QUICK ANSWER
The PDC Challenge Tour and Development Tour are the two feeder circuits that feed aspiring professionals into the PDC’s main Pro Tour. Win enough on these tours and you earn a Tour Card — your passport to the highest level of competitive darts.
Two Paths to the Pro Tour
Every PDC Tour Card holder started somewhere. For most, the starting point is either the Challenge Tour or the Development Tour — two structured pathways designed to find the next generation of professional darts players.
PDC Challenge Tour
Open to players without a current Tour Card. 16 one-day events held throughout the year, typically in batches of 4 across multiple weekends. Draws are completely open, meaning you can face a struggling ex-pro in Round 1. The top 5 players on the end-of-year Challenge Tour Order of Merit earn full PDC Tour Cards for the following two seasons.
- Entry fee per event: £80
- Open draw format (no seedings)
- Single elimination, best of 5 legs in early rounds
- Prize money: £2,000 to the winner
PDC Development Tour
Aimed specifically at players aged 18 and under (or 21 and under in some years). 24 events per year give young players more reps against competitive opposition. Top 2 finishers on the Dev Tour OoM earn Tour Cards. The Development Tour has launched careers — check who’s just cracked the PDC ranking standings and you’ll often find a recent Dev Tour graduate.
- Age-restricted entry (U18 or U21)
- Higher volume of events = more experience
- Prize money: £1,000 to the winner
- Top 2 on OoM earn full Tour Cards
How Tour Card Qualification Works
Both tours run their own Order of Merit based on prize money earned across all events in the calendar year. At the end of the season, the rankings determine who earns the coveted Tour Cards.
| Route | Cards Awarded | Duration | Who Qualifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Challenge Tour OoM (Top 5) | 5 | 2 years | Players without a Tour Card |
| Development Tour OoM (Top 2) | 2 | 2 years | U18 or U21 players |
| Q-School (direct) | ~32 | 2 years | Any player, January only |
| Challenge Tour Q-School finalist | Varies | 1 year | Q-School late-stage finalists |
What Happens After You Earn a Tour Card
Earning a Tour Card via the Challenge Tour or Development Tour gives you access to every PDC Pro Tour event for two seasons. That means Players Championships, European Tour qualifiers, and the big floor events where ranking prize money is accumulated.
The transition is steep. One day you’re playing in front of 50 people in a sports hall; the next you’re on a floor stage with PDC World Champions two boards over. Players who climb through the feeder system tend to be battle-hardened — they’ve earned every step through open draws rather than reputations.
WHY THIS MATTERS
The feeder tours are where the future of darts is forged. A Development Tour champion at 17 could be a PDC major finalist at 22. The pathway has never been clearer or more competitive — watch the feeder rankings closely if you want to spot tomorrow’s stars before they become household names.
Notable Graduates From the Feeder System
The feeder system has produced some of the PDC’s biggest names. Luke Littler came through the Youth pathway. Numerous current top-32 players earned their first Tour Cards via Challenge Tour or Q-School rather than through the old BDO route. The feeder system is increasingly the primary pipeline for new PDC talent.
Success on the feeder tours doesn’t guarantee Pro Tour success — but it does guarantee the opportunity. Some players earn a Tour Card and lose it two years later without winning a single Pro Tour event. Others use it as a springboard to break into the top 64 and keep their card indefinitely through consistent rankings performance.
SCOUT’S TAKE
If you want to follow darts beyond the majors, track the Challenge Tour and Development Tour results religiously. The players grinding these one-day events for £500 first prize are tomorrow’s world title contenders. The feeder system is where darts’ future lives.
