James Wade Ends 10-Year Wait for European Tour Title, Beats Ross Smith 8-4 in Flanders

James Wade beat Ross Smith8-4 in the final to win the 2026 Flanders Darts Trophy at the Antwerp Expo — his first European Tour title in a decade, sealed at the age of 43 with a 95.50 average and five maximums.

8–4

Final score

10 years

Since Wade’s last European Tour title

95.50

Wade’s average vs Smith’s 94.82

A Decade in the Making

Wade last won a European Tour event at the 2016 European Darts Matchplay in Hamburg. Ten years on, and two months short of his 44th birthday, he ended that wait in Antwerp — beating Smith 8-4 in the final with a 95.50 average and five 180s, edging out Smith’s own 94.82.

The win comes just weeks after Wade claimed his maiden PDC World Series of Darts title at the Australian Darts Masters in Wollongong, giving the 2008 UK Open champion two ranking titles inside a month after a lean few years by his own standards.

The Road to the Final

Wade’s run through the 48-player field included a tight 6-5 win over Rob Cross in the last 16, before he whitewashed Danny Noppert 6-0 in the quarter-finals. He then beat Australian No.1 Damon Heta 7-4 in the semi-finals to reach his first European Tour final since 2016.

Smith, chasing a third European Tour title of 2026 after already lifting the Hungarian Darts Trophyin August, could not find a way past Wade’s scoring and finishing in the final and had to settle for the runner-up spot.

Prize Money

The Flanders Darts Trophy carried a total prize fund of £230,000. Wade earned £35,000 as champion, with Smith taking home £15,000 as runner-up, and £10,000 going to each losing semi-finalist.

What’s Next

The European Tour season is now done for 2026, with attention turning to the World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam and the start of the World Grand Prix on 28 September.

Track how Wade, Smith and the rest of the tour stack up on the live PDC Order of Merit.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the final score of the 2026 Flanders Darts Trophy?

James Wade beat Ross Smith 8-4 in the final at the Antwerp Expo in Antwerp, Belgium, averaging 95.50 with five 180s to Smith’s 94.82.

How long had it been since James Wade’s last European Tour title?

It was Wade’s first European Tour title in a decade, since the 2016 European Darts Matchplay in Hamburg. He won it at the age of 43.

Who did Wade beat on the way to the final?

Wade beat Rob Cross 6-5 in the last 16, whitewashed Danny Noppert 6-0 in the quarter-finals, then beat Damon Heta 7-4 in the semi-finals to reach the final against Ross Smith.

How much prize money did Wade and Smith earn?

The Flanders Darts Trophy carried a total prize fund of £230,000. Wade earned £35,000 as champion, with Smith taking home £15,000 as runner-up.

Had Wade won a title recently before this?

Yes — Wade won the Australian Darts Masters in August 2026, his maiden PDC World Series of Darts title, meaning he has now added a European Tour title within weeks of that breakthrough.