The World Darts Championship begins on 11 December this year. As last year, 128 players will take to the stage at Alexandra Palace, where they will compete for the coveted Sid Waddell Trophy. But which players have already secured their place at the World Championship, and who still has plenty of work to do in the coming weeks to qualify? This article lists all the players who have qualified so far and looks at the remaining events that could shape the field.
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The top 40 in the world rankings qualify automatically for the World Championship. The 40 highest-ranked players on the Pro Tour Order of Merit also qualify, provided they are not already among the top 40 in the world rankings. That accounts for 80 of the 128 places. The remaining 48 spots will be awarded through various qualifying events held around the world.
Littler, Humphries, Price lead the way
Luke Littler leads the world rankings. The 19-year-old Englishman has developed into the undisputed number one in darts in recent years and heads into the new World Championship as the two-time defending champion. Littler impressed again in 2026, winning an impressive collection of major titles and showing that he remains extremely difficult to stop. It is no surprise that he is once again considered the leading contender for the title at Alexandra Palace.
The World Championship will once again be a major occasion for Littler. He will have the chance to defend his title and further cement his place in darts history. Despite his young age, he has already built an impressive record. His rivals, however, will do everything they can to prevent the Englishman from lifting the Sid Waddell Trophy again.
Behind Littler, the world rankings feature plenty of familiar names. Among those include Gian van Veen who is second seed. Van Veen enjoyed a memorable campaign at last year’s event, reaching the final. He ultimately had to settle for second place behind Luke Littler, but his performances at Alexandra Palace confirmed his place among the world’s elite.
Gerwyn Price is in fourth going into Ally Pally, while Jonny Clayton rounds out the top five. Ross Smith has won plenty of accolades this years sealing two out of three of the recent major titles and is in 6th spot. While James Wade, Nathan Aspinall, Josh Rock, Wessel Nijman all but complete the top 10 in front of Michael van Gerwen.
Michael van Gerwen is chasing a fourth world title
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Michael van Gerwen hopes to bounce back
Just outside the top ten is Michael van Gerwen. The three-time world champion is currently ranked 11th, making him a notable name on the list. For years, “Mighty Mike” was the undisputed world number one, but a new generation of top players has since gained ground on him.
Van Gerwen endured a difficult year and did not always reach his usual level. In the past, he started almost every tournament as one of the leading favourites. Now, he more often has to watch his back in the world rankings. Even so, the Dutchman remains a player to take seriously. His experience, scoring power and impressive record make him dangerous against any opponent.
The World Darts Championship could be the ideal opportunity for Van Gerwen to make a statement. He has won the title three times at Alexandra Palace and knows better than most what it takes to perform at the highest level. Based on his 2026 results, however, a fourth world title looks like a particularly difficult task. Still, nobody will want to rule him out completely when he takes to the stage at the year’s biggest tournament.
In addition to the world’s top 40, the 40 highest-ranked players on the Pro Tour Order of Merit can also qualify for the World Darts Championship. This applies to players who have not already earned a place through the world rankings. The list also features some notable names, with Cristo Reyes the standout.
The Spaniard leads the Pro Tour Order of Merit, an impressive achievement. Reyes regained his PDC Tour Card only this year, after several seasons away. He has made excellent use of his return, quickly establishing himself among the circuit’s top players.
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Beau Greaves also deserves special mention. The Englishwoman is currently the only female player with a PDC Tour Card and has impressed against the male professionals. Greaves has already won a Players Championship title this year. Her fourth place on the Pro Tour Order of Merit caps a superb season and underlines once again that she can compete with established names at the highest PDC level.
As well as Greaves, the top 10 currently also includes Charlie Manby and Jeffrey de Graaf. Familiar names outside the top 10 include Mensur Suljovic, Max Hopp, James Hurrell and Scott Williams.
Tommy Morris is in 30th despite the fact that he's not a Tour Card holder and he has already qualified through the Challenge Tour. Raymond van Barneveld teeters on the edge in 40th and faces an uphill battle to even qualify. While Michael Smith and Peter Wright might not qualify if they fall out the top 40.
Pro Tour Order of Merit top 40
Ranking
Name
Prize money
1
Cristo Reyes
101.25
2
Sebastian Bialecki
91.5
3
Kim Huybrechts
83.75
4
Beau Greaves
77.5
5
Jeffrey de Graaf
76.25
6
Maik Kuivenhoven
70.25
7
Richard Veenstra
62.5
8
Charlie Manby
61.5
9
Mickey Mansell
59.5
10
Tom Bissell
58
11
Tom Sykes
57.25
12
Brendan Dolan
56
13
Gabriel Clemens
56
14
Keane Barry
55.25
15
Mensur Suljovic
55.25
16
Max Hopp
54.75
17
Rob Owen
54
18
Bradley Brooks
51
19
James Hurrell
50
20
Connor Scutt
48.5
21
Madars Razma
46.25
22
Joe Hunt
46
23
Alan Soutar
44.25
24
Darius Labanauskas
43
25
Ritchie Edhouse
42.5
26
Scott Williams
41.25
27
Christian Kist
41
28
Darryl Pilgrim
40.25
29
Mario Vandenbogaerde
39.5
30
Tommy Morris
39.25
31
Jimmy van Schie
38.75
32
Ian White
37.25
33
Jim Long
36.25
34
Lukas Wenig
35.75
35
Alexander Merkx
33.75
36
Adam Gawlas
33
37
David Sharp
32.5
38
Owen Bates
32
39
Wesley Plaisier
31.75
40
Raymond van Barneveld
31.75
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England remains the best-represented nation, with plenty of Germans also set for the World Championship
England remains the leading source of players for the upcoming World Darts Championship. Alexandra Palace will once again welcome an international field, but the gap between England and the other nations is considerable. No fewer than 37 English players have already secured a place at the world’s biggest darts tournament. England is therefore comfortably the best-represented nation at the World Championship.
Many of those English players qualified through the world rankings or the Pro Tour Order of Merit. Thirty English players feature in the top 40 across the two lists.
Seven more English players have qualified through other routes: Cam Crabtree, Archie Self, Beau Greaves, Fallon Sherrock, Lisa Ashton, Gemma Hayter and Carl Wilson. They earned their places by other means, bringing the English contingent to a current total of 37 players.
World rankings
Pro Tour Order of Merit
1. Luke Littler
4. Beau Greaves
3. Luke Humphries
8. Charlie Manby
6. Ross Smith
10. Tom Bissell
7. James Wade
11. Tom Sykes
8. Nathan Aspinall
17. Rob Owen
14. Ryan Searle
18. Bradley Brooks
15. Chris Dobey
19. James Hurrell
16. Luke Woodhouse
20. Connor Scutt
24. Rob Cross
22. Joe Hunt
25. Ryan Joyce
25. Ritchie Edhouse
27. Andrew Gilding
26. Scott Williams
30. Dave Chisnall
28. Darryl Piglrim
32. Joe Cullen
30. Tommy Morris
37. Michael Smith
31. Ian White
40. Callan Rydz
38. Owen Bates
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Germany also traditionally attracts plenty of interest at the World Darts Championship. German fans turn out in large numbers at Alexandra Palace every year and will once again have several compatriots to support.
Seven German players have already secured places at the World Championship. Three qualified through the world’s top 40. Another three Germans are in the top 40 of the Pro Tour Order of Merit, earning them direct places at Alexandra Palace.
Daniel Klose is a notable name in the German contingent. He finished fourth on the Challenge Tour and will also be making his World Championship debut.
There could be more to come for Germany. The winner of the German Super League will also earn a place at the World Championship, giving the German contingent a chance to grow further.
World rankings
Pro Tour Order of Merit
20. Martin Schindler
13. Gabriel Clemens
33. Niko Springer
16. Max Hopp
35. Ricardo Pietreczko
34. Lukas Wenig
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The international qualifiers
Besides the players who qualify directly through the world rankings and Pro Tour Order of Merit, 48 places are available through international qualifying events. Many have already been allocated, but several qualifiers remain in the coming weeks. The field could therefore still change considerably.
The Netherlands has already gained two more representatives. Jurjen van der Velde and Jamai van den Herik both qualified through the Development Tour, bringing the provisional Dutch total to 17. That makes the Netherlands the second-best-represented nation at Alexandra Palace, behind England.
That total could rise further in the coming weeks. The qualifier for Belgian and Dutch players takes place on 14 November, giving players from both countries another chance to earn a World Championship place. The Tour Card Holder Qualifier also offers an opportunity. Dutch and Belgian players can still secure a place in the sport’s annual showpiece through that event.
The women’s field is also taking shape. Five women will compete at this year’s World Championship. Beau Greaves, Lisa Ashton, Gemma Hayter and Fallon Sherrock had already qualified. Vicky Pruim completes the line-up.
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It will be a special occasion for Pruim, who was born in Belgium and will make her Alexandra Palace stage debut. She now represents Sweden and has also secured a place among the world’s top players.
Event
Date
Position
Qualifier
PDC World Youth Championship
29 November
Winner
PDC Development Tour
20 February – 4 October
Runner-up
Jurjen van der Velde (NED)
Third place
Cam Crabtree (ENG)
Fourth place
Jamai van den Herik (NED)
PDC Challenge Tour
16 January – 27 September
Runner-up
Derek Coulson (WAL)
Fourth place
Daniel Klose (GER)
Fifth place
Archie Self (ENG)
Women's World Matchplay
26 July
Winner
Beau Greaves (ENG)
PDC Women's Series
7 February – 11 October
Runner-up
Lisa Ashton (ENG)
Third place
Fallon Sherrock (ENG)
Fourth place
Gemma Hayter (ENG)
Fifth place
Vicky Pruim (SWE)
Steel Tour Japan
5 May – 23 September
Winner
Motomu Sakai (JPN)
PDC China Championship
2 November
Winner
(CHN)
IDC Indian Qualifier
2–4 October
Winner
Nitin Kumar (IND)
PDC Asian Championship
14 September
Winner
Paolo Nebrida (PHI)
Runner-up
Kam Weng Cheng (MAC)
PDC Asian Tour
24 January – 13 September
Winner
Ryuta Arihara (JPN)
Christian Perez (PHI)
Third place
Christian Perez (PHI)
Haruki Muramatsu (JPN)
Fourth place
Haruki Muramatsu (JPN)
Lok Yin Lee (HKG)
Fifth place
Lok Yin Lee (HKG)
Seventh place
Man Lok Leung (HKG)
PDCE Netherlands & Belgium Qualifier
14 November
Winner
PDCE Mediterranean Qualifier
6–8 November
Winner
PDCE South-East Europe Qualifier
28 November
Winner
PDCE Czechia Qualifier
29 November
Winner
(CZE)
PDO Polish Qualifier
13 November
Winner
(POL)
PDCE DACH Super League
10–13 November
Winner
Hungarian Super League
7 March – 31 October
Winner
(HUN)
PDC UK&IRE TCH & AM Qualifier
28 September
Winner
Carl Wilson (ENG)
PDC North American Championship
26 June
Winner
Adam Sevada (USA)
CDC Continental Cup
6–7 November
Winner
CDC Cross-Border Challenge
17–18 April
Winner
David Cameron (CAN)
CDC Pro Tour
8 May – 18 October
Highest-ranked American
Fred Krueger (USA)
Highest-ranked Canadian
Brayden Hall (CAN)
CDLC Tour
23 April – 26 July
Winner
Jesús Salate (ARG)
PDC Nordic & Baltic Championship
6–8 November
Winner
PDCNB Pro Tour
7 February – 27 September
Winner
Daniel Larsson (SWE)
Runner-up
Cor Dekker (NOR)
ANZ Premier League
26 September – 31 October
Winner
Raymond Smith (AUS)
ADA Tour
20 February – 13 September
Winner
Brody Klinge (AUS)
DPNZ Pro Tour
14 February – 6 September
Winner
Ben Robb (NZL)
Trans-Tasman Championship
30 August
Winner
Mal Cuming (AUS)
African Darts Group – Northern Africa Qualifier
20 September
Winner
David Munyua (KEN)
African Darts Group – Southern Africa Qualifier
1 November
Winner
PDC Tour Card Holder Qualifier
30 November
1
2
3
4
Van den Bergh, Evans and others are currently missing
Despite the large number of players who have already secured a place at the World Darts Championship, several familiar names are still outside the field. Two notable absentees are currently outside the world’s top 64 and risk missing the annual darts celebration at Alexandra Palace.
One of them is Ricky Evans. The Englishman is currently 48th in the world rankings and is a familiar face at the World Championship. Known for his lightning-fast throw and colourful outfits, Evans has reached the last 32 at Alexandra Palace seven times. His place in the upcoming edition, however, is not yet secure.
Dimitri Van den Bergh’s situation is even more striking. The Belgian, a two-time major winner, is enduring a particularly difficult season and is even at risk of losing his PDC Tour Card. His chances of qualifying for the World Championship are limited. The Tour Card Holder Qualifier is his only remaining opportunity to earn a place at Alexandra Palace.
Several other well-known players outside the top 64 are also missing from the provisional field. Nick Kenny, Martin Lukeman, Thibault Tricole, Ryan Meikle, Jeffrey de Zwaan and Mervyn King are among those in danger of missing the World Championship. All have appeared on darts’ biggest stage several times in the past.
Even the legendary Paul Lim will not be there this year. The 72-year-old Singaporean, nicknamed “The Singapore Slinger”, failed to qualify through the Asian Tour. One of the sport’s most iconic names could therefore miss the upcoming World Championship.
Dimitri Van den Bergh is unlikely to feature at this year’s World Championship
Conclusion
Many players have already secured places at the World Darts Championship, but the battle for the remaining spots is still under way. Some of the field have begun preparing for the annual showpiece at Alexandra Palace. They can look ahead to the tournament with confidence, while a tense few weeks await others.
The coming weeks will be crucial. Every match could decide whether a player gets to compete on darts’ biggest stage or faces a winter without the World Championship. The final qualifying events could also produce surprises, giving lesser-known names a chance to step into the spotlight.
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.