Details have been confirmed for the 2021 PDC Qualifying Schools, which will see the introduction of a new format to ensure both the UK and European events can be staged under COVID-safe conditions.
Up to ten days of action in January will see players competing in First and Final Stages to win two-year PDC Tour Cards to compete on the professional circuit.
In a new development for 2021, the players who lose their Tour Card following the 2020 season will be exempt to the Final Stage of Qualifying School, alongside players who finished in the Top 16 of the 2020 Challenge Tour and Development Tour Orders of Merit.
A three-day Stage One of Qualifying School will allow ANY darts player aged 16 or above to compete for a place in Final Stage, which will be limited to sufficient players to produce a full round of a maximum of 128 players per venue.
The last four players from each of the three days in Stage One will move through automatically to Final Stage, with ranking points given to other players based on the number of match wins from the first full round onwards to form an Order of Merit from which further players will move into Final Stage.
Should entries for Stage One exceed 256 in either the UK or Europe, then Stage One would be split into two in a random draw to reduce the number of players on-site at any time due to Covid-19 regulations.
Tour Cards will be allocated to players from the Final Stage, with the last two players on each day at the UK Qualifying School and the winner at the European Qualifying School on each day securing a Tour Card by right.
Further Tour Cards will be allocated to the overall four-day Final Stage Order of Merit pro-rata based on overall entries.
Entry, costing £450 per player (which includes £50 DRA sanction fee), will be available from 0900 GMT on Monday December 14 and can be made through PDC Tournament Entry System.
Players who have not previously played in PDC events will be required to Register with this system before being able to enter. Players who competed in PDC events in 2019 or 2020 will use the same login details for this system at this link.
The entry deadline will be 1400 GMT on Monday January 4 2021. Entry will be limited to a maximum for 512 players per venue for First Stage.
Following your confirmed entry, the PDPA will contact you via your registered email address to complete your PDPA Membership.
Players who do not win a PDC Tour Card will become PDPA Associate Members and be eligible to compete on the PDC Unicorn Challenge Tour in 2021.
The 2021 Challenge Tour will feature a minimum of eight events before the end of June 2021, with details of further events and all dates to be confirmed on entry.
Players wishing to compete in Qualifying School are advised not to book non-refundable hotels or travel at present; further details will be confirmed to players in due course.
Players from the UK, Republic of Ireland and Gibraltar shall play in the UK Q School. Players from all other European Nations shall play in the European Q School. Players from other nations may choose in which Q School to participate.
2021 PDC Qualifying Schools
UK Qualifying School – Marshall Arena, Milton Keynes, England
European Qualifying School – Ostermann Arena, Leverkusen, Germany
Stage One – January 15-17*
Any player who enters (other than those exempt to Final Stage). Players must be aged 16 or above on January 4 2021.
Stage One will consist of three days of play, with each day’s play featuring a random draw with no seedings and games over the best of 11 legs.
The final four players from each day move automatically to Final Stage.
Players will receive one point per win from the first full round onwards. Players level on points shall be split by Leg Difference, then Legs Won, then Overall Average (based on DartConnect scoring) and then a Play-Off if necessary.
* Should entries surpass 256 for either the UK or European events, these would be split by a random draw into Stage 1A and 1B. in this instance, Stage 1A would be held from January 12-14 and Stage 1B would be held from January 15-17.
Final Stage – January 18-21
The UK Qualifying School and European Qualifying School will each feature 128 players, comprised as follows (split per venue as per geographical eligibility):
– PDC Tour Card Holders from 2020 who lost their Tour Card.
– Players who finished in the Top 16 of the 2020 PDC Challenge Tour Order of Merit
– Players who finished in the Top 16 of the 2020 PDC Development Tour Order of Merit
– Qualifiers from the First Stage of Qualifying School (however many are needed to make up 128 after the above three criteria have been fulfilled)
Final Stage will consist of four days of play, with each day’s play featuring a random draw with no seedings and games over the best of 11 legs.
The last two players on each day at the UK Qualifying School and the winner on each day at the European Qualifying School receive a two-year PDC Tour Card for 2021/22. Further Tour Cards will be awarded to players pro-rata from the UK and European Qualifying School Orders of Merit.
Players will receive one point per win from the first full round onwards. Players level on points shall be split by Leg Difference, then Legs Won, then Overall Average (based on DartConnect scoring) and then a Play-Off if necessary.
