“Maybe I won’t go 100% for the Tour Card” – Florian Hempel speaks openly about his uncertain 2026 future

Florian Hempel finds himself at a decisive moment in his career. After a strong start to 2025, the Cologne thrower ended the year by losing his Tour Card and missing out on World Championship qualification. For the four-time Worlds participant, this setback now means one thing above all: reassessing, reflecting, planning. Speaking on the Game On podcast with Elmar Paulke, Hempel discussed his situation in depth and offered real insight into how 2026 might look for him.

Hempel explained that he genuinely does not yet know which direction he’ll take. The last few months have left their mark — something he now needs to work through. “Yes, now a lot is being sorted, yes outsourced, I have to say that quite honestly. I’m not going to put everything on my own shoulders anymore,” he said frankly. At the same time, he outlined two possible scenarios: “Then it’s either about giving 100% in Q-School, or maybe it’s actually worth considering going to Q-School — and not going 100% for the Tour Card.”

This suggests that Hempel may not necessarily be aiming straight back at the ProTour. The pressure of the past years — the constant chase for points and results — has taken a toll. “I might just play a year away from the pressure of the Tour Card,” he explained. “Then I’ll play the Host Nation Qualifiers for the European Tour. I’ll play Next Gen, Super League. I’ll also play WDF, just to play one level down again because that’s where I think I could rebuild a lot of self-confidence.”

Above all, one thought keeps driving him: rediscovering joy in the game. “I just feel like having fun playing darts again, and getting back that fire, that flame that once burned inside me, but which isn’t quite as big and strong right now.” It sounds like a cry for help, but also a realistic assessment of his sporting condition. “Those are the two options I currently have, but I’m definitely not going to stop playing darts. But maybe that’s a way. I haven’t made a decision yet.”

Paulke understood the weight of it: “That’s almost a life decision — or at least a very important one for your job.” And indeed, the implications for Hempel are significant — both professionally and personally.

The 35-year-old made it clear that if he did win a Tour Card, he’d fully commit to it. “What I wouldn’t do is go to Q-School, win a Tour Card, and then say: I’m only going to play half a year on tour. If I have a Tour Card, then I’m a full professional. Then I’ll travel everywhere, play everything, because I’ve got that card.” He added firmly: “Then someone should win the Tour Card at Q-School who actually has 100% desire for all of it.”

Hempel spoke consciously about responsibility — to the tour and to himself. “I say, in terms of my own responsibility: if I have a Tour Card, then I use it 100%, or 95%, as much as I can.”

He became particularly clear when talking about recent years. “I’m just trying to get the fire back, have fun again and play darts with the lads. When was the last time I played darts without thinking I had to average 105 everywhere and wipe everyone off the board?” For him, it has become almost impossible to lose a game “just like that” without immediately feeling pressure and self-doubt. “I haven’t had that feeling for six or seven years. Maybe I just need to have proper fun playing darts again. That really wasn’t the case this year.”

Paulke linked this to Hempel’s unusual career path. “It’s a very unusual journey. Yours went from 0 to 180,” he said — and Hempel agreed. “Yeah, I really came from nowhere. Sure, a few people knew that I could play darts a bit, but during Covid not much happened in the amateur scene. Then I got on tour, qualified for the European Darts Championship and then beat the world number five, Dimitri Van den Bergh, at the Worlds.”

That success propelled him rapidly upwards. “It all went right to the top, even if I then settled somewhere between world number 50 and 65.” But now, for the first time in his career, he’s experienced a real downturn — and that is testing him. “Now it’s the first time that it’s gone properly downhill. Lost the Tour Card, not at the Worlds — which actually isn’t that dramatic. But that’s how it is now. You go down a bit, the road gets a bit rockier, and then you’ve got to find a way of dealing with it.”

Even so, Hempel remains balanced and optimistic. He emphasised how important the support of his inner circle is. “I’m very happy that most sponsors are staying with me, no matter which path I choose. That’s important for the brand Florian Hempel. That’s the only way it can continue to work, even without a Tour Card next year.”

And then, with a small smile, he added a line that sticks: “And WDF World Champion Florian Hempel — why not?”