"The days of the true amateur at the UK Open are behind us" - PDC Chief Matt Porter stands firm on format change to 'FA Cup of darts'

Known to some as the 'FA Cup of darts', the open draw nature of the UK Open has long seen the event viewed by darts connoisseurs as one of the most exciting and intriguing majors on the calendar. The UK Open of 2025 though, is a long way removed from the editions of years gone by.

Although the UK Open once saw the Riley's Amateur Qualifiers earning the right to mix it up with the very best the PDC had to offer, a change in format this year has seen the tournament become a lot more professionally orientated. "We want to see the UK Open qualifiers out on the road. But look, we've been with Riley's for a long time and we felt the relationship needed to go in a slightly different direction," explains PDC Chief Matt Porter in conversation with Online Darts. "We're more than capable of staging the qualifies ourselves and the entry numbers for those were tremendous. So yeah, we'll keep evolving that."

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In getting rid of the true amateur qualifiers for a more professional PDC approach though, is the UK Open losing some of its magic? When asked if the day's of a true amateur performing in the UK Open are gone: "Yes they probably have," Porter answers. "The semi-pro player has now got enough opportunities to not be an amateur and the amateur player is too far behind the standard of the semi-pro player."

"Paul Hogan was the professional amateur. You know, Rob Cross was probably the last sort of standout player to come through," Porter continues, noting some of the most notable names to have secured UK Open qualification through the Riley's Amateur Qualifiers over the years. "In the early days of the UK Open it was about finding a star from a local pub somewhere, who went on to have their weekend in the sun in Bolton. But it doesn't kind of work like that anymore, it's more just opportunities for non-tour card holders."

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