Michael van Gerwen will begin his bid for a fifth consecutive European Championship title against Paul Nicholson in Dortmund on Thursday night.
Van Gerwen is unbeaten in this competition since 2014, and will be the top seed at the Westfalenhalle after winning eight of the 13 European Tour events held this year.
Nicholson is featuring in his first European Championship since 2013, but the former Players Championship Finals winner is relishing the prospect of locking horns with the world No 1.
"Every time I get into the big tournaments it feels like Michael is waiting for me in the first round, but it's a great opportunity," said Nicholson.
"There's no pressure on me. I've got preparation time and I'm really looking forward to the prospect of playing against Michael, especially when he's in this form. I really can't wait."
Van Gerwen is looking to make history by becoming the first man to win this tournament for five successive years, and 'The Green Machine' requires no further motivation.
"To win this tournament five years in a row would be incredible and it is something that I am really determined to do," said Van Gerwen.
"Nobody ever did that before so it would be something really special to me and it adds a little bit of extra motivation but of course I can only stay focused for one game at a time.
"The European Championship is like the finals for the whole European Tour and I have been very dominant on that so I want to make sure it is my name on the trophy at end of it."
No 2 seed Mensur Suljovic, the Danish Darts Open winner and the 2016 European Championship finalist, will play Spanish star Cristo Reyes in his opener, while third seed Gerwyn Price meets 2017 semi-finalist Kyle Anderson.
Dutch Darts Champion Ian White plays debutant Richard North, and James Wade - twice a finalist on the European Tour in 2018 - faces home favourite Martin Schindler.
Max Hopp, who claimed his maiden European Tour title this year, plays William O'Connor, while Austrian Darts Open winner Jonny Clayton has been pitted against James Wilson.
Joe Cullen takes on Jelle Klaasen, while 2012 European Champion Simon Whitlock collides with a resurgent Steve Beaton in another tasty tussle.
World No 5 Daryl Gurney meets Ricky Evans, and Premier League finalist Michael Smith takes on emerging Irishman Steve Lennon.
World champion Rob Cross - last year's beaten finalist - faces a tough opener against former Lakeside finalist Danny Noppert, while Adrian Lewis and Dave Chisnall clash in arguably the tie of the round.
Darren Webster and Stephen Bunting meet in the opening round for the second successive televised major, before the last remaining tie sees Steve West play Mervyn King.
This year's European Championship will be held from October 25-28 as the tournament returns to Germany, with Dortmund's Westfalenhalle hosting the world's top stars.
Session Schedule
Thursday October 25 (2000 local time, 1900 UK time)
First Round x8
Steve West v Mervyn King
Ian White v Richard North
Simon Whitlock v Steve Beaton
Michael Smith v Steve Lennon
Joe Cullen v Jelle Klaasen
Michael van Gerwen v Paul Nicholson
Rob Cross v Danny Noppert
Peter Wright v Jermaine Wattimena
Friday October 26
Afternoon Session (1345 local time, 1245 UK time)
First Round x8
Jonny Clayton v James Wilson
Darren Webster v Stephen Bunting
Gerwyn Price v Kyle Anderson
Mensur Suljovic v Cristo Reyes
Daryl Gurney v Ricky Evans
Max Hopp v William O'Connor
James Wade v Martin Schindler
Adrian Lewis v Dave Chisnall
Evening Session (2000 local time, 1900 UK time)
Second Round x4
Cullen/Klaasen v Smith/Lennon
Whitlock/Beaton v Wright/Wattimena
White/North v Cross/Noppert
Van Gerwen/Nicholson v West/King
Saturday October 28 (2000 local time, 1900 UK time)
Second Round x4
Price/Anderson v Lewis/Chisnall
Suljovic/Reyes v Webster/Bunting
Wade/Schindler v Gurney/Evans
Hopp/O'Connor v Clayton/Wilson
Sunday October 29
Afternoon Session (1345 local time, 1245 UK time)
Quarter-Finals
Evening Session (2000 local time, 1900 UK time)
Semi-Finals
Final