How does the PDC Pro Tour work? Everything about the Players Championship events, European Tour and the PDC Pro Tour Order of Merit
FAQTuesday, 30 December 2025 at 16:24
The PDC Pro Tour is the backbone of the professional darts circuit. It is the tour on which players earn their living week in, week out, and where qualification for the biggest tournaments of the year is decided. The Pro Tour consists of two components: the Players Championship events and the European Tour.
The prize money players earn at these tournaments counts towards the Pro Tour Order of Merit. That ranking is a rolling year list and plays a crucial role in qualification for major events such as the World Darts Championship, the World Matchplay, and the World Grand Prix. Although the matches are not broadcast on television, they can be followed live via PDC TV.
All the information you need to know about the PDC Pro Tour
1. Why is it called the Pro Tour?
2. How did the PDC Pro Tour come about?
3. What is the impact of the Pro Tour on the PDC Order of Merit?
4. How do you gain access to the PDC Pro Tour?
5. What are the Players Championship events?
6. What is the European Tour?
7. What is the format on the Pro Tour?
8. What is the prize money distribution on the Pro Tour?
9. Who has won the most Pro Tour tournaments?
10. What does the PDC Pro Tour season look like in 2026?
2. How did the PDC Pro Tour come about?
3. What is the impact of the Pro Tour on the PDC Order of Merit?
4. How do you gain access to the PDC Pro Tour?
5. What are the Players Championship events?
6. What is the European Tour?
7. What is the format on the Pro Tour?
8. What is the prize money distribution on the Pro Tour?
9. Who has won the most Pro Tour tournaments?
10. What does the PDC Pro Tour season look like in 2026?
1 Why is it called the Pro Tour?
The name Pro Tour is short for Professional Tour and refers to the highest competitive circuit in professional darts. Only players with a PDC Tour Card can compete here on a regular basis. That makes the Pro Tour exclusive: there are only 128 active Tour Card holders worldwide.
This group forms the core of the field at virtually all Players Championship and European Tour events. Only a limited number of places are topped up via qualifying tournaments or players from the Challenge Tour.
2 How did the Pro Tour come about?
The PDC Pro Tour was introduced in 2002 with regional qualifiers for the UK Open. A year later came the first official Players Championship, won by Phil Taylor. In 2011, the PDC introduced the Tour Card system, which formalized access to the Pro Tour.
The European Tour was added in 2012. This series of events gave players regular opportunities to perform on stage in front of packed arenas for the first time. The very first European Tour title went to Justin Pipe, who beat James Wade in Austria. Since then, the circuit has grown steadily. In 2026 there are no fewer than 49 ProTour events on the calendar.
Justin Pipe became the first-ever winner of a Euro Tour event in 2012
3 What is the impact of the Pro Tour on the PDC Order of Merit?
The prize money players earn on the Pro Tour counts towards the PDC Order of Merit. In 2026, the total prize fund on the Pro Tour is £8.55 million, split between the Players Championships and the European Tour.
While the big majors have separate and larger prize funds, consistent results on the ProTour can be decisive for the world rankings. A good example is Martin Schindler, who now ranks inside the world’s top 16 and has earned the majority of his ranking points at Players Championship and European Tour events.
4 How do you gain access to the PDC Pro Tour?
The most common route to the ProTour is through Q-School, the annual qualifying event where Tour Cards are up for grabs. Players can also qualify via the Challenge Tour and the Development Tour. The best players from these circuits also receive a Tour Card at the end of the season.
Non–Tour Card holders can enter occasionally. At Players Championships, Challenge Tour players step in when Tour Card holders withdraw. On the European Tour, qualifying places are reserved for host nations and regional circuits, among others.
5 What are the Players Championship events?
Players Championships are closed events, often referred to as “floor tournaments.” They are played without an audience, spread across sixteen boards in a large hall. The silence and absence of stage pressure make these events unique.
Each tournament features 128 participants. At the end of the season, the 64 players who have earned the most prize money on the Players Championship Order of Merit qualify for the Players Championship Finals, a televised event staged in Minehead at the end of November.
6 What is the European Tour?
The European Tour consists of stage events held across Europe. These tournaments are played in front of thousands of fans and are known for their atmosphere. The field features 48 players, including the world’s top 16, Pro Tour qualifiers, and regional qualifiers.
In 2026, six of the fifteen tournaments will take place in Germany. In addition, there are stops in Poland, Belgium (2), Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Czechia, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. The top 32 players on the European Tour ranking qualify for the European Championship, which is played at the end of October.
7 What does the format look like on the Pro Tour?
Both Players Championships and European Tour events are played in legs, with the format increasing towards the final. Finals are best of 15 legs, semi-finals best of 13.
Players Championship format
| Round | Format |
| Last 128 | Best of 11 legs |
| Last 64 | Best of 11 legs |
| Last 32 | Best of 11 legs |
| Last 16 | Best of 11 legs |
| Quarter-finals | Best of 11 legs |
| Semi-finals | Best of 13 legs |
| Final | Best of 15 legs |
Euro Tour format
| Round | Format |
| First round | Best of 11 legs |
| Second round | Best of 11 legs |
| Last 16 | Best of 11 legs |
| Quarter-finals | Best of 11 legs |
| Semi-finals | Best of 13 legs |
| Final | Best of 15 legs |
8 What is the prize money distribution on the Pro Tour?
Prize money on the ProTour has risen sharply in recent years. Whereas tournaments in 2002 had a prize fund of £12,000, that figure in 2026 stands at £150,000 per Players Championship and £230,000 per European Tour event.
A tournament win yields £15,000 (Players Championship) and £35,000 (European Tour) respectively.
Players Championship prize money
| Result | Prize money |
| Last 128 | £0 |
| Last 64 | £1250 |
| Last 32 | £2000 |
| Last 16 | £3000 |
| Quarter-finalists | £4000 |
| Semi-finalists | £6500 |
| Runner-up | £10,000 |
| Winner | £15,000 |
Euro Tour prize money
| Result | Prize money |
| First round | £2000 |
| Second round | £3500 |
| Last 16 | £5000 |
| Quarter-finalists | £8000 |
| Semi-finalists | £10,000 |
| Runner-up | £15,000 |
| Winner | £35,000 |
9 Who has won the most Pro Tour tournaments?
Michael van Gerwen is by far the most successful player in the history of the PDC Pro Tour. The Dutchman now stands on 90 tournament wins and passed Phil Taylor in 2019, who remained on 70 titles. Gary Anderson follows at a respectful distance with 38 victories.
Michael van Gerwen has for some years been regarded as the most successful player ever on the Euro Tour
10 What does the 2026 PDC Pro Tour season look like?
The PDC Pro Tour season is bigger than ever in 2026. A total of 34 Players Championship tournaments will be played. These floor events are staged during the week, usually on Mondays and Tuesdays, but sometimes switch to Wednesday and/or Thursday.
The first Pro Tour double-header will be held in Hildesheim on 02/09/2026 and 02/10/2026. Alongside Hildesheim, Den Bosch, Leicester, and Wigan also hosted these Players Championship events. The final two floor tournaments take place on 11/04/2026 and 11/05/2026.
The Euro Tour circuit consists of fifteen tournaments, which are normally played from Friday through Sunday. The only exception is the Euro Tour event in Munich, which, due to the Easter weekend, is staged from Saturday through Monday.
The Polish city of Krakow has the honor of opening the Euro Tour season from 02/20/2026 through 02/22/2026 with the Poland Darts Open, also the first ever PDC ranking tournament in Poland. After visits to Göttingen, Wieze, Munich, Sindelfingen, Graz, Riesa, Kiel, Bratislava, Leverkusen, Budapest, Prague, Antwerp, and Basel, the final Euro Tour weekend will be held in Maastricht from 10/16/2026 through 10/18/2026.
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