World number two Luke Humphries has withdrawn from the European Championship in Germany after contracting gastroenteritis, hours before his opening match in Dortmund. The Professional Darts Corporation announced that Kim Huybrechts will replace him in the £150,000 tournament, stepping in to face Ryan Searle on Thursday night.
The sudden illness halts Humphries on the eve of the season-ending European Tour event at Dortmund’s Westfalenhallen. World number two Humphries arrived in Germany. He carried strong momentum after winning the World Grand Prix in Leicester and reaching the final of the Swiss Darts Trophy against Jonny Clayton.
Last year, Humphries finished as runner-up in Dortmund and entered the 2026 draw as the 12th seed. His lower seeding position stemmed from entering just five of the 15 European Tour events during the season, according to Sportbible. Instead of making his sixth appearance in the tournament, the player known as ‘Cool Hand’ spent Thursday morning sidelined with stomach flu.
Kim Huybrechts Steps In Under PDC Rules
Tournament regulations dictate how replacements enter the field once the schedule is public. Because Humphries withdrew after the draw was set rather than waiting for his first match to begin, the tournament avoided a walkover for his scheduled opponent.
🚨 𝗟𝗨𝗞𝗘 𝗛𝗨𝗠𝗣𝗛𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗪𝗦 ❌🎯Luke Humphries has withdrawn from the 2026 European Championship due to illness and will be replaced by Kim Huybrechts! Wishing @lukeh180 a speedy recovery 🙏 pic.twitter.com/1yyMFlxgGk
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.
Professional Darts Corporation, via BBC, Sky Sports, and Sportbible
The change brings Belgium’s Huybrechts into the opening night’s action. Known on the circuit as ‘The Hurricane’, Huybrechts has revived his form this season with guidance from Erik Clarys. He now steps straight into Thursday’s lineup to face Ryan Searle. The winner of that match advances to play either Danny Noppert or Stephen Bunting on Saturday.
Luke Littler Targets Major Title in Dortmund
Humphries’ absence alters the competitive field in Dortmund, particularly for world number one and PDC world champion Luke Littler. Seeded 11th, Littler targets the one major PDC title still missing from his resume. His bid for a clean sweep of televised majors earlier this year ended against Jonny Clayton at the World Series Finals.
Littler begins his campaign on Friday against William O’Connor. Other marquee opening matchups feature defending champion Gian van Veen taking on Andrew Gilding, and Gerwyn Price facing Rob Cross.
| Tournament Stage | Key Matchups and Details |
|---|---|
| Opening Matches (Thursday) | Kim Huybrechts vs. Ryan Searle; Danny Noppert vs. Stephen Bunting; Gerwyn Price vs. Rob Cross |
| Opening Matches (Friday) | Luke Littler vs. William O’Connor; Gian van Veen vs. Andrew Gilding |
| Prize and Finals | Top prize of £150,000; concluding with quarterfinals, semifinals, and final on Sunday, October 25 |
The action at Westfalenhallen runs through the weekend.
Sunday evening sees the champion claim the £150,000 top prize.
Luke Humphries has withdrawn from the 2026 European Championship ❌Get well soon, Luke! https://t.co/e39xyMdMQQ
Under PDC rules, Humphries will be directly replaced by the next player along on the European Tour Order of Merit. Sky Sports News reports that Humphries was set to make his sixth appearance at the tournament in Dortmund.
𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗽𝗵𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗢𝗨𝗧Luke Humphries has been ruled out of the European Championship after suffering from gastroenteritis. Cool Hand will not get the chance to achieve back-to-back major success. Kim Huybrechts comes in to face Ryan Searle tonight. Get well soon Luke.… pic.twitter.com/Z2dZmFpWhG
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