Entries are now open for the 2026 PDC Qualifying Schools, which will be held in the UK and Germany in January.

The 2026 PDC Qualifying Schools will be held from January 5-11, with simultaneous events taking place in Milton Keynes and Kalkar.

The PDC Qualifying Schools provide any darts player aged 16 and above (on January 4 2026) the opportunity to win a two-year PDC Tour Card to compete alongside the sport’s biggest stars on the professional circuit.

Qualifying School will see players competing at venues in the UK and Germany simultaneously across the three-day First Stage and four-day Final Stage.

UK Qualifying School will take place at Milton Keynes’ Marshall Arena, with Wunderland Kalkar in Germany playing host to European Qualifying School.

First Stage will be held across three days from January 5-7, before the four-day Final Stage - featuring 128 players at each venue – is held from January 8-11 as players bid to win Tour Cards to join the PDC ProTour.

Each day of First Stage at each venue will see the last 16 players progress to Final Stage, alongside any invited players who are exempt through to Final Stage, with the remaining places up to 128 players coming from a First Stage Ranking List.

In addition, during Final Stage the First Stage Ranking List will then be used to top up the field to 128 players for each day, replacing any Tour Card Winners or other withdrawals. This will then allow points to be awarded from the Last 128 onwards (other than to players with a Bye should the field not be able to be restored to 128 players).

UK Qualifying School
Entry Fee: £475+VAT (includes DRA Sanction Fee)
Arena MK, Milton Keynes

European Qualifying School
Entry Fee: £475 (includes DRA Sanction Fee)
Wunderland Kalkar, Germany
On-site accommodation at Wunderland Kalkar can be booked via this link.

Entries can be made now online through the PDC Entry System, with entries closing at 1400 GMT on Friday January 2 2026.

New players must register their details at this link. Following your registration, you will receive an email to confirm that you are available to enter tournaments, and at this stage you can login to make your entry to the relevant events. This verification may take up to 48 hours.

Players from the UK, Republic of Ireland and Gibraltar will compete in the UK Qualifying School, with players from all other European nations competing in the European Qualifying School. Players from other nations may choose in which Qualifying School to compete.

Players who lose their Tour Card at the end of 2025 be exempt through to Final Stage in either the UK or European Qualifying School (entry is still required).

They will be joined at Final Stage by players in the top 16 from the respective 2025 Winmau Challenge Tour and Development Tour Rankings who do not already have Tour Cards for 2026, who receive free entry.

The top eight players from the final 2025 Women's Series Rankings and 2025 PDC Nordic & Baltic Tour Ranking will also be invited to compete in First Stage of Qualifying School at no cost.

The winners of the PDC's 2025 Affiliate Tour will be exempt through to Final Stage, but must still enter Qualifying School as normal.

In addition, players who lose their Tour Card at the end of 2025 will be permitted to opt to play only Winmau Challenge Tour events in 2026, but must pay the Q School entry fee and then inform the PDC in writing of their intentions.

The 2025 Winmau Development Tour will feature 24 events during the year.

The Development Tour is for players aged 16-23; players can play from the day on which they turn 16 during the year, with an upper limit of needing to be 23 on January 4 2025.

Players who turn 24 after January 4 2025 would be able to play in all events during 2025.

Entries are be available through the PDC Entry System.

New players must Register their details at this link. Following your registration, you will receive an email to confirm that you are available to enter tournaments, and at this stage you can login to make your entry to the relevant events. This verification may take up to 48 hours.

2025 Winmau Development Tour
Events 21-24: October 11-12 - Wigan
Winmau World Youth Championship Early Rounds: October 13 - Wigan
Winmau World Youth Championship Final: November 23 - Minehead

Details for the 2025 Winmau Challenge Tour are below.

The 2025 Challenge Tour is for PDPA Associate Members who competed at Qualifying School but did not win a Tour Card.

Entry is available via the PDC Entry System.

2025 Winmau Challenge Tour
Events 20-24: October 25-26, Wigan

The 2025 PDC Women's Series will feature 24 events during the year.

The PDC Women's Series is open to women aged 16 and above; players can play from the day on which they turn 16 during the year.

Entries are available through the PDC Entry System.

New players must Register their details at this link. Following your registration, you will receive an email to confirm that you are available to enter tournaments, and at this stage you can login to make your entry to the relevant events. This verification may take up to 48 hours.

2025 PDC Women's Series
Events 21-24: October 18-19, Wigan

Amateur players will get a chance to secure their place in the 2026 Ladbrokes UK Open.

Details will be confirmed in due course...

The PDC are affiliated to and support the Junior Darts Corporation, which stages a series of tournaments throughout the year and also supports a series of Academies.

Players aged from 10-18 can compete in JDC Tour Events.

Each season usually culminates in the Junior World Darts Championship, which sees the final played on stage at Alexandra Palace.

Players aged from eight upwards can join JDC Academies.

For full details, click here to visit the JDC website.