One of the standout moments of Niko Springer’s darts year is just around the corner. At the European Championship 2026 in Dortmund, the 26-year-old will once again take on the PDC elite in front of his home crowd. But with the prestigious home event approaching, health concerns have disrupted his preparations. During a media session organised by PDC Europe, which Dartsnews.de also attended, Springer revealed that he is not yet fully fit.

“I’m feeling a little under the weather at the moment. I caught it from my brother before Maastricht, so I’m not 100 per cent fit. But I still have a little time before Friday, and I’m confident I’ll be fine. I’m definitely looking forward to it,” the German said in a press conference including DartsNews. There is not much time to recover, though: in Friday’s evening session, a major test against Jonny Clayton awaits the “Meenzer Bub”.

A morning surprise: Springer had expected a different opponent

Springer had not expected to face the Welshman in his opening match. The qualification rankings remained extremely tight until the European Tour event in Maastricht had concluded. The German was therefore keeping a close eye on the possible match-ups.

Despite his health concerns, Niko Springer is eagerly anticipating the European Darts Championship in Dortmund, where Jonny Clayton awaits him in the opening round.

“I checked the rankings now and then on the Sunday and had about three or four names in mind who could have been my opponent: Woodhouse, Noppert and van Veen. Clayton hadn’t even crossed my mind, and I went to bed thinking I’d play van Veen,” Springer said.

The surprise came the next morning. “Then I woke up and saw that Zonneveld had won the tournament and things had shifted again. That was a bit of a surprise.”

In the end, it was Clayton—a player Springer has a great deal of respect for. “It is what it is. Jonny Clayton is a very difficult opponent. I’ve played him a few times at exhibitions, and it was never easy.”

The roles appear clear ahead of their first-round clash. But being the underdog could work in Springer’s favour.

“Basically, I have nothing to lose” – Springer embraces the underdog role

Asked whether he could play with greater freedom against a favourite such as Clayton, or whether he was determined to win in front of his home crowd, Springer answered calmly.

“Basically, I’d say I have nothing to lose. But it’s worth remembering that with only 32 players qualifying, it almost doesn’t matter who you draw. The standard is extremely high.”

The German also made clear that he has no intention of shrinking on the big stage. “I’m just looking forward to playing in front of my home crowd again, and I’ll enjoy it. My parents are coming along too, for example, just like last year. Of course, I’d love to win, but I’m sure everyone else wants that too.”

Springer is excited, but his expectations remain realistic. With only 32 players in the field, he knows there are few easy opening-round opponents. At the same time, his clash with Clayton gives him the chance to spring a surprise in front of his own fans.

Progress and lower numbers: Springer’s mixed assessment of the season

Looking back at his performances so far in 2026, Springer offers a mixed assessment. On the one hand, he has achieved ProTour results that were much rarer last year. On the other, he still believes there is room to improve his level of play.

“I have mixed feelings, to be honest. If I look just at my results and what I’ve achieved compared with last year, especially on the ProTour, my main goal was to improve a little,” Springer said.

“Looking at it now, I’ve reached a semi-final and a quarter-final. Last year, I often won only my first match before going out. In that respect, I can see progress.”

He also views his regular appearances at the major events as a positive. “So far, I’ve been at all the majors, which is very important to me too.”

Springer is not entirely satisfied, however. While some of his results point in the right direction, the statistics tell a different story.

“Sure, if you focus on the stats, they are actually lower than last year. But the crucial part of the season is only just beginning, and I’m looking forward to what’s still to come. I’m feeling positive and have a good feeling about it.”

This confidence is particularly noteworthy with Dortmund in mind. After all, one area that often proves decisive in close matches is not currently among Springer’s greatest strengths.

Doubles trouble before Dortmund: “I try not to let it get to me”

A look at the past three months shows where Springer has left the most room for improvement. With a doubles checkout rate of just 35.28 per cent, the German ranks only 192nd in the relevant statistical comparison. That figure raises questions, especially ahead of a clash with an experienced player such as Clayton.

Springer, however, sees his struggles on the outer ring not as a lasting problem, but rather as a matter of form that comes and goes.

“It’s actually not that simple, because I think it can happen in spells. I’m not 100 per cent sure now, but I think my average doubles checkout rate last year was around 40 per cent. I’d say that’s pretty decent,” he explained.

It is particularly frustrating when missed doubles come at crucial moments. But with such a packed tournament calendar, finding the time to work intensively on this weakness is easier said than done.

“There’s not really time to practise it properly. Of course, you can work it into your practice to some extent. But I think if I focused on it completely now and concentrated only on doubles, that wouldn’t necessarily mean it would work.”

In fact, Springer fears that focusing too much on doubles could create further uncertainty if the desired progress does not materialise on stage.

The German is therefore relying above all on confidence in his own ability: “I try not to let it get to me or dwell on it too much. As I said, I go on stage wanting to win the match, and I go out there believing that I’ll finish it when I get a shot at a double.”

“I’ve been looking forward to it for ages” – Dortmund as a very special home event

Regardless of his opponent, form or fitness, one thing is clear to Springer: the European Darts Championship in Dortmund holds a special place for him.

With several thousand spectators, the Westfalenhalle provides an atmosphere that is rare even on the packed PDC calendar. For a German player, the loud support of the home crowd makes it all the more special.

“Seven to eight thousand spectators is an incredibly high number. And as a German playing there, the support is obviously tremendous,” Springer enthused.

For him, it is not just about the atmosphere in the stands. The tournament is also a special experience for the 26-year-old away from the oche.

“It’s one of the few tournaments where lots of friends and family want to come along, because they want to experience it for themselves.”

Springer experienced Dortmund’s special atmosphere last year, although his campaign ended in the first round against Jermaine Wattimena. Even so, he looks back on the occasion fondly.

“I really enjoyed it last year, regardless of the first-round result against Wattimena. I’ve been looking forward to it for ages, and one of my goals was to qualify for the European Championship again.”

Springer has achieved that goal. Now he must recover fully in time before Jonny Clayton awaits on the other side of the oche on Friday evening.

“I’ve managed that. Now I just need to recover over the next few days, and then I’m looking forward to being back up there.”