Big names in serious danger: Raymond van Barneveld and Dimitri van den Bergh among top stars set to miss out on PDC World Darts Championship qualification

The battle for a spot at the 2027 PDC World Darts Championship is exceptionally tight at this stage of the season, especially for a group of big names currently just outside the provisional qualifying places. These are players who have all proven their worth at the highest level, but who still need a strong push in the crucial months of the Pro Tour season to secure their ticket to Alexandra Palace.

One of the most striking names in this situation is Raymond van Barneveld. The five-time world champion remains vulnerable on the modern circuit despite his vast experience and status. His Pro Tour results have been inconsistent, leaving him reliant on a strong finish to avoid the danger zone. On the live world rankings, Van Barneveld sits only 44th, and on the Pro Tour Order of Merit he is just 62nd. Only the top 40 on both rankings qualify for the World Darts Championship.

Dimitri van den Bergh also stands out. The Belgian is usually one of the established names at the top of the sport, but his current position outside the provisional qualifying spots underlines how erratic the season has been so far. For a player of his caliber, that is a temporary situation, but it does emphasize that consistency on the floor events is becoming increasingly important. Van den Bergh is only 55th on the live world rankings and as low as 78th on the Pro Tour Order of Merit.

Among the English players we see a broad group fighting for certainty. Scott Williams continues to develop as a dangerous outsider at TV events, but still lacks the regularity on the Pro Tour to be comfortably in. Martin Lukeman finds himself in a similar position and depends on steady results to avoid sweating on his spot until the very last moment. They also currently sit outside the top 40 on both rankings.

The Dutch-Swede Jeffrey De Graaf has long been a solid Pro Tour performer, but the multiple World Championship participant is currently outside the qualifying places.

There is also a group of British PDC Tour Card holders such as Nick Kenny, Ryan Meikle, and Bradley Brooks who find themselves in a similar situation. They are all players who can beat anyone on their day, but who remain too inconsistent to feel safe with the World Championship in mind.

From the Netherlands, Wesley Plaisier and Jimmy van Schie particularly stand out in this overview. Plaisier has firmly established himself on the Pro Tour in recent years, but is not yet assured of a World Championship berth. Van Schie, who won the WDF World Championship at the end of last year, only secured his PDC Tour Card at the start of this year. He too still has plenty of work to do to confirm a place at Alexandra Palace.

What this all makes especially clear is how fine the margins have become in modern darts. The difference between direct qualification and missing out can swing completely after just one good or bad weekend. For these players, the coming period will therefore be decisive for their season, and in some cases even for their future on the Tour.