Florian Hempel

Florian Hempel has carved out a unique path to the top level of darts, swapping a career as a professional handball goalkeeper for life on the oche. The Cologne-based German made his PDC European Tour debut in 2019 before earning his Tour Card in 2021, quickly establishing himself as one of the most exciting players on the German darts scene. Known for his composed scoring and clinical finishing, Hempel announced himself on the televised stage later that year by defeating reigning European Champion Peter Wright at the European Championship.

Hempel has continued to make his mark on the biggest stage, particularly at the World Darts Championship. On his Alexandra Palace debut in 2022, he produced one of the tournament's early shocks by defeating fifth seed Dimitri Van den Bergh before progressing to the third round. He repeated the feat against Van den Bergh at the 2024 World Championship, fighting back from two sets down to win a dramatic second-round clash before reaching the third round once again. With his sporting background, resilience and eye-catching performances on the PDC circuit, Florian has established himself as a popular figure in German darts.