma. The winner of Joe Cullen vs Maik Kuivenhoven will face top seed Gian van Veen. Friday's schedule includes the afternoon session at 12pm and the evening session at 6pm, with matches such as Karel Sedlacek vs Valters Melderis, Wessel Nijman vs Ian White, and Krzysztof Ratajski vs Michael Hurtz. The evening session features William O'Connor vs Michael Unterbuchner, Joe Cullen vs Maik Kuivenhoven, and Peter Wright vs Jeffrey de Zwaan. Saturday's Round Two includes the afternoon session at 12pm and the evening session at 6pm, with matches such as Mike De Decker vs Ratajski/Hurtz and Jermaine Wattimena vs Doets/Van der Velde. The competition concludes on Sunday with the afternoon and evening sessions, featuring the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final.