James Wade finally put an end to a ten‑year wait for a European Tour crown when he outperformed Ross Smith 8‑4 in the final of the Flanders Darts Trophy. The 43‑year‑old, whose previous continental triumph came at the 2016 European Darts Matchplay in Hamburg, delivered a stellar performance in Antwerp on Sunday evening, posting a 95.50 three‑dart average and hitting five perfect 180s during the decisive match.

Wade's path to the final was anything but easy. Earlier in the day he dispatched Damon Heta with a 7‑4 scoreline in the semi‑final after a dominant 6‑0 whitewash of Danny Noppert in the quarter‑finals. He also edged past Rob Cross in a tight 6‑5 battle in the last‑16 round, showing both resilience and precision under pressure. "Some weeks are good, some weeks are bad.

That's just how it goes for me," Wade commented after collecting the £35,000 winner's cheque. "If everything was good all the time, I'd smash them all to bits. We can't always choose how we feel." The victory is particularly significant because Wade first appeared in a European Tour final back in 2012 in Austria.

This win marks his success in the 150th European Tour event, underscoring his longevity and consistency on the circuit. Ross Smith, who had claimed the Hungarian Darts Trophy just two weeks earlier, also enjoyed a strong showing throughout the day. He overcame Gian van Veen, Ryan Joyce and Gerwyn Price in last‑leg deciders before reaching the final.

"I rode my luck today and the players have let me off, but Wade never lets you off," Smith said, clearly impressed by his opponent. "I admire him. I watch his game and I can only admire the guy. James thoroughly deserved the win today.

He's absolute class, isn’t he?" The European Tour will continue with the Swiss Darts Trophy in Basel, scheduled for 9‑11 October, promising more high‑stakes matchups for fans across the continent. Below is a recap of the matches from the event: Sunday, 13 September – Evening Session – Final James Wade 8‑4 Ross Smith Semi‑Finals Ross Smith 7‑6 Gian van Veen James Wade 7‑4 Damon Heta Quarter‑Finals Gian van Veen 6‑3 Chris Dobey Ross Smith 6‑5 Ryan Joyce James Wade 6‑0 Danny Noppert Damon Heta 6‑5 Nathan Aspinall Afternoon Session – Round Three Gian van Veen 6‑5 Kevin Doets Chris Dobey 6‑5 Ryan Searle Ryan Joyce 6‑5 Jermaine Wattimena Ross Smith 6‑5 Gerwyn Price James Wade 6‑5 Rob Cross Danny Noppert 6‑4 Wessel Nijman Damon Heta 6‑3 Luke Woodhouse Nathan Aspinall 6‑4 Stephen Bunting The weekend also served as a qualifier for the 2026 BOYLE Sports World Grand Prix in Leicester.

The 32‑player field has now been confirmed, with defending champion Luke Littler among the top contenders for the newly increased £150,000 top prize. The tournament will run from 28 September to 4 October, with every session broadcast live on Sky Sports.

The official draw is set for Monday, 14 September. Seeded players from the PDC rankings (top 16) include: 1.

Luke Littler 2. Luke Humphries 3.

Gian van Veen 4. Gerwyn Price 5. Jonny Clayton 6. James Wade 7.

Josh Rock 8. Danny Noppert 9. Michael van Gerwen 10. Gary Anderson 11.

Stephen Bunting 12. Wessel Nijman 13.

Ross Smith 14. Ryan Searle 15. Chris Dobey 16. Nathan Aspinall Qualifiers from the ProTour Rankings round out the field, featuring names such as Luke Woodhouse, Kevin Doets, Jermaine Wattimena, Krzysztof Ratajski, Andrew Gilding, William O'Connor, Damon Heta, Rob Cross, Ryan Joyce, Dirk van Duijvenbode, Niels Zonneveld, Cameron Menzies, Niko Springer, Dave Chisnall, Sebastian Bialecki and Joe Cullen.

Sky Sports remains the primary broadcaster for darts this season, covering the World Grand Prix (28 September‑4 October), the Grand Slam of Darts (14‑22 November) and the World Darts Championship (10 December‑3 January). Fans can also stream all events via the NOW platform without a contract, ensuring easy access to every throw, checkout and championship moment throughout the busy darts calendar.