The 2027 Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) schedule is set to become even more crowded, with the debut of the European Open and the inaugural PDC European Tour stop in France taking centre stage. While these additions signal the sport’s continued expansion across the continent, they also raise the stakes for rising star Luke Littler, whose ambition to capture every major televised title could become more difficult to achieve. The calendar’s most notable new fixture is the European Open, slated for June 18‑20 in Salzburg, Austria. This three‑day tournament will sit directly after the World Cup of Darts, which returns to Frankfurt from June 10‑13, and before the traditional World Matchplay in Blackpool, scheduled for July 17‑25.
The European Open will be open to all PDC Tour Card holders and will boast a £750,000 prize pool, pushing the total number of PDC majors from eleven to twelve. For world number one Luke Littler, the extra major represents another hurdle on his quest to emulate Michael van Gerwen’s rare achievement of winning every premier televised PDC event. Littler has already shown a willingness to prioritize his schedule, opting out of several European circuit stops earlier in the season. His recent comments about possibly boycotting Dutch tournaments—following a hostile reception that included boos and whistles at the World Series of Darts Finals—have added a layer of intrigue to his upcoming campaign.
The European circuit itself is undergoing a substantial overhaul. The European Championship will expand to a 48‑player field, extend to six days of competition, and feature a £1 million prize fund. Meanwhile, the European Tour will make its historic debut in France, with the fourth event of a 15‑tournament series scheduled for March 19‑21 in the town of Lievin, just before the Easter weekend. This French stop follows earlier tour legs in Kiel (Germany), Krakow (Poland), and Riesa (Germany), and will be complemented by a return to established venues across Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Belgium, Switzerland, Hungary, and the Netherlands throughout the year.
PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter highlighted that these developments reflect the sport’s robust growth in Europe and underscore the organization’s commitment to creating more opportunities for players at every tier. "The continued growth of darts across Europe has been hugely exciting to see, and these developments represent another significant step forward for the PDC circuit," Porter said. He added that the expanded European Championship, larger prize pools on the Tour, and increased investment in the Challenge and Development Tours all demonstrate the PDC’s dedication to nurturing talent from the grassroots to the elite level. The 2027 season will kick off with Qualifying Schools in Milton Keynes (UK) and Kalkar (Germany) from January 4‑10, followed by the Winmau World Masters in Milton Keynes (January 27‑31).
The Premier League will then launch in Glasgow on February 4, embarking on a 17‑night tour that traverses the United Kingdom and Europe before culminating in Finals Night at London’s O2 Arena on May 27. February will also see the start of the Players Championship series, with 34 events slated across the UK and Europe.
The European Tour will open in Kiel from February 12‑14, before breaking new ground in France the following month. After the World Cup and European Open in June, the World Matchplay will return to Blackpool’s Winter Gardens, concluding on July 25 alongside the Women’s World Matchplay. The Tour will resume in July with an event in Leverkusen (Germany) and will continue through a string of stops in Bratislava (Slovakia), Ghent (Belgium), Basel (Switzerland), Budapest (Hungary) and Maastricht (Netherlands) during the second half of the season.
September 27‑October 3 will bring the World Grand Prix back to Leicester, while the expanded European Championship will take place in Dortmund from October 26‑31. November will feature the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton (November 6‑14) and the Players Championship Finals in Minehead (November 26‑28).
The year will close with the iconic World Darts Championship at London’s Alexandra Palace, running from early December into early January. In addition to the main tour, the PDC’s Challenge and Development Tours will receive a revamp.
Both circuits will operate over six three‑day weekends, with a tournament scheduled each day. Prize money for these events will rise to £30,000 per tournament, and payouts will extend down to the last 128 players, providing a broader financial safety net for emerging professionals. Broadcast coverage remains anchored with 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 to early January). Fans can also stream matches via the NOW platform without a contract, ensuring easy access to the sport’s expanding slate of events.
Overall, the 2027 PDC calendar promises a dynamic mix of new venues, larger prize funds, and additional majors, all of which will test the depth and resilience of the player pool. For Luke Littler, the added European Open and the French Tour stop could mean a longer, more arduous path to a clean sweep of PDC titles, but they also offer more opportunities to showcase his talent on the world stage.