Luke Humphries has withdrawn from the 2026 Machineseeker European Championship after being diagnosed with gastroenteritis, the PDC announced on 22 October. Kim Huybrechts replaces him and will play Ryan Searle in Dortmund on Thursday evening. The opening session starts at 6pm BST; their match is sixth on the published running order, not scheduled for a separate fixed time.
The announcement changes the draw on the opening day of the four-day tournament at the Westfalenhalle, running from 22 to 25 October. Humphries was last year’s runner-up. For spectators and viewers preparing for the first session, the immediate consequence is a replacement in his place in the bracket, with a different player now facing Searle.
The changed Dortmund fixture
| Item | Confirmed information |
|---|---|
| Replacement | Kim Huybrechts replaces Luke Humphries |
| Thursday 22 October | Huybrechts vs Ryan Searle; sixth match |
| UK session start | 6pm BST; no fixed start for this match |
| Next round if victorious | Noppert or Bunting; Saturday afternoon |
| UK live coverage | ITV4 |
Saturday afternoon starts at noon BST. Match order within that session was still to be confirmed in the PDC notice.
Why Huybrechts takes the vacant place
The PDC identifies Huybrechts as the highest-ranked player in the 2026 European Tour standings who had not already qualified. Under its replacement rule he takes Humphries’s place directly. This explains why the change brings in the Belgian rather than leaving Searle without an opponent.
The winner of Huybrechts–Searle will face either Danny Noppert or Stephen Bunting on Saturday 24 October. Both first-round matches are on Thursday’s programme. Those results will complete this part of the second-round draw; the withdrawal itself does not send any of these players through.
Thursday’s sixth match, not a fixed start time
Thursday’s session is listed for 7–11pm CEST in Dortmund, equivalent to 6–10pm BST in the UK. Five matches are listed before Huybrechts–Searle. The running order therefore tells viewers where the match sits, but does not justify assigning it an exact start time: the preceding matches must be played first.
This section of the second round is in Saturday’s afternoon session, beginning at noon BST, with the order of its four matches still to be confirmed in the PDC notice. A session start and an individual match start serve different purposes when planning viewing. Keep the former in the diary and follow the live programme for the latter.
Follow the revised bracket and the UK broadcast
UK viewers can watch the European Championship live on ITV4, according to the PDC’s tournament preview. Use the PDC withdrawal notice for the revised draw and running order, and the ITV4 programme for the broadcast. The ITV4 route here applies to the UK; this article does not establish US availability or subscription prices.
The practical change is now clear: Thursday’s match is Huybrechts against Searle, with a Saturday meeting against the Noppert–Bunting winner at stake. That revised bracket, rather than an earlier preview naming Humphries, is the basis for following this part of the tournament. The PDC statement confirms his absence from this event; it does not set a date for his return.
Based on the PDC withdrawal notice and tournament preview checked on 22 October 2026. Illness information is attributed to the PDC; UK viewing information is not extended to other territories.
- PDC: Humphries withdraws from Machineseeker European Championship (22 October 2026) ↗
- PDC: European Championship preview and broadcast information (21 October 2026) ↗