These are the alternatives for players who did not get a PDC Tour card during Q-School

Q-School is complete after seven long days in Milton Keynes, England and Kalkar, Germany. The multi-day event resulted in 27 lucky winners, who will be able to show off what they can do on the lucrative PDC Pro Tour over the next two years.

But the Q-School also had many losers, players who went home without a PDC Tour card. A total of 855 players participated in one of the two Q-Schools, so more than eight hundred missed the “Golden Ticket”. But what are the alternatives for them in 2023?

Challenge Tour

Players who participated in the Q-School but did not win a Tour Card are allowed by the PDC to participate in the Challenge Tour. This circuit consists of 24 tournaments. Each tournament has a prize pool of £15,000, with the winner receiving £2,500.

Two starting places for the World Darts Championship can be won via the Challenge Tour. The first two of the final ranking will be able to participate in Alexandra Palace. Additionally, they will also receive a PDC Tour Card for 2024 and 2025.

Players who do well on the Challenge Tour also have a chance to compete in Pro Tour tournaments. If one or more Tour Card holders withdraw from Players Championship tournaments, the order of the Challenge Tour Order of Merit will be used to add replacements to the tournaments.

Euro Tours Associate Member Qualifications

By participating in the Q-School, players are also eligible to participate in the Associate Member Qualifiers on the Euro Tour. This year again, thirteen Euro Tour tournaments are on the programme.

An associate member qualifier is played for each Euro Tour tournament. Two starting places are allocated each time for the main tournament. When participating in a Euro Tour tournament, a player is guaranteed a prize of £1,000. This can possibly amount to up to 25,000 pounds with a Euro Tour title.

Development Tour

Players between the ages of 16 and 24 (23 on 1 January 2023) are eligible to participate in the PDC Development Tour, the youth circuit of the PDC. To participate in this tour, attendance at Q-School is not necessary.

The Development Tour also consists of 24 tournaments, with each event having a £15,000 prize pool. The winner will take home £2500.

Two starting places for the World Darts Championship can also be won on the Development Tour. The two best players at the end of the season will be invited to the World Darts Championship. They will also receive a PDC Tour Card for the following two seasons.

Female Series

There are also options for ladies. Since 2020, the PDC has its own women’s series. The circuit then consisted of four tournaments, now it has been extended to 24 tournaments.

The PDC has set aside a £10,000 prize pool for each tournament. Women can secure starting places for the Grand Slam of Darts and the World Darts Championship through the Women’s Series.

Regional circuits

Players from outside the UK and darts countries like the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium sometimes have a regional circuit (under the PDC flag) that they can fall back on.

For example, there is a Nordic & Baltic circuit for players from Scandinavian countries and the Baltic States. Australian players can participate in the DPA circuit and New Zealand darts players have the DPNZ circuit. In North America, there is the CDC Tour for darts players from the United States and Canada. One or more World Cup places are available on all these circuits.

senior tour

Not only do the talents have their own tour, but there is also a circuit for veterans (50+). Although not organized by the PDC, but by the World Seniors Darts Tour (WSDT).

This organization organizes an annual edition of the Senior World Cup, with participants such as Phil Taylor, Martin Adams, John Part, Robert Thornton and Kevin Painter.

The WSDT also organizes several other tournaments, including its own World Masters and World Matchplay for Seniors.

MODE Super Series

More and more players are also taking refuge in the MODUS Super Series. A weekly competition in which twelve players – by invitation – compete for the top prize of £5,000.

After twelve weeks of play, the twelve weekly winners will also compete. A check for £20,000 awaits the winner of the so-called ‘Champions Week’.

National Association Tournaments

Players without a PDC Tour Card do not have to sign a PDC contract, which also gives them the opportunity to participate in tournaments with other associations.

In this way, they can also participate, for example, in open tournaments that fall under the World Darts Federation (WDF). This gives them the chance to qualify for the Amateur World Cup.

These players can also participate in national ranking tournaments. In the Netherlands, for example, players such as Jelle Klaasen, Benito van de Pas and Christian Kist can participate in the NDB ranking. In the UK you have the “county system” as an alternative for UK players.