The 2027 Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) schedule is set to become even more crowded, with the debut of the European Open and the first-ever PDC European Tour stop in France taking centre stage. While these additions underline the sport’s rapid expansion across the continent, they also tighten the path for England’s rising star Luke Littler, whose ambition to claim every major televised title may now be even harder to achieve. The inaugural European Open is slated for Salzburg, Austria, from June 18 to June 20. This three‑day tournament will sit directly after the World Cup of Darts, which returns to Frankfurt for a June 10‑13 showdown, 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, raising the total number of PDC majors from eleven to twelve. For world number one Luke Littler, the new event represents a fresh hurdle in his quest to emulate Michael van Gerwen’s rare achievement of winning every premier televised PDC competition.
Littler’s campaign this season has already been turbulent; he recently opted out of several European circuit events and even threatened to boycott Dutch tournaments after being subjected to boos and whistles during the World Series of Darts Finals. The addition of another major means Littler will have yet another opportunity to fall short, or, conversely, to cement his status as the sport’s next dominant force.
The European circuit itself is also undergoing a substantial overhaul. The European Championship will expand to a 48‑player field and stretch over six days, with a £1 million prize fund on offer. Meanwhile, the European Tour will break new ground by travelling to France for the first time in its history. The town of Lievin will host the fourth leg of the fifteen‑event tour from March 19 to March 21, positioned just before the Easter holidays.
This French outing follows earlier stops in Kiel (Germany), Krakow (Poland) and Riesa (Germany), and will be complemented by a robust schedule that revisits established venues across Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Belgium, Switzerland, Hungary and the Netherlands throughout the year. PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter praised the developments, saying they reflect the sport’s “huge growth across Europe” and will generate more opportunities for players at every tier of the professional game.
He highlighted the increased prize money on the European Tour, the expanded European Championship, and the investment in the Challenge and Development Tours as evidence of the PDC’s commitment to nurturing talent and rewarding performance. The 2027 calendar kicks 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 then launches in Glasgow on February 4, beginning a 17‑night tour that will criss‑cross the UK and Europe before culminating in the Finals Night at London’s O2 Arena on May 27. The Players Championship circuit also gets underway in February, with a packed programme of 34 events spread across the UK and Europe. The European Tour will open in Kiel from February 12‑14, then head to France for its historic debut the following month.
After the World Cup and the new European Open in June, the World Matchplay returns to Blackpool’s Winter Gardens, concluding on July 25 alongside the Women’s World Matchplay. The tour resumes in July with an event in Leverkusen, Germany, before moving on to Bratislava (Slovakia), Ghent (Belgium), Basel (Switzerland), Budapest (Hungary) and Maastricht (Netherlands) during the latter half of the season. September sees the World Grand Prix back in Leicester (September 27‑October 3), while the expanded European Championship will be staged in Dortmund from October 26‑31.
November’s highlights include the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton (November 6‑14) and the Players Championship Finals in Minehead (November 26‑28). The year wraps up with the iconic World Darts Championship at London’s Alexandra Palace in December, a fitting finale to a densely packed schedule.
In addition to the main tour, the PDC’s Challenge and Development Tours will receive a revamp in 2027. Both circuits will now be contested over six three‑day weekends, with a tournament held 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 incentive for up‑and‑coming competitors.
Broadcast coverage remains anchored with Sky Sports, which will air the World Grand Prix (September 28‑October 4), the Grand Slam of Darts (November 14‑22) and the World Darts Championship (December 10‑January 3). Fans can also stream matches via the NOW platform without a contractual commitment. Overall, the 2027 PDC season promises a blend of tradition and innovation.
While the addition of the European Open and the French European Tour stop underscores the sport’s growing popularity, it also tightens the competitive landscape for players like Luke Littler, whose pursuit of a clean sweep of all major titles now faces an extra obstacle. Whether Littler can adapt to the expanded schedule and still achieve his historic goal remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the future of darts looks brighter, larger, and more competitive than ever before.