At the German Darts Championship 2025 from October 17th-19th, the candidates in the European Tour rankings will be looking to collect important prize money once again in order to take part in the final tournament.
What is the German Darts Championship?
The German Darts Championship is a tournament of the PDC European Darts Tour. It is the 14th and final event on this year's calendar and has been part of the tour since 2012.
What is the European Tour?
The European Tour is a series of tournaments that is part of the PDC Pro Tour.
A total of 14 tournaments will be held in this series this year - one more than last year.
The European Darts Championship, the European Darts Championship, is the final tournament at the end of the series. Other events on the Pro Tour are the Players Championship events.
What format is played?
The 48 participating players play the tournament over six rounds. The first four rounds - up to and including the quarter-finals - are played in best of 11 legs. Two more legs are added in the semi-finals before a best of 15 legs is played in the final. The classic double-out mode is used here.
Who takes part?
The same qualification rules apply to all European Tour events. The top 16 players in the World Rankings qualify automatically, as do the 16 best players in the Pro Tour Rankings who have not yet qualified. A fixed cut-off date is relevant here, not the status at the start of the tournament. In addition, there are ten Tour Card Holders who can qualify via the "Tour Card Holder Qualifier".
One player each will be added from the "Nordic & Baltic Qualifier" and the "East Europe Qualifier". Four more players can play their way into the tournament via the "Host Nation Qualifier".
As second in the Pro Tour Rankings, Martin Schindler not only qualifies for the tournament without any problems, but is also the first player to move up to a seeded place in the 2nd round. Ricardo Pietreczko is also in the tournament via the same ranking, albeit unseeded.
Maximilian Czerwinski, another Tour Card holder, has qualified from the Host Nation Qualifier. Martin Kramer, Felix Springer - brother of Budapest winner Niko - and Kevin Troppmann have also qualified. Gabriel Clemens joined the field of participants after cancelling at short notice.
Qualifiers via the World Rankings
Qualifiers via the Pro Tour Rankings
Martin Schindler - Seeded into the 2nd round
Gian van Veen - Seeded into the 2nd round
Ryan Searle - Seeded into the 2nd round
Mike De Decker - Seeded into the 2nd round
Tour Card Holder Qualifier
Host Nation Qualifier
Nordic & Baltic Qualifier
East Europe Qualifier
Substitute
Krzysztof Ratajski - replacement for Luke Littler
Gabriel Clemens - replacement for Luke Humphries
Ricky Evans - replacement for Michael van Gerwen
Jeffrey de Graaf - replacement for Gary Anderson
Keane Barry - replacement for Callan Rydz
Who are the favourites?
Without Littler and Humphries, the tournament seems to be wide open.
After a strong season, Price could play for another title, and Stephen Bunting is also among the favourites after a good 2025 and the title in Basel three weeks ago.
How does the seeding list work?
While the Pro Tour rankings were still important for the seeding list last year, the World Rankings will be relevant from the 2025 season onwards.
The Top 16 are seeded in Round 2 according to their ranking. Pro Tour qualifiers are also separated from the rest in Round 1. Each player is drawn to a Tour Card Holder Qualifier, Host Nation Qualifier, Nordic & Baltic Qualifier or East Europe Qualifier.
When will the games be played?
Friday, 17 October: 1st round - afternoon: from 13:00, evening: from 19:00
Saturday, 18 October: 2nd round - afternoon: from 13:00, evening: from 19:00
Sunday, 19 October: Round of 16 to final - afternoon: from 13:00, evening: from 19:00
Who will the Germans play?
1st round - 17 October
14:30: Wessel Nijman vs. Martin Kramer
16:00: Krzysztof Ratajski vs. Felix Springer
20:00: Ricardo Pietreczko vs. Radek Szaganski
21:00: Raymond van Barneveld vs. Kevin Troppmann
22:00: Gabriel Clemens vs. Tomislav Rosandic
22:30: Nathan Aspinall vs. Maximilian Czerwinski
2nd round - 18 October
21:30: Martin Schindler vs. Gilding/O'Connor
What do the players earn?
Winner: £30,000
Final: £12,000
Semi-final: £8,500
Quarter-final: £6,000
Round of 16: £4,000
1/16 final: £2,500
1st round: £1,250
Who has won the tournament in the past?
Michael van Gerwen and Phil Taylor have each won the German Darts Championship three times, making them joint record winners of the tournament.
Peter Wright, who won in 2024 and is therefore travelling to Hildesheim as the defending champion, could equal his record with another title.
Ricardo Pietreczko once won his only title to date here in 2023.
Where does the tournament take place?
The tournament has been held in Halle39 in Hildesheim since 2013. The former hangar, which is now used as a multi-purpose hall, is the darts home of Germany.
In addition to the German Darts Championship, it regularly hosts tournaments of the Players Championship, Development Tour, Challenge Tour and PDC Europe Next Gen.
Away from sport, the former home of the Eintracht Hildesheim handball team is also used for comedy events, among other things.