James Wade finally put an end to a ten‑year wait for a European Tour crown when he overcame Ross Smith 8‑4 in the final of the Flanders Darts Trophy. The 43‑year‑old, who had not lifted a continental trophy since his victory at the European Darts Matchplay in Hamburg back in 2016, produced a superb performance in Antwerp on Sunday evening, posting a 95.50 three‑dart average and hitting five perfect 180s during the final. Wade's road to the title was nothing short of dominant. Earlier in the day he dispatched Damon Heta 7‑4 in the semi‑final, having already blanked Danny Noppert 6‑0 in the quarter‑finals and edged past Rob Cross in a tight 6‑5 last‑16 encounter.
"Some weeks it's good, sometimes it's bad. That's how it is for me," Wade said after collecting the £35,000 winner's share.
"If it was good all the time, I'd smash them all to bits. We can't always select how we feel." The victory was particularly significant because Wade had first reached a European Tour final back in 2012, when the tour visited Austria. This win therefore marks his triumph in the 150th European Tour event ever staged, a milestone that underscores his longevity and resilience 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 beat Gian van Veen, Ryan Joyce and Gerwyn Price in last‑leg deciders before the final, demonstrating his own high‑calibre form. After the match, 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 class, isn't he?" The European Tour will continue with the Swiss Darts Trophy in Basel, scheduled for 9‑11 October, offering more opportunities for players to chase titles and for fans to enjoy top‑level darts. Below is a recap of the Sunday evening session results: 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 The afternoon session featured a series of tightly contested matches, with several games decided by a single leg: Gian van Veen edged Kevin Doets 6‑5, Chris Dobey beat Ryan Searle 6‑5, Ryan Joyce overcame Jermaine Wattimena 6‑5, Ross Smith edged Gerwyn Price 6‑5, James Wade survived a nail‑biter against Rob Cross 6‑5, and Danny Noppert defeated Wessel Nijman 6‑4. Damon Heta, Luke Woodhouse, Stephen Bunting and other notable names also secured victories, rounding out a full day of high‑intensity darts.
In related news, the 32‑player field for the 2026 BOYLE Sports World Grand Prix in Leicester has been announced following the conclusion of the Belgian event. Defending champion Luke Littler will be among the competitors vying for a newly‑enhanced £150,000 top prize, with the tournament set to run from 28 September to 4 October. All sessions will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, and the draw is slated for 14 September.
The seeded players, drawn from the top 16 of the PDC rankings, 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 continues to be the primary broadcaster for darts in the UK, covering the World Grand Prix, the Grand Slam of Darts (14‑22 November) and the World Darts Championship (10 December‑3 January).
Fans can also stream live coverage and additional darts content through the NOW platform, which offers contract‑free viewing. This comprehensive coverage ensures that enthusiasts can follow every major event, from the early rounds of European Tour stops to the climactic moments of the world championships, keeping the sport in the public eye throughout the season.