PDC Challenge Tour set to return with penultimate weekend shaping Tour Card and PDC World Darts Championship spots

As the 2025 PDC Winmau Challenge Tour fast approaches its penultimate weekend, the tension is high. With 24 events spread across five weekends and £360,000 total prize pool on offer, every event is a potential career-changer for the players chasing Tour Cards and coveted spots at the PDC’s biggest stages.

The top two players on the Challenge Tour Order of Merit who haven’t otherwise qualified will be awarded a two-year Tour Card for 2026–27, granting full access to the Pro Tour, along with a spot at the 2026 PDC World Championship. Additionally, the highest-ranked player earns entry into the 2025 Grand Slam of Darts. The top 16 players also gain free entry into the Final Stage of Q-School, exempting them from entry fees, while the top eight non-card holders remaining for 2026 qualify directly for the first round of the 2026 UK Open. It’s worth remembering that the top three Challenge Tour players also secure World Championship invitations.

After 15 events, the Challenge Tour Order of Merit paints a clear picture of the frontrunners. Darius Labanauskas leads with £8,700 in prize money. Stefan Bellmont is just behind on £8,150, creating a razor-thin gap that could be overturned with one strong weekend. Ted Evetts sits third on £6,750, closely followed by Mervyn King on £6,650, while Beau Greaves holds fifth place with £5,875. Players in the top two appear to be prime candidates for Tour Cards and Championship spots, but Evetts and King are well within striking distance, and Greaves remains a potential dark horse for a top three finish.

Labanauskas has built his position through consistent deep runs and steady earnings, demonstrating the resilience that often decides these long-haul campaigns. Bellmont has matched him stride for stride, showing he’s not only capable of competing with seasoned Tour players but also of closing out events when the pressure mounts. Evetts and King, both experienced competitors with stage pedigree, are dangerous at this stage of the season as they know exactly what’s at stake and how to produce when the margins are tight. Greaves, meanwhile, has already made history by becoming the first woman to win multiple Challenge Tour events, claiming her second title earlier this year. Her performances have shown both composure and scoring power, and if she strings together a big run, she could catapult herself into the World Championship frame.

With just the two weekends remaining, and only a few events left to influence the Order of Merit, players are fighting for more than just cash. There’s the long-term security of Tour Cards, the prestige of a World Championship appearance, the profile boost of a Grand Slam invitation, and the practical benefits of Q-School exemption or UK Open entry. Every leg, every win, and every pound earned in prize money could mean the difference between a guaranteed professional future and another season of chasing opportunities from the outside.

The Challenge Tour plays a vital role in the PDC’s system, acting as the proving ground for players who narrowly missed out on Tour Cards at Q-School. It provides the chance to sharpen competitive skills in a professional environment while still offering significant rewards for success. It’s the bridge between amateur and professional darts, and for those at the top, it’s often the final push before a full-time career on the circuit.

In the broader PDC landscape, the Challenge Tour also has a ripple effect. While its immediate impact is on the second-tier players, the movement of top performers into the Pro Tour affects the competitive balance of both tours. Meanwhile, in the higher echelons of the game, players like Luke Humphries currently dominate the PDC Live Order of Merit, the World Championship Race, and the World Grand Prix Race, setting a standard for the rest of the field and illustrating where Challenge Tour graduates will eventually aim.

Securing a Tour Card is one of the most significant milestones in a dart player’s career. It opens access to televised majors, bigger prize pools, and sponsorship deals, as well as the chance to build ranking points year-on-year without the disruption of constantly re-qualifying. For those in the top three of the Challenge Tour, a World Championship appearance offers another one-of-a-kind opportunity, global exposure, experience under the brightest lights, and the chance to test themselves against the very best.

Right now, Labanauskas and Bellmont are in the driving seat. Their consistent form has kept them clear of the chasing pack, but the margins are small enough that one poor weekend or one inspired performance from their rivals could change the outlook entirely. Evetts and King are perfectly positioned to pounce, and Greaves, with her history-making form, could yet produce one of the most memorable stories of the season. There’s also the wildcard factor, players lower down the rankings who could surge late and throw the whole race into disarray.

The tension and drama of these final two weekends is precisely what makes the Challenge Tour such compelling viewing. For the players, it’s the culmination of months of travel, practice, and pressure. For fans, it’s the chance to watch careers pivot in real time, as darting dreams either come into sharp focus or slip agonisingly out of reach. The rewards at stake are Tour Cards, Championship spots, Grand Slam places, which are career-defining, and over the next two weekends, they’ll be decided leg by leg, dart by dart.