Q School Preview: The Toughest Week in Darts Begins

Q School starts on Monday 5th January, and I’m genuinely excited. It’s arguably my favourite tournament of the year , not because of the glitz or prize money, but because of what it represents. This is where darts dreams are either tested, realised, or heartbreakingly put on hold.

For some players, Q School is simply about seeing where they’re at. A chance to measure themselves against the very best and experience the intensity of elite-level competition. For others, though, it can be a life-changing week , the difference between grinding away on the fringes and earning a place on the PDC Pro Tour.

My own aim is to enter Q School in 2027, and I’d place myself firmly in that first category: someone wanting to test themselves and see how far they’ve come. Fingers crossed that by this time next year, my level is strong enough to justify taking that step.

One of the beautiful things about Q School is that anyone over 16 can enter. It’s a completely open field. That means you’ll see players with very little tournament experience throwing alongside seasoned campaigners who’ve spent years on the Challenge Tour, Development Tour, Women’s Series, WDF circuit , and even former World Championship and major tournament winners. That mix is what makes Q School so fascinating.

How Q School Works

Q School takes place across two venues:

• One in England, predominantly featuring UK and Ireland-based players (though international players often attend).

• One in Germany, mainly made up of mainland European players, again with a strong international flavour.

The competition is split into two stages.

Stage One

Stage One is played over three days, consisting of three separate tournaments.

• The last 16 from each tournament automatically qualify for Stage Two.

• Players who don’t reach the last 16 still have a chance through the Order of Merit.

• Players earn one point for each match won (excluding preliminary rounds), with leg difference also counting.

• Depending on how many players are already exempt into Stage Two, a certain number from the Order of Merit will progress.

• Typically, around four points is enough to get through.

Stage Two

Stage Two features:

• All qualifiers from Stage One

• Players exempt from Stage One, including those who have just dropped off the Pro Tour, and players who performed well on the Women’s Series, Challenge Tour, and Development Tour

Stage Two is played across four tournaments:

• The winner of each tournament earns a PDC Tour Card.

• The remaining Tour Cards are awarded via a Stage Two Order of Merit, usually around 10 in the UK and 10 in Europe, depending on numbers.

Why Q School Is So Unpredictable

Q School can be a real lottery. So much depends on the day:

• Is the draw kind?

• Can a player back up a good performance the next day?

• Does someone have one of those freak runs that completely ignores the form book?

Consistency, temperament, and timing are everything — and that’s what makes the next seven days so compelling.

With all that in mind, here are eight players from each venue that I’ll be keeping a close eye on. I’m not sure how many will make it through, but they’re all well worth watching as Q School unfolds.

Q School UK

Steve Beaton - Great to see the 'Bronzed Adonis' trying to win back his Tour Card. A player that has arguably the most experience in the field, not to mention he is a former World Champion. Still a very good player at his best and will be no surprise to see him qualifying. 

Charlie Manby - One of the favourites to make it through. He has had an incredible year and seems to be improving all the time. His run at the pDC World Championship has put him firmly on the radar, and showed that he would not be out of place on the main Tour. 

Ryan Branley - Ryan has already shown his class on the JDC and now noted as one of the best young players in the world. He has also shown he can compete on the Development Tour and MODUS Super Series and mix it with the best. If he can hold his nerve, he may well come through. 

Derek Coulson - This is someone that those inside darting circles will all be wary of. Coulson has bags of experience, and in 2025, seemed to make the MODUS Super Series his own. Defeating top names on a regular basis, he will have a lot of confidence, and I could see him going close.

Archie Self - Another one of the crop of very talented yongsters coming through. Another that has been JDC World number one, he will want to follow in the footsteps of his predecessors. He has been mixing it with the senior players on the ADC Tour and MODUS Super Series and did not look out of place. 

Gemma Hayter - One of only very few female entries, Gemma comes here as a real contender. She qualified for her first PDC World Championships this year, giving Josh Rock a run for his money. She is capable of consistent scoring and is certainly not there to make up the numbers.

David Davies - This Welsh player has lots of experience on the WDF and Challenge Tours, as well as the MODUS Super Series stage. He also made his PDC World Championship debut this year and made round two, losing only to Luke Littler. He showed his class and calm under pressure. I will be very surprised if he doesn't go close. 

Tom Lonsdale - A bit of a wildcard choice, although he did go very close in 2024. This player is particularly well known in the South West, where he is one of the top players. He has had a decent Challenge Tour season and performed well on the MODUS Super Series stage. If he can get a kind draw, he may surprise a few. Can be a very big scorer. 

Q School Europe

Jimmy van Schie - I will be very surprised if this Dutch player does not make it this time around. The current WDF World Champion showed real class in that tournament and can hit the very high averages. He has loads of experience in pressure situations and I believe this is his year. Definitely one that belongs on the Pro Tour. 

Danny van Trijp - Van Trijp has played on the Pro Tour before and is experienced enough to negotiate his way through again. A good season on the Challenge Tour, he also played well on the ADC Global Tour. He should challenge up to the very last. 

Arno Merk - Not too much was known outside of his native Germany until the PDC World Championship, where he really made a mark and stormed through to the third round. He has played well in the German series events, competing with the best Germany has to offer. He showed he has what it takes and will be riding high on confidence. 

Grant Sampson - With the emergence of African darts, I feel it is important to choose one of the continent's stalwarts. Sampson has lots of experience, and been one of the top Adrican players for several years. He has played in the PDC World Cup and PDC World Championships. Is this his time to shine? I hope so, as it will keep the African darts momentum running at it current rapid pace .

Andreas Harrysson - even prior to his PDC World Championship exploits,e he reached round 4, it seems a big surprise that the big Swede is not a Pro Tour player already. He took the Baltic Tour by storm and has consistently played well at the MODUS Super Series. He can be a very big hitter and should run very close by the end of qualifying

 

Cristo Reyes - It was fantastic to see Cristo Reyes back at Ally Pally in the World Darts Championships. He showed he has not lost his touch, so maybe his hunger for the game has reappeared. Maybe there could be another surge of the Spanish, as they have several names in the draw. Reyes at his very best will go far, so will be interesting to see how he plays. 

Boris Krcmar - This giant Croatian was unlucky to have lost his Tour card in 2024 and will be keen to get back on Tour quickly. He has shown his class at WDF tournaments in 2025 as well as maintaining his outstanding form at soft tip darts (he is a multiple World Champion).. At the PDC World Cup he showed he still has a lot to offer the game and he will go close. 

Petr Krivka - This Czech player is my wildcard choice. He is a quality player and played in the 2025 PDC World Cup. Czechia has a history of producing good darts players, and maybe Krivka can join that list of Tour players. On his day he is as good as most in the field, so with a kind draw and steady performances, we may see him challenging. 

Best of luck to all entrants across both venues!