James Wade vs Damon Heta

Number 16 seed James Wade plays Damon Heta, the number 17 seed, in the first round of the European Championship 2026 on Thursday 22 October at Westfalenhallen, Dortmund. It is live in the UK on ITV4 from 6pm.

Thursday 22 October
DateThursday 22 October 2026
Start timeSession starts 6pm UK time. Match 5 of 8, so around the middle of the night.
TV channelITV4, free to air. Stream free on ITVX
VenueWestfalenhallen, Dortmund
RoundFirst round
FormatBest of 11 legs, first to 6
Prize money£7,500 for the loser, the winner is guaranteed £20,000

Prediction: who is favourite?

60%James Wade 40%Damon Heta

James Wade is the favourite, 60% to win the match. A clear edge, but far from a certainty over 11 legs. Percentages are averaged across 3 bookmakers with their margins taken out, for information only.

Our ratings say

75%James Wade 25%Damon Heta

Our estimate from our ratings and each player's recent televised averages. Not a tip, and not advice.

Previous televised meetings

James Wade 3, Damon Heta 0 in 3 televised meetings.

YearEventScoreAverages
2026World Series of Darts Finals6-5 92.5 / 88.4
2021World Grand Prix2-1 87.1 / 89.5
2020Grand Slam of Darts16-13 101.7 / 98.3

Chances of winning the title

James Wade 4%, Damon Heta under 1%. See every player on the European Championship 2026 page.

Is there a free live stream of James Wade vs Damon Heta?

Yes, in the UK it is free. Every session is live on ITV4, which is free to air, and you can stream it free on ITVX on a phone, laptop, games console or smart TV. You only need a free ITVX account, plus a TV licence to watch live.

Watching outside the UK

It starts at Thu 22 Oct, 6pm UK time. That is:

WhereStartsChannel
Ireland 6pm Not confirmed yet
Netherlands 7pm Not confirmed yet
Belgium 7pm Not confirmed yet
Germany 7pm Not confirmed yet
Austria 7pm Not confirmed yet
Australia (Sydney) 4am Fri 23 Oct Not confirmed yet
USA (New York) 1pm Not confirmed yet

Likely means the channel that usually shows PDC darts there. Rights differ by event and change between seasons, so check your local listings too.

Who does the winner play next?

The winner plays the winner of Ross Smith vs Karel Sedlacek in the second round (Sat 24 Oct, 12pm and 6pm), over best of 19 legs. The full bracket shows how it fits together.

The players

James Wade

Number 16 seed here.

World number 6, England.

£686,250 in ranking prize money over two years.

Major titles: UK Open (2021); European Championship (2018).

Damon Heta

Number 17 seed here.

World number 21, Australia.

£418,250 in ranking prize money over two years.

Other matches on Thursday 22 October

In order of play, from 6pm.

Also here: the full European Championship 2026 bracket, the European Championship guide, and the darts schedule.

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