PDC Tour Card Explained: What It Is and How Players Earn One
A PDC Tour Card is the licence to play professional darts. Without one, you are locked out of the majority of events that make up the PDC season. With one, the entire circuit opens up. Here is everything you need to know about how Tour Cards work, how players earn them, and what happens when they lose one.
What is a PDC Tour Card?
A PDC Tour Card is a two-year licence that grants a player the right to enter all PDC Players Championship and European Tour events. These are the weekly ranking events that form the backbone of the professional darts season — without a Tour Card, you simply cannot enter them.
There are 128 Tour Cards in circulation at any given time across the PDC circuit. Being one of those 128 players is, in the most practical sense, what it means to be a professional darts player on the PDC circuit.
Tour Cards are issued for two years at a time. A player who earns a card in January 2026 holds it through the 2026 and 2027 seasons, then must re-qualify. Players on the first year of a two-year card retain it regardless of their ProTour ranking performance — only players in their second year face the cut.
What Can You Do With a PDC Tour Card?
A Tour Card opens the door to:
- Players Championship events — held almost every weekend, these are the primary source of ranking prize money on the ProTour
- European Tour events — held across Europe, with direct qualification from the Order of Merit and ProTour rankings
- Direct entry into majors — Tour Card holders qualify for the UK Open, World Grand Prix, Players Championship Finals and other events via their rankings without needing to go through separate qualifying stages
- World Championship entry routes — Tour Card holders qualify for the World Championship via the World Championship Race
Players without Tour Cards can still enter some PDC events — the World Championship, UK Open, and Grand Slam of Darts all have open qualifying routes — but they cannot access the regular weekly circuit.
How Do Players Earn a PDC Tour Card?
There are four routes to a PDC Tour Card:
1. ProTour Order of Merit Retention (Top 64)
The most common route to keeping a Tour Card is retaining it via the PDC ProTour Order of Merit. At the end of each calendar year, the top 64 players on the ProTour OOM — ranked by prize money earned in Players Championship and European Tour events that year — automatically keep their Tour Cards for the following two-year cycle.
Players finishing outside the top 64 on the ProTour OOM, who are also in their second year of a Tour Card, must re-qualify.
2. Q-School (UK and EU)
Q-School is the primary re-qualification route for players who have lost their Tour Card or are trying to earn one for the first time. It is held in January each year, with separate events for UK-eligible and European-eligible players.
The format is demanding: players compete in four knockout events per day over multiple days. Any player who wins all four events on a single day earns a Tour Card immediately — a “day win” is the most dramatic and reliable way to secure a card. At the conclusion of Q-School, 5 additional Tour Cards are awarded per school (UK and EU) to the highest-ranked players on the cumulative Q-School Order of Merit who have not yet earned a card via a day win.
Q-School is fiercely competitive. Past champions, former world number ones, and young hopefuls all compete in the same pool. A career can hinge on a single tournament.
You can follow the Q-School standings live on the UK Q-School and EU Q-School pages during the event.
3. Challenge Tour Order of Merit (Top 10)
The PDC Challenge Tour is a secondary circuit running alongside the main PDC season. It is open to players without Tour Cards (and some Tour Card holders). At year end, the top 10 players on the Challenge Tour Order of Merit earn two-year PDC Tour Cards for the following season.
For many players, the Challenge Tour is the proving ground where consistent performance earns the right to step up to the main circuit without going through Q-School.
4. Development Tour Order of Merit (Top 10)
The PDC Development Tour provides a pathway specifically for younger or developing players. Similarly, the top 10 on the Development Tour Order of Merit at year end earn Tour Cards.
The Tour Card Race — Tracking Who Holds Their Card
Throughout the year, you can follow which of the 128 Tour Card holders are in position to retain their card via the Tour Card Race. This ranking shows the final post-World Championship Order of Merit standings which determine card retention.
Player profiles on this site also show a “PDC Tour Card Holder” badge for current card holders, along with the years they have held their card in the career stats section.
What Happens When You Lose Your Tour Card?
Losing a Tour Card is one of the most disruptive events in a professional darts player’s career. Without it, a player must:
- Attempt to re-earn a card at Q-School the following January
- Compete on the Challenge Tour to try to earn a card at year end
- Qualify individually for the open-entry events (World Championship, UK Open) through regional or national qualifying
Several high-profile players have lost their Tour Cards and subsequently had to fight their way back through Q-School — a humbling process for former major champions. The PDC Tour Card system creates a meritocracy that is unlike almost any other sport, with no guaranteed status regardless of past achievements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a PDC Tour Card the same as a BDO membership?
No. The PDC Tour Card is specific to the Professional Darts Corporation circuit. The BDO (British Darts Organisation) was a separate organisation which closed in 2020. The WDF (World Darts Federation) now represents the amateur/county side of the sport, but a PDC Tour Card is entirely separate and specific to the PDC professional circuit.
Can women players hold a PDC Tour Card?
Yes. PDC Tour Cards are open to all players regardless of gender. Several women players have competed at Q-School and earned Tour Cards in recent years. Women also have the separate PDC Women's Series rankings which have their own qualification routes for women's events.
How much does it cost to enter Q-School?
The PDC Q-School entry fee is set by the PDC each year. Players must pay per event entry. The cost is relatively modest compared to the prize money available, but the investment adds up over a week of competition.
Do PDC Tour Card holders play every Players Championship?
Tour Card holders are eligible to enter all Players Championship events, but they must individually enter each event — typically by registering in advance through the PDC. It is common for top players to miss some weekend events due to scheduling, but most players compete as regularly as possible since the prize money directly affects their rankings.
Explore more on dartrankings.co.uk: