Smith Halts Schindler to Reclaim European Title
Ross Smith has been crowned European champion for a second time, silencing a passionate home crowd in Dortmund with an 11-8 victory over Germany’s Martin Schindler in Sunday’s final. Four years after claiming his maiden major title in the very same Westfalenhalle, the Englishman returned to the pinnacle of European darts to deny Schindler a historic first individual televised major title on home soil. The victory capped a superb tournament for Smith, who entered the event as the number one seed after a stellar European Tour season.
The final appeared to be a procession for the Englishman as he surged into a commanding 9-3 lead. The Dover native was in complete control and looked to be cruising towards the trophy. However, Schindler, roared on by thousands of his compatriots, mounted a remarkable comeback that transformed the contest. Spectacular finishes of 116 and 127 ignited the arena as he reeled off four consecutive legs to close the gap to 9-7, shifting the momentum and placing immense pressure on the leader.
As the tension mounted, it was Smith who demonstrated his champion’s resolve. He weathered the storm, stopped Schindler’s charge, and navigated a nervous final few legs to seal the 11-8 victory. This triumph secures his third career major title and adds another significant trophy to the World Series of Darts Finals he won in Amsterdam in September. The win also earned him the top prize of £150,000 from the tournament’s £750,000 prize fund.
Afternoon Shocks as Littler Exits
The final day’s drama began long before the final, with a major upset in the afternoon’s quarter-final session. World champion Luke Littler, who was on a quest to capture the one remaining PDC major title that has so far eluded him, saw his campaign brought to an abrupt end by Poland’s Krzysztof Ratajski.
The 19-year-old had been one of the leading contenders for the title, but he had no answer to a clinical display from ‘The Polish Eagle’. Despite Littler taking the opening leg of the match, it was Ratajski who seized control and never relinquished it, running out a comfortable 10-6 winner. The result ensures that Littler’s wait to complete his personal grand slam of televised majors will continue into another season.
Paths to the Dortmund Final
Following the quarter-finals, the evening session saw the four remaining hopefuls compete for a place in the title decider. Top seed Ross Smith booked his place by defeating the in-form Gerwyn Price in their semi-final encounter. Smith’s victory maintained the form that saw him top the European Tour Order of Merit rankings ahead of the championship which began with a first-round win against Karel Sedlacek.
In the second semi-final, Martin Schindler carried the hopes of the host nation into his match against Krzysztof Ratajski. Buoyed by the home support, Schindler overcame the man who had knocked out Littler, ensuring a German finalist and setting the stage for the dramatic final against Smith.
The 19th edition of the European Championship was the culmination of the 2026 PDC European Tour, featuring the top 32 players from 15 events held across the continent. This year’s field saw Gian van Veen fail to defend the title he won in 2025, and included debutants such as Kevin Doets and Niels Zonneveld. One of the tournament’s biggest stories was the early exit of Michael van Gerwen, whose defeat to Doets saw him fall out of the world’s top 10 for the first time in 14 years. For Smith, however, the week in Dortmund was a story of converting season-long consistency into major silverware, a performance that justified his high ranking with many of the best betting apps available.
