Luke Humphries withdraws from European Championship Darts in Dortmund due to gastroenteritis | Darts News | Sky Sports
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Luke Humphries finished as runner-up in last year’s European Championship; world No 2 will miss this year’s event in Dortmund due to illness, with Kim Huybrechts taking his place in field as highest-ranked non-qualified player; Tournament runs from Thursday October 22-Sunday October 25
Thursday 22 October 2026 11:38, UK
Luke Humphries won the World Grand Prix Darts earlier in October
Luke Humphries has withdrawn from the 2026 European Championship after being diagnosed with gastroenteritis.
The world No 2 was set to make his sixth appearance in Dortmund, having finished as runner-up last year.
Under PDC rules, Humphries will be directly replaced in the field by Kim Huybrechts, the highest-ranked non-qualified player in the 2026 European Tour rankings.
Belgium’s Huybrechts will now take on Ryan Searle on Thursday evening, with the winner set to face Danny Noppert or Stephen Bunting on Saturday.
World No 1 Luke Littler will face William O’Connor in his European Championship opener, while Gian van Veen will start his title defence against Andrew Gilding.
After first round contests on Thursday and Friday, Saturday’s action will see eight round-two ties played across the afternoon and evening sessions, before the quarter-finals take place on Sunday afternoon ahead of the semi-finals and final on Sunday evening.
The action gets under way at Dortmund’s Westfalenhallen on Thursday, with a top prize of £150,000 up for grabs on Sunday October 25.
2026 Machineseeker European Championship
Thursday October 22 (6pm)
Round One x8
Luke Woodhouse vs Dirk van Duijvenbode
Danny Noppert vs Stephen Bunting
Niels Zonneveld vs Cameron Menzies
Gerwyn Price vs Rob Cross
James Wade vs Damon Heta
Kim Huybrechts vs Ryan Searle
Gian van Veen vs Andrew Gilding
Ross Smith vs Karel Sedlacek
Friday October 23 (6pm)
Round One x8
Ryan Joyce vs Jermaine Wattimena
Krzysztof Ratajski vs Dave Chisnall
Nathan Aspinall vs Cristo Reyes
Jonny Clayton vs Niko Springer
Luke Littler vs William O’Connor
Wessel Nijman vs Martin Schindler
Kevin Doets vs Michael van Gerwen
Josh Rock vs Chris Dobey
Saturday October 24
Afternoon Session (12pm)
Round Two x4 – order of games TBC
Smith/Sedlacek vs Wade/Heta
Van Veen/Gilding vs Woodhouse/Van Duijvenbode
Zonneveld/Menzies vs Price/Cross
Noppert/Bunting vs Huybrechts/Searle
Evening Session (6pm)
Round Two x4 – order of games TBC
Nijman/Schindler vs Joyce/Wattimena
Clayton/Springer vs Rock/Dobey
Ratajski/Chisnall vs Doets/Van Gerwen
Aspinall/Reyes vs Littler/O’Connor
Sunday October 25 – PLEASE NOTE CLOCKS GO BACK OVERNIGHT
Afternoon Session (12pm)
Quarter-Finals
Evening Session (6pm)
Semi-Finals
Final
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