Ross Smith beats Martin Schindler 11-8 to win second European Championship as Littler falls

Ross Smith won the PDC European Championship for the second time on Sunday night, beating German number one Martin Schindler 11-8 in Dortmund in front of a home crowd that wanted the other result. The Kent player, who first won the title in 2022, took the £150,000 top prize from a total fund of £750,000. Earlier the same day, Krzysztof Ratajski knocked world champion Luke Littler out in the quarter-finals.

Smith survives a late Schindler surge

Smith was in control for most of the final at the Westfalenhallen. He edged the opening session, then won six legs in a row to lead 9-3. Dartsnews.com reported that he hit ten 180s in the match.

Schindler was playing in his first individual televised PDC major final and fought back. He won four legs in a row, including finishes of 116 and 127, to cut the gap to 9-7. Smith steadied himself and won the last two legs he needed to complete an 11-8 victory. Neither player was at his best on the averages: Smith finished on 92.92 and Schindler on 91.49.

Smith, 37, said the win was "absolutely amazing," KentOnline reported.

Littler's shock defeat to Ratajski

Littler was one of the favourites for the title but went out in the quarter-finals. Ratajski held off a fightback from the world champion to win 10-6. Flashscore reported that it was the Pole's first major semi-final since 2021.

Ratajski's run ended in the evening. Schindler led him 9-3 in the semi-finals and, although Ratajski won three legs in a row, the German held on to win 11-6. Schindler's best performance of the week came in the quarter-finals, when he beat Jonny Clayton 10-1 with an average above 103 and a 167 checkout.

In the other half of the draw, Smith beat Luke Woodhouse 10-6 in the quarter-finals with a 107 average and a 145 finish. He then came from 4-1 down against Gerwyn Price to win their semi-final 11-7. Price had beaten Stephen Bunting 10-3 in a high-scoring quarter-final in which both men averaged over 103.

A strong autumn for Smith

Dortmund continues a strong spell for Smith. In September he beat Price 11-5 to win the World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam, and Dartsnews.com counts Sunday's win as the third major title of his career. Before the tournament, KentOnline listed him at world number 14. Sky Sports reported that the title lifts him to sixth in the rankings. He is also only the fifth player to win the European Championship more than once.

He had a tough route to the title. He beat Karel Sedlacek 6-4 and Damon Heta 10-7 before the quarter-finals, while Schindler beat Wessel Nijman 6-5 and Jermaine Wattimena 10-4.

What comes next

The next big event is the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton from 14 to 22 November, followed by the PDC World Championship from 11 December to 3 January. Littler will still be the man to beat at both events, but his loss to Ratajski showed he can be beaten.

Key takeaways

• Ross Smith beat Martin Schindler 11-8 to win the 2026 European Championship and £150,000.
• It is Smith's second European Championship title after 2022, and Sky Sports says it lifts him to sixth in the world.
• Schindler reached his first individual televised PDC major final with a 10-1 win over Jonny Clayton and an 11-6 win over Krzysztof Ratajski.
• Ratajski beat Luke Littler 10-6 in the quarter-finals.
• The Grand Slam of Darts starts on 14 November.

FAQ

Who won the 2026 European Championship darts? Ross Smith won, beating Martin Schindler 11-8 in the final in Dortmund on Sunday 25 October.

How did Luke Littler go out? Krzysztof Ratajski beat Littler 10-6 in the quarter-finals. Ratajski then lost 11-6 to Schindler in the semi-finals.

What were the averages in the final? Smith averaged 92.92 and Schindler 91.49, according to Dartsnews.com. Smith hit ten 180s and Schindler hit five.

Sources: Sky Sports, Dartsnews.com, KentOnline, Flashscore