Littler Faces New Challenge as PDC Announces Additional Major and France Hosts First European Tour Event

The 2027 Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) schedule is set to become even more crowded, highlighted by the debut of the European Open and the inaugural PDC European Tour stop in France. While these additions underline the sport’s rapid expansion across the continent, they also raise the stakes for rising star Luke Littler, whose ambition to capture every major televised title may now be more difficult to achieve. The calendar’s most notable new fixture is the European Open, slated for June 18‑20 in Salzburg.

This three‑day tournament will sit between the World Cup of Darts, which returns to Frankfurt from June 10‑13, and the World Matchplay in Blackpool, scheduled for July 17‑25. All PDC Tour Card holders will compete for a hefty £750,000 prize pool, pushing the total number of PDC majors from eleven to twelve.

For world number one Luke Littler, the extra major adds another hurdle on his quest for a clean sweep of the PDC’s premier televised events – a distinction currently held only by Michael van Gerwen. Littler’s path has already been complicated by his decision to sit out several European circuit stops, and by a recent controversy in which he threatened to boycott Dutch tournaments after being booed and whistled at the World Series of Darts Finals. The European Open therefore represents both a fresh opportunity and a fresh obstacle for the young Englishman.

The European circuit itself is also undergoing a substantial overhaul. The European Championship will expand to accommodate 48 players, stretch across six days, and carry a £1 million prize fund. Meanwhile, the European Tour will break new ground by traveling to France for the first time in March 2027.

The French leg will be held in Lievin from March 19‑21, positioned just before the Easter holiday weekend. This event will be the fourth of fifteen European Tour stops that season, following earlier tournaments in Kiel, Krakow, and Riesa, and will be followed by further stops in Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Belgium, Switzerland, Hungary, and the Netherlands. PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter praised the growth, saying the expanded schedule reflects darts’ rising popularity across Europe and offers more chances for players at every level.

He highlighted the increased prize money, the broadened European Championship, and the investment in the Challenge and Development Tours as evidence of the organization’s commitment to nurturing talent from the grassroots up. The 2027 season will kick off with Qualifying Schools in Milton Keynes and Kalkar from January 4‑10, giving aspiring professionals a pathway onto the Tour. The Winmau World Masters will follow in Milton Keynes (January 27‑31), and the Premier League will launch in Glasgow on February 4, beginning a 17‑night tour that will travel across the UK and Europe before culminating in a Finals Night at London’s O2 Arena on May 27. The Players Championship series will also start in February, featuring 34 events spread throughout the UK and Europe.

The European Tour will get underway in Kiel (February 12‑14) before heading to France the following month, marking a historic first for the sport in the country. After the World Cup and the new European Open in June, the World Matchplay will return to Blackpool’s Winter Gardens for its traditional nine‑day run, concluding on July 25 alongside the Women’s World Matchplay. The Tour will then resume in Leverkusen in July, with additional stops in Bratislava, Ghent, Basel, Budapest, and Maastricht during the latter half of the year. September 27‑October 3 will see the World Grand Prix back in Leicester, while the expanded European Championship will take place in Dortmund from October 26‑31.

The Grand Slam of Darts will move to Wolverhampton (November 6‑14), and the Players Championship Finals will head to Minehead (November 26‑28). The season will close with the World Darts Championship at London’s Alexandra Palace in December, a marquee event that traditionally runs into early January. Further adjustments are planned for the Challenge and Development Tours.

Both circuits will feature six three‑day weekends, with a tournament held each day. Prize money for each event will rise to £30,000, and payouts will extend down to the players ranked in the last 128, providing greater financial support for emerging talent. Broadcast coverage will remain anchored on Sky Sports, which will air the World Grand Prix (late September to early October), the Grand Slam of Darts (mid‑November), and the World Darts Championship (December 10‑January 3).

Fans can also stream matches via the NOW platform without a contract, ensuring broad accessibility. In summary, 2027 promises a bustling and financially richer calendar for professional darts, with new venues, expanded tournaments, and higher stakes across the board.

While the growth offers more opportunities for players at every tier, it also means that Luke Littler’s ambition to win every major will now require navigating an even more demanding schedule. The added European Open, the French Tour stop, and the enlarged European Championship collectively raise the bar for all competitors, setting the stage for an exciting and highly competitive year ahead.