James Wade finally put an end to a ten‑year wait for a European Tour crown when he defeated Ross Smith 8‑4 in the final of the Flanders Darts Trophy. The 43‑year‑old, whose last continental triumph came at the 2016 European Darts Matchplay in Hamburg, delivered a superb performance in Antwerp on Sunday evening, posting a 95.50 three‑dart average and hitting five maximum 180s.
Wade’s road to the title was impressive: after a tight 6‑5 win over Rob Cross in the last‑16 round, he dispatched Danny Noppert with a clean‑sheet 6‑0 victory in the quarter‑finals and then over‑powered Damon Heta 7‑4 in the semi‑finals. When he collected the £35,000 winner's cheque, Wade reflected on the emotional roller‑coaster of his career, saying, “Some weeks it’s good, sometimes it’s bad. That’s how it is for me.
If it was good all the time, I’d smash them all to bits. We can’t always choose how we feel.” His candid remarks underscored the mental resilience required to compete at the highest level of professional darts. This victory is especially significant because Wade first reached a European Tour final back in 2012, when he played in Austria.
The Flanders win marks his triumph in the 150th European Tour event ever staged, cementing his place in the tournament’s history. Ross Smith, the runner‑up, had come into the final on the back of a recent win at the Hungarian Darts Trophy two weeks earlier.
On the day of the final, Smith had battled through a series of nail‑biting matches, including last‑leg deciders against Gian van Veen, Ryan Joyce and Gerwyn Price. After the defeat, Smith praised Wade, saying, “I rode my luck today and the players have let me off, but Wade doesn’t let you off ever. I admire him. I watch his game and I can only admire the guy.
James thoroughly deserved the win today. He’s just—he’s absolute class, isn’t he?” The tournament’s schedule also highlighted the depth of talent on the European circuit. In the semi‑finals, Smith edged Gian van Veen 7‑6, while Wade’s 7‑4 victory over Heta demonstrated his steady scoring power. The quarter‑finals featured a mix of dominant displays and close contests: van Veen beat Chris Dobey 6‑3, Smith survived a 6‑5 thriller against Ryan Joyce, and Wade blanked Noppert 6‑0.
The afternoon session saw a cascade of tight matches, with several players winning 6‑5, illustrating how competitive the field has become. Beyond the Flanders event, the European Tour will continue with the Swiss Darts Trophy in Basel, scheduled for October 9‑11.
This next stop offers another chance for players to chase ranking points and prize money ahead of the season’s marquee events. In related news, the 32‑player lineup for the 2026 BOYLE Sports World Grand Prix in Leicester has been confirmed following the conclusion of the Belgian tournament. Defending champion Luke Littler will lead a field that includes the top 16 from the PDC Order of Merit, who are seeded for the first‑round draw.
The seeded players are: 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, and 16. Nathan Aspinall. Additional qualifiers have earned their spots through the ProTour Rankings, including 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. The Grand Prix will run from September 28 to October 4, with a newly‑boosted top prize of £150,000, and every session will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.
Sky Sports remains the primary broadcaster for darts this season, covering not only the World Grand Prix but also the Grand Slam of Darts (November 14‑22) and the World Darts Championship (December 10‑January 3). Fans can also stream live action and additional darts content via the NOW platform without a contract, ensuring that the sport remains accessible to a global audience.
The continued expansion of broadcast options reflects darts’ growing popularity and the sport’s commitment to reaching new fans while delivering high‑quality coverage of its biggest tournaments.