There are a number of ways for players to join the PDC circuit, as detailed below.
Entries are now open for the 2025 PDC Qualifying Schools, which will be held from January 6-12 in Milton Keynes and Kalkar.
The PDC Qualifying Schools provide any darts player aged 16 and above the opportunity to win a two-year PDC Tour Card to compete alongside the sport’s biggest stars on the professional circuit.
Dutch darter Wessel Nijman has been the stand-out performer from the new PDC Tour Card Holders in 2024, having secured his place on the ProTour via last year's Development Tour Order of Merit.
Nijman - a quarter-finalist at last weekend's Hungarian Darts Trophy - made his first senior ranking final in July, while Dom Taylor has been the most successful player from the class of 2024 at UK Qualifying School.
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 6-12 2025.
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, with the eight quarter-finalists from each day qualifying automatically for the Final Stage, while the remaining places in the Final Stage - up to a total of 128 at each venue – are decided from an Order of Merit.
Players who lose their Tour Card at the end of 2024 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 2024 Winmau Challenge Tour and Development Tour Orders of Merit who do not already have Tour Cards for 2025, who receive free entry.
The top eight players from the final 2024 Women's Series Order of Merit and 2024 PDC Nordic & Baltic Tour will also 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 Tuesday December 31.
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
On-site accommodation at Wunderland Kalkar can be booked via Credit Card and via PayPal.
The 2024 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 2024.
Players who turn 24 after January 4 2024 would be able to play in all events during 2024.
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.
2024 Winmau Development Tour
Events 1-5: February 23-25 - Milton Keynes
Events 6-10: May 3-5 - Hildesheim
Events 11-15: June 21-23 - Wigan
Events 16-20: July 26-28 - Milton Keynes
Events 21-24: October 12-13 - Wigan
Winmau World Youth Championship Early Rounds: October 14 - Milton Keynes
Winmau World Youth Championship Final: November 24 - Minehead
Details for the 2024 Winmau Challenge Tour are below.
The 2024 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.
2024 Winmau Challenge Tour
Events 1-5: January 19-21, Milton Keynes
Events 6-10: March 15-17, Hildesheim
Events 11-15: June 7-9, Leicester
Events 16-20: August 16-18, Milton Keynes
Events 20-24: November 2-3, Leicester
The 2024 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.
2024 PDC Women's Series
Events 1-4: March 23-24, Wigan
Events 5-8: April 20-21, Wigan
Events 9-12: June 15-16, Wigan
Betfred Women's World Matchplay: July 21, Blackpool
Events 13-16: August 10-11, Niedernhausen
Events 17-20: September 7-8, Wigan
Events 21-24: October 19-20, Leicester
Amateur players will get a chance to secure their place in the 2025 Ladbrokes UK Open through a series of events to be held in January and February.
In a change to previous years, qualifying events will be staged in four PDC in the Community venues alongside two days of standalone Amateur Qualifiers being held by the PDC.
The four PDC in the Community venues will each stage an Amateur Qualifier to offer one place in the Ladbrokes UK Open, and are:
25 Bull Darts - Pencoed, CF35 5FQ
Out Out Bar - Newport, NP19 8GE
Somercotes Snooker Club - Derbyshire, DE55 4HB
The Victory Pub - Plymouth, PL5 3PQ
Each venue will stage pre-qualifiers ahead of a final qualifying round to determine their winner, who will progress to play in the Ladbrokes UK Open from February 28-March 2 at Butlin's Minehead Resort.
In addition, a further 12 places in the Ladbrokes UK Open will be on offer in Amateur Qualifiers to be staged by the PDC on Monday January 20 in Milton Keynes and on Sunday February 9 in Wigan.
Each day will feature two events with up to 256 players competing, with two players from each event progressing to the UK Open to find eight automatic qualifiers.
The final four places will be allocated from an Amateur Qualifiers Points Table, based on performances across the four events.
"The Ladbrokes UK Open has always had the unique feature of amateur hopefuls playing alongside the top professionals and this is an innovative new way for us to discover the final 16 players for next year's event," said PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter.
"It's exciting that we can welcome four venues who are part of our new PDC in the Community scheme, broadening the opportunities for players from across the UK to qualify.
"In addition, staging two days of Amateur Qualifiers will be a great chance for players to try and win a coveted spot in Minehead."
All events will be open to players aged 16 and above who do not hold a PDC Tour Card or are not otherwise pre-qualified for the 2025 Ladbrokes UK Open from a PDC Secondary Tour.
Entries for the PDC Amateur Qualifiers on January 20 and February 9 are available online through www.pdcplayers.com, costing £10 per event. Entries will close at 1400 GMT two days before each event (January 18 and February 7 respectively).
New players would first need to register their details with the PDC Entry System before being able to enter events.
Entries for the four Amateur Qualifiers being staged in PDC in the Community venues are direct with that venue.
For more details, click the appropriate link below
25 Bull Darts
Out Out Bar - Register via this link.
Somercotes Snooker Club
The Victory Pub
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.