The 2027 Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) schedule is set to become even more crowded and competitive, thanks to the launch of the European Open and the debut of a PDC European Tour stop in France. While these additions signal the sport’s expanding footprint across the continent, they also tighten the race for Luke Littler, who is still chasing a clean sweep of all the PDC’s premier televised titles—a distinction currently held only by Michael van Gerwen. The headline attraction for the upcoming season will be the inaugural European Open, slated for June 18‑20 in the Austrian city of Salzburg. This three‑day tournament will sit directly after the World Cup of Darts, which returns to Frankfurt from June 10‑13, and before the World Matchplay in Blackpool, scheduled for July 17‑25.
All PDC Tour Card holders will be eligible to compete, and the event will boast a £750,000 prize fund, raising the total number of PDC majors from eleven to twelve. For Littler, the new major adds another hurdle on his quest to claim every major title on the PDC calendar. He already holds the world number‑one ranking, but the extra tournament means one more final to win and one more opportunity for a rival to interrupt his progress.
The only other player to have achieved a full sweep of the majors is the Dutch legend Michael van Gerwen, making Littler’s ambition both historic and exceedingly difficult. Littler’s recent season has already been marked by controversy. He chose to sit out several European circuit events and even threatened to boycott Dutch tournaments after being booed and whistled at during the World Series of Darts Finals. The addition of the European Open comes at a time when his relationship with certain venues and fans is still delicate, and the pressure to perform will be intense.
The European circuit itself is undergoing a major overhaul. The European Championship will expand to a 48‑player field, stretch across six days, and offer a £1 million prize pool.
Meanwhile, the European Tour will travel to France for the first time in its history, with the town of Lievin hosting the fourth stop of a 15‑event season from March 19‑21, just before the Easter holidays. This French leg follows earlier stops in Kiel (Germany), Krakow (Poland), and Riesa (Germany), and the tour will continue to swing through established venues in Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Belgium, Switzerland, Hungary, and the Netherlands throughout the year.
PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter highlighted that these changes reflect the sport’s rapid growth across Europe. He said the new European Open, the enlarged European Championship, and the increased prize money on the Tour demonstrate the PDC’s commitment to creating more opportunities for players at every level.
Porter also announced greater investment in the Challenge and Development Tours, which will now feature six three‑day weekends with a daily tournament, and a raised prize fund of £30,000 per event, with payouts extending down to the last 128 competitors. The 2027 calendar will kick off with Qualifying Schools in Milton Keynes and Kalkar 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, beginning a 17‑night tour that will travel across the United Kingdom and Europe before culminating in Finals Night at London’s O2 Arena on May 27. February also marks the start of the Players Championship circuit, which will feature 34 events spread throughout the UK and Europe.
The European Tour will open in Kiel (February 12‑14) before breaking new ground in France the following month. After the World Cup and the newly minted European Open in June, the World Matchplay will return to Blackpool’s Winter Gardens for a nine‑day showdown that ends on July 25, alongside the inaugural Women’s World Matchplay.
The Tour will resume in July with an event in Leverkusen, Germany, and will continue with stops in Bratislava (Slovakia), Ghent (Belgium), Basel (Switzerland), Budapest (Hungary), and Maastricht (Netherlands) during the latter half of the season. The World Grand Prix will head to Leicester from September 27‑October 3, while the expanded European Championship will be staged in Dortmund from October 26‑31.
November’s marquee events include 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 World Darts Championship at London’s iconic Alexandra Palace, running from early December into early January. Broadcast coverage remains anchored with Sky Sports, which will air the World Grand Prix, the Grand Slam of Darts, and the World Darts Championship live.
Fans can also stream matches via NOW without a contract, ensuring broad accessibility for the sport’s growing audience. In summary, 2027 promises a bustling schedule, heightened prize money, and a broader geographic reach for professional darts. For Luke Littler, the expanded calendar means more chances to prove his mettle but also more obstacles on the path to joining Michael van Gerwen as the only player to have captured every major PDC title.
The added European Open, the French Tour stop, and the enlarged European Championship collectively underscore the PDC’s ambition to cement darts as a truly pan‑European sport while offering players at all tiers greater exposure and financial reward.