HYLO® PDC Europe Next Gen 2026 begins – with accompanying live stream
The new season of the HYLO® PDC Europe Next Gen is beginning – and it is clear from the first throw how strongly rooted this series has now become on a European level. The 2026 tour has achieved new record numbers with 219 season pass holders. What began a few years ago as an ambitious project for young talent is now one of the most important talent factories in European darts.
The new season kicks off this weekend in Hildesheim – sending a strong message in the process: the opening weekend completely sold out in just 10.5 hours. 384 darts enthusiasts will compete for the first two tournament wins in Halle 39.
HYLO® SPORT is supporting Next Gen as an official partner once again in 2026 and will be broadcasting selected matches from the knockout stages live on hylo.sport.
Next Gen is booming – 219 season pass holders from four countries
Application numbers have exploded since the series was first launched. The figures speak for themselves:
- 87 season pass holders (2024)
- 141 season pass holders (2025)
- 219 season pass holders (2026)
The trend is clearly heading upwards. Next Gen has long since become a serious potential route into professional darts for many young talents and amateur players.
The average age of the season pass holders is 27, boosted by a strong youth contingent: 102 young adults, with the youngest player 15-year-old Adrian Eckert. At the same time, 61-year-old John van de Weerd showcases the breadth of interest in darts and how this is a sport that is open to all who want to further develop their skill, regardless of age.
The vast majority of the players are from Germany (202), alongside talents from Austria, Switzerland and Luxembourg.
Strong lineup for opening event in Hildesheim
The first tournament weekend on 31 January and 1 February will feature both established names and promising talents:
- Rowby-John Rodriguez
- Nico Kurz
- Daniel Klose
- Paul Krohne
- Dragutin Horvat
They will be joined by young players such as Mika Donnevert, Florian Preis and Finn Behrens, who will be seeking to take the next step in 2026.
Opportunity for talent – from Next Gen to the world stage
Next Gen provides talented players with genuine prospects:
- Qualifying for the PDC World Youth Championship
- Opportunity to compete in Q‑School, the Development Tour or the Super League
- And in the best case: a path to the major stage at Alexandra Palace
The series is therefore a key building block in the development of young European darts talent.
Starting spots still available for other events
Players without a season pass still have an opportunity to take part: the remaining starting spots at each tournament will be made available for open registration three weeks beforehand.
More information about the players and the registration process can be found here.
Full details of the 2026 season on our event page
The HYLO® PDC Europe Next Gen 2026 event page contains:
- A brief overview of the entire season
- All of the key dates and venues
- Explanations of the match modes and formats
- And above all: live streams of selected knockout matches for each tournament, directly on the page
- The live streams for the opening weekend will run at the following times:
Saturday: 4:30 p.m. – approx. 9:30 p.m.
Sunday: 2:30 p.m. – approx. 7:30 p.m.
Go to event page: HYLO® PDC Europe Next Gen 2026
An energetic start for Next Gen 2026
Record numbers, sold-out events and a strong field of competitors – the HYLO® PDC Europe Next Gen 2026 is ready for the first dart of the year. We are looking forward to supporting talented players this season and presenting the highlights of the tour live on hylo.sport.
Game on!