How to Watch the Hungarian Darts Trophy 2025: Field, Schedule, Draw, and Predictions
The Hungarian Darts Trophy 2025, the 12th event of the PDC European Tour, is set to take place from September 19-21, 2025, at the MVM Dome in Budapest, Hungary. This £175,000 tournament features a field of 48 players battling for the £30,000 first prize, with Michael van Gerwen aiming to defend his 2024 title. Below is a complete guide on how to watch the event live and on TV in the UK, USA, and Australia, along with details on the field, schedule, draw, and expert predictions.
Tournament Overview
The Hungarian Darts Trophy is one of 14 PDC European Tour events in 2025, attracting top PDC professionals. The format includes first-round matches on Friday (16 games among non-seeded players), second round and last 16 on Saturday, and quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final on Sunday. The top 16 on the two-year PDC Order of Merit are seeded into the second round, while the remaining 32 players (from the one-year Pro Tour Order of Merit and Tour Card holders) compete in the first round. Reigning champion van Gerwen enters as the top seed, joined by the likes of Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, and Gerwyn Price.
Field of Players
The field comprises 48 players: 16 seeds (top 16 from the two-year PDC Order of Merit) who receive byes into the second round, and 32 qualifiers from the one-year Pro Tour Order of Merit and Tour Card holders. The seeds are:
1. Michael van Gerwen (Netherlands, defending champion)
2. Luke Littler (England)
3. Luke Humphries (England)
4. Gerwyn Price (Wales)
5. Michael Smith (England)
6. Rob Cross (England)
7. Nathan Aspinall (England)
8. Jonny Clayton (Wales)
9. Stephen Bunting (England)
10. Martin Schindler (Germany)
11. Josh Rock (Northern Ireland)
12. Joe Cullen (England)
13. Ross Smith (England)
14. Ryan Searle (England)
15. Gian van Veen (Netherlands)
16. Damon Heta (Australia)
The first-round qualifiers include a mix of Pro Tour standouts and Tour Card holders, such as Brendan Dolan (Ireland), Florian Hempel (Germany), and local Hungarian hopefuls like Gyorgy Jehirszki. The full 32 non-seeded players will be drawn against each other in the first round, with winners advancing to face the seeds. The draw was conducted on September 18, 2025, and is available on PDC.tv.
Schedule
The tournament runs over three days with two sessions each, all in BST (adjust for local time zones: BST is 8 hours ahead of PDT in the USA, 9 hours behind AEST in Australia).
– Friday, September 19 (First Round):
– Afternoon session: 12:00 PM BST (4:00 AM PDT, 11:00 PM AEST September 18)
– Evening session: 7:00 PM BST (11:00 AM PDT, 6:00 AM AEST September 20)
– Saturday, September 20 (Second Round/Last 16):
– Afternoon session: 12:00 PM BST (4:00 AM PDT, 11:00 PM AEST September 19)
– Evening session: 7:00 PM BST (11:00 AM PDT, 6:00 AM AEST September 21)
– Sunday, September 21 (Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Final):
– Afternoon session: 1:00 PM BST (5:00 AM PDT, 12:00 AM AEST September 22)
– Evening session: 7:00 PM BST (11:00 AM PDT, 6:00 AM AEST September 22)
All sessions are expected to last 3-4 hours, with the final potentially extending into a best-of-13 legs format.
Draw
The first-round draw (among the 32 non-seeds) was conducted on September 18, 2025, at PDC headquarters. The second-round pairings will be determined after the first round, with seeds drawn against winners. As of September 16, 2025, the full detailed draw is not yet finalized, but key potential matchups include:
– Top seed van Gerwen could face first-round winners like Florian Hempel or Callan Rydz.
– Littler (seed 2) vs. possible opponents including Brendan Dolan or Martin Lukeman.
– Humphries (seed 3) vs. qualifiers such as Joe Cullen or Ross Smith.
The complete draw and updates are available on PDC.tv and the official PDC app. Live streaming platforms will display the bracket in real-time.
Predictions
Expert predictions favor the top seeds, with Littler and van Gerwen tipped as frontrunners. PDC statistician and commentator Russ Bray predicts: “Luke Littler is the standout favorite. His form is unstoppable—he’ll average 100+ and win the title.” For van Gerwen, defending champion and local hero (despite Hungary’s host status), analysts like Wayne Mardle note his resurgence: “MVG’s hungry after a tough year; expect him in the final.” Josh Rock, fresh off a strong World Series showing, is a dark horse: “Rock’s consistency could see him upset a seed and reach quarters.”
Overall consensus from DartsNews.com and Sporting News: Littler to win, with Humphries and Price in semis. Prize money breakdown: Winner £30,000, runner-up £12,000, semi-finalists £7,000 each.
How to Watch in the UK
– TV Broadcast: Sky Sports Action will provide live coverage of all sessions. Afternoon sessions start at 12:00 PM BST, evenings at 7:00 PM BST. Sky Sports Darts offers highlights.
– Live Streaming: PDCTV (£4.99/month or £49.99/year) streams every session in HD, plus other PDC events. Sky Go for subscribers. Bookmakers like Bet365 offer free streams for funded accounts.
– Free Options: No free live streams; NOW TV Sports Pass (£14.99/day) accesses Sky Sports.
How to Watch in the USA
– TV Broadcast: No linear TV coverage; DAZN may air select sessions.
– Live Streaming: PDCTV ($7.99/month or $59.99/year) for full coverage. DAZN ($19.99/month) for some European Tour events—confirm availability. Bookmakers like BetMGM provide streams.
– Free Options: None; VPN for UK access.
How to Watch in Australia
-TV Broadcast: Fox Sports on Foxtel airs all sessions live (afternoons 9:00 PM AEST, evenings 4:00 AM AEST next day).
– Live Streaming: Kayo Sports (AU$25/month, 7-day free trial) for HD coverage. PDCTV (AU$12/month). Bookmakers like Sportsbet for streams.
– Free Options: None; VPN for international platforms.
Additional Viewing Tips
– Global Access: Viaplay (Netherlands/Scandinavia), DAZN (Germany/Austria/Switzerland via Pluto TV), Sky (New Zealand). PDCTV for worldwide.
– VPN: Use ExpressVPN or NordVPN to unblock geo-restricted services.
– Live Updates: PDC.tv for scores, draw, and stats. Follow @OfficialPDC on X for real-time highlights.
– Tickets: Available on PDC.tv; sessions from €25.
The Hungarian Darts Trophy promises high-stakes action in Budapest’s MVM Dome. Whether streaming on PDCTV or watching on Sky Sports/Fox, fans won’t miss Littler, van Gerwen, and the rest battling for glory.
