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.