There are a number of ways for players to join the PDC circuit, as detailed below.
Entries are now open for the 2024 PDC Qualifying Schools, which will be held from January 8-14 in Milton Keynes and Kalkar.
The PDC Qualifying Schools give any ambitious darts player aged 16 and above the opportunity to win a two-year PDC Tour Card to compete full-time on the sport's professional circuit.
Dutch youngster Gian van Veen has been the stand-out performer of the new PDC Tour Card winners in 2023, reaching one Players Championship final and two semi-finals, as well as progressing to the European Championship semi-finals on his debut in that event last month.
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 from January 8-14 2024.
The UK Qualifying School will be held at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes, while the European Qualifying School will take place at Wunderland Kalkar in Germany.
First Stage will be played across three days, with the eight quarter-finalists from each day qualifying automatically for the Final Stage and the remaining places in the Final Stage - up to a total of 128 at each venue - decided from an Order of Merit.
Players who lose their Tour Card at the end of 2023 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 2023 Winmau Challenge Tour and Development Tour Orders of Merit who do not already have Tour Cards for 2024, who receive free entry.
Additionally, the top eight players from the final 2023 Women's Series Order of Merit and 2023 PDC Nordic & Baltic Tour will be invited to compete in First Stage of Qualifying School at no cost.
Entries cost £475 per player, including the 2024 DRA Sanction Fee, and can be made now online through the PDC Entry System, with entries closing at 1400 GMT on Thursday January 4 2024.
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.
Accommodation
Players wishing to book on-site accommodation for the UK Qualifying School in Milton Keynes can do so via this link.
Players wishing to book on-site accommodation for the European Qualifying School in Kalkar can do so via this link.
Note for all players:
* Players are advised not to make non-refundable or non-changeable travel or accommodation bookings.
The 2023 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 2023.
Players who turn 24 after January 4 2023 would be able to play in all events during 2022.
Entries will 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.
2023 Winmau Development Tour
Events 1-5: March 31-April 2 - Milton Keynes
Events 6-10: April 28-30 - Wigan
Events 11-15: June 9-11 - Hildesheim
Events 16-20: July 14-16 - Leicester
Events 21-24: August 18-19 - Milton Keynes
World Youth Championship L96: August 20 - Milton Keynes
Details for the 2023 Winmau Challenge Tour are below.
The 2023 Challenge Tour will be for PDPA Associate Members, who competed at Qualifying School but did not win a Tour Card.
Entry will be available via the PDC Entry System.
2023 Winmau Challenge Tour
Events 1-5: January 20-22, Milton Keynes
Events 6-9: March 17-18, Hildesheim
Events 10-14: May 5-7, Milton Keynes
Events 15-19: August 4-6, Milton Keynes
Events 20-24: October 28-30, Wigan
The 2023 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 will 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.
Details of the Amateur Qualifiers for the 2024 UK Open will be confirmed in due course.
A total of 16 amateur qualifiers will join the sport's biggest names for the three-day festival of darts at Butlin's Minehead Resort from March 1-3.
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.