James Wade finally put an end to a ten‑year wait for a European Tour crown when he dispatched Ross Smith 8‑4 in the final of the Flanders Darts Trophy. The 43‑year‑old, whose last continental victory came at the 2016 European Darts Matchplay in Hamburg, produced a stellar performance in Antwerp on Sunday evening, averaging 95.50 and launching five perfect 180s during the match. Wade’s road to the title was nothing short of impressive. Earlier in the day he overcame Damon Heta 7‑4 in the semi‑final, after a dominant 6‑0 whitewash of Danny Noppert in the quarter‑finals and a nail‑biting 6‑5 win over Rob Cross in the last‑16 round.
"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 prize. "If it was good all the time, I’d smash them all to bits. We can’t always choose how we feel." The victory is especially meaningful because Wade first appeared in a European Tour final back in 2012, when the event was held in Austria.
This latest win marks his first European Tour title in a decade and his triumph in the 150th event of the series. Ross Smith, who had claimed the Hungarian Darts Trophy just two weeks earlier, also enjoyed a strong showing in Antwerp. He had battled through a series of tight matches, defeating Gian van Veen, Ryan Joyce and Gerwyn Price in last‑leg deciders before meeting Wade in the final. "I rode my luck today and the players have let me off, but Wade doesn’t let you off ever," Smith admitted.
"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. Below is a summary of the results from the Flanders Darts Trophy: 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 (selected matches) 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 In addition to the Flanders event, the 32‑player field for the 2026 BOYLE Sports World Grand Prix in Leicester has been announced.
The tournament, which will take place from 28 September to 4 October, offers a boosted top prize of £150,000 and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports throughout its seven‑day run. Defending champion Luke Littler is among the seeded players, alongside other top‑ranked PDC stars such as Luke Humphries, Gian van Veen, Gerwyn Price, Jonny Clayton, James Wade, Josh Rock, Danny Noppert, Michael van Gerwen, Gary Anderson, Stephen Bunting, Wessel Nijman, Ross Smith, Ryan Searle, Chris Dobey and Nathan Aspinall.
Qualifiers from the ProTour Rankings include 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 home for darts coverage, with the World Grand Prix, the Grand Slam of Darts (14‑22 November) and the World Darts Championship (10 December – 3 January) all set to be shown live.
Fans can also stream the action via NOW without a contract, ensuring that the sport’s biggest moments are accessible to a global audience. Wade’s breakthrough in Flanders not only ends a personal title drought but also underscores his enduring competitiveness on the European circuit.
After a decade without a Tour win, his ability to raise his average, hit multiple 180s and maintain composure in high‑pressure situations demonstrates why he remains a fan favourite. As the season progresses, observers will be keen to see whether Wade can convert this momentum into further titles, especially with the Swiss event looming and the World Grand Prix just around the corner.
The darts community will be watching closely, eager to see if the veteran can add more silverware to his impressive résumé.