Record for PDC Europe NEXT GEN – First tournament in Hildesheim sold out after 10 hours with 384 entrants

PDC Europe NEXT GEN will enter its third season in 2026. What began in 2024 as a new project has quickly become a fixture in German-language darts. The aim of the series is a year-round tour that not only serves as the sporting pathway to qualify for the Super League, but also establishes a high-performance league in the German-speaking region. This is intended to help players develop sustainably – with the ultimate goal of securing a ticket to the PDC World Darts Championship.

With the introduction of Next Gen, PDC Europe created a fair and transparent qualification system for the first time. Previously, many Super League spots had been allocated via wildcards.

Several prominent examples show that this system works. Among others, Arno Merk, Yorick Hofkens, and Kai Gotthardt used Next Gen to make the jump to the PDC Pro Tour. Merk in particular used the platform impressively, won the 2025 Super League, and then performed strongly at the World Darts Championship.

The series also evolved steadily in sporting terms. In the inaugural year of 2024, each venue had a fixed match format. By 2025, the organisers responded to player feedback and introduced a rotation of formats.

The development will continue consistently into the new season. From 2026, an additional format called “170” will be introduced. Each player starts on 170 points, putting an even greater emphasis on doubles.

At the same time, the field is growing rapidly. After 128 spots in 2024, capacity was expanded to 256 players in 2025. In the current season, as many as 384 players are allowed to compete in Next Gen. The series is opening up wider than ever before.

A key factor in its success remains the Season Pass. It allows participation in all tournaments in the series without having to register individually. In 2024, 81 players used this pass. In 2025, the number rose to 141. For 2026, 219 players have now secured eligibility for all 16 tournaments – a new record.

The scale of demand was evident right from the start. The first event in Hildesheim sold out completely in just 10 and a half hours. “A clear signal of the series’ popularity and appeal,” PDC Europe stated on Wednesday.

A look at the age structure also underlines the importance of Next Gen. Of the 219 Season Pass holders, 202 come from Germany. The youngest participant is 15-year-old Adrian Eckert, while 61-year-old John van der Weerd brings experience to the field. The average age of the series is 27, with a total of 102 youth players among the Season Pass holders.