Challenge Tour Order of Merit

The Challenge Tour Order of Merit lists the prize money all participants have won on the PDC Challenge Tour. The top two receive a Tour Card valid for two years at the end of the season.

As of: Stand: 28. September 2026 (Endstand der Saison 2026)

Key facts

  • Organiser: Professional Darts Corporation (PDC)
  • Status: Second-highest tier of the PDC
  • Scoring: Prize money won in £
  • Tournaments 2026: 24
  • Prize money per tournament: 20.000 £ (2026, previously 15.000 £)
  • Total prize money of the series: 480.000 £
  • Prize money for the tournament winner: 3.000 £
  • Prize money per event 2027: 30.000 £ (PDC Europe figure)
  • Tour Cards: Top 2 receive a Tour Card valid for two years
  • World Championship qualification: Top 3 qualify for the PDC World Championship
  • Grand Slam of Darts: The ranking leader also qualifies
  • Qualifying School: Places 3 to 8 enter the next Q-School for free
  • Reserve list: Serves as a reserve list for Players Championship tournaments (Henry Coates on top)
  • Eligible: All PDPA members without a Tour Card
  • Listed players: 329
  • First in the Order of Merit 2026: Joe Hunt (20.400 £)
  • Final standings 2026: 1. Joe Hunt (20.400 £), 2. Derek Coulson (15.500 £), 3. Tommy Morris (12.450 £)
  • Tournament wins 2026: Joe Hunt 5 (CT02, CT03, CT14, CT22, CT23); 2 each for Derek Coulson, Daniel Klose and Archie Self
  • Last tournament of the season: Challenge Tour 24, winner Patrik Williams
  • Entries: 329 players
  • Organisation: PDC

Top 100

RankPlayerCountryPrize moneyTrend
1Joe Hunt20400–
2Derek Coulson15500–
3Tommy Morris12450–
4Daniel Klose12250–
5Archie Self9500–
6Tommy Lishman8950–
7Jack Aldridge8150–
8Jack Tweddell8050–
9Daniel Ayres7750–
10Aden Kirk7450–
11Harry Ward7350–
12Steve Lennon7250–
13Henry Coates7000–
14Patrik Williams6600–
15Nathan Potter6300–
16Martijn Dragt6150–
17Christopher Wickenden6000–
18Ted Evetts5500–
19Kevin Burness5450–
20Scott Waites5350–
21Michele Turetta5000–
22Lewis Pride4900–
23David Davies4700–
24Gilbert van der Meijden4450–
25James Beeton4300–
26Radek Szaganski4250–
27Stef Kosters4250–
28Levy Frauenfelder4250–
29Florian Preis4200–
30Oliver Mitchell4100–
31Dan Hands4000–
32Dylan Slevin3950–
33David Evans3900–
34Ashley Coleman3800–
35Callum Francis3750–
36Ben Townley3750–
37Danny Trueman3700–
38Harrison Leigh3650–
39Patrick Geeraets3650–
40Sam Jackson3550–
41John Henderson3450–
42Alan Norris3200–
43Callum Goffin3200–
44Robbie Martin3100–
45Jamie Kay3050–
46James Howard Hughes3050–
47Jenson Walker3050–
48Jake Jones2900–
49Paul Rowley2900–
50Andy Hamilton2850–
51Michael Unterbuchner2850–
52Jack Main2750–
53Andy Courtney2700–
54Scott Campbell2650–
55Jenson Remory2650–
56Steve Beaton2650–
57Ricardo Ulrich2650–
58Carl Wilson2550–
59Jamai van den Herik2450–
60Geoffrey Murray2400–
61Jamie Hughes2400–
62Jake Eichen2350–
63Graham Usher2350–
64Nicolas Thuillier2300–
65Patrick Tringler2200–
66Jose Justicia2200–
67Danny Goddard2150–
68Michael Flynn2100–
69Arron Monk2100–
70Cayden Smith2000–
71Simon Stevenson2000–
72Steve Hine2000–
73Keegan Brown2000–
74Ashton Brown1950–
75Ron Meulenkamp1950–
76Daniel Nicholls1950–
77Maikel Verberk1850–
78Stuart Wares1800–
79Joseph Heywood1800–
80Adrian Gray1700–
81Gary Jackson1700–
82Mike Warburton1650–
83Ryan O'Connor1650–
84James Parkin1600–
85Kevin McDine1550–
86Lee Cocks1550–
87Dragutin Horvat1550–
88Matthew Dennant1550–
89Sam Spivey1500–
90John Brown1450–
91Chas Barstow1450–
92Nunjo Dewaele1450–
93William Leonard1300–
94Brian Raman1300–
95Graham Hall1300–
96Andy Cass1250–
97Danny Lauby1250–
98Jacob Gwynne1250–
99Llew Bevan1250–
100Adam Hunt1200–

Prize money in units of £1

About the ranking

The Challenge Tour Order of Merit is the official prize money ranking of the PDC Challenge Tour, which ranks as the PDC's second-highest level behind the professional circuit. It records how much prize money a player has won on the series and is therefore the key yardstick for every pro aiming to step up to the PDC ProTour. According to darts1.de, all members of the players' union Professional Dart Player Association (PDPA) who do not hold a Tour Card are eligible to take part.

The series has existed in its present form since 2015, although the name changed several times: the 2014 debut ran as the Challenge Tour, in 2015 the PDC renamed the competition the Development Tour, and in 2016 it went back to the name Challenge Tour. Its origin was the Youth Tour launched in 2011 for players aged between 14 and 21, which was renamed Challenge Tour in 2013 with the age limit raised to 25. In 2014 the Youth Tour and the Challenge Tour were held independently of each other with 16 tournaments each and were jointly referred to as the PDC Development Tour, with total prize money of £280,000. In 2021, 24 events were staged in two separate series of twelve tournaments each on the European mainland and in England and were ranked separately; since 2022 there has again been a single ranking covering 24 tournaments.

For the 2026 season the prize money was increased by £5,000 to £20,000 per tournament – that is £120,000 more in total and £480,000 across the whole series. The tournament winner receives £3,000, the finalist £2,000, semi-finalists £1,000, quarter-finalists £750, the last 16 still £350, the last 32 £250 and the last 64 £100. For 2027, PDC Europe lists £30,000 in prize money per event in its overview of tournament formats and ranks the Challenge Tour as the PDC's second-highest level. At the end of the year the top two receive a Tour Card valid for two years, the top 3 qualify for the World Championship and the ranking leader also for the Grand Slam of Darts; places three to eight may enter the following Qualifying School free of charge.

The 2026 season is over: the decision came with Challenge Tour 24, won by Patrik Williams; dartsrankings.com and dartrankings.co.uk list the table as the final standings, darts1.de shows it as the final standings of 28 September 2026. Joe Hunt leads with £20,400 ahead of Derek Coulson (£15,500), Tommy Morris (£12,450) and Daniel Klose (£12,250). Joe Hunt also tops the winners' list of the 2026 season with five tournament wins (Challenge Tour 02, 03, 14, 22 and 23), while Derek Coulson (CT06, CT16), Daniel Klose (CT07, CT20) and Archie Self (CT18, CT21) took two titles each. A total of 329 players are listed, among them many former Tour Card holders and major participants such as Steve Beaton, Jelle Klaasen, Jose De Sousa or Devon Petersen, who are looking for a way back onto the ProTour via the Challenge Tour. The ranking also serves as the reserve list for Players Championship tournaments – there Henry Coates tops it as the winner of a ProTour event.

How the ranking works

Only the prize money a player wins at the Challenge Tour tournaments counts; there are no ranking points. In 2026, 24 tournaments were held, each paying out £20,000 – £5,000 more than the year before and £480,000 across the series in total. The breakdown per tournament: winner £3,000, finalist £2,000, semi-final £1,000, quarter-final £750, last 16 £350, last 32 £250, last 64 £100. For 2027, PDC Europe lists £30,000 in prize money per event in its overview of tournament formats. The values in the table are given in units of £1.

One season counts, meaning the prize money won within a calendar year. At the end of the year the top two in the Challenge Tour Order of Merit receive a PDC Tour Card valid for two years; the top 3 in the ranking qualify for the PDC World Championship. The ranking leader is additionally qualified for the Grand Slam of Darts. Places three to eight may enter the following PDC Qualifying School free of charge. The Order of Merit also serves as the reserve list for Players Championship tournaments, headed by Henry Coates as the winner of a ProTour event.

According to darts1.de, all members of the Professional Dart Player Association (PDPA) who do not hold a Tour Card are eligible to take part. The ranking is updated after every counting tournament. The season ended with Challenge Tour 24; dartsrankings.com and dartrankings.co.uk show the table as the final standings, darts1.de as the final standings of 28 September 2026 – all 24 tournaments of the season are included.

FAQ

Who won the Challenge Tour Order of Merit 2026?

Joe Hunt won the Challenge Tour Order of Merit 2026 with £20,400. Behind him, Derek Coulson (£15,500) and Tommy Morris (£12,450) finished the season. These are the final standings after the last tournament, Challenge Tour 24.

How is the PDC Challenge Tour ranking calculated?

Only the prize money in pounds that a player has won at the season's tournaments counts; there are no ranking points in the Challenge Tour Order of Merit. The figures in the table are given in units of £1.

Which tournaments count towards the Challenge Tour ranking?

The tournaments of the PDC Challenge Tour count, of which 24 were staged in total in 2026. £20,000 is paid out per tournament, so £480,000 across the entire series. For 2027, PDC Europe lists £30,000 in prize money per event in its overview of tournament formats.

How much prize money is there per Challenge Tour tournament?

The winner receives £3,000, the runner-up £2,000, semi-finalists £1,000 and quarter-finalists £750. The last 16 get £350, the last 32 £250 and the last 64 £100 – £20,000 per tournament in total, £5,000 more than the previous year.

What does the CT OOM qualify you for at the end of the season?

The top two in the Challenge Tour Order of Merit receive a PDC Tour Card valid for two years, and the top 3 qualify for the World Championship. The ranking leader is also qualified for the Grand Slam of Darts, while places three to eight may take part in the following Qualifying School free of charge. The ranking also serves as the reserve list for Players Championship tournaments, headed by Henry Coates as a ProTour tournament winner.

Who is eligible to play on the PDC Challenge Tour?

According to darts1.de, all members of the players' union Professional Dart Player Association (PDPA) who do not hold a Tour Card are eligible to enter. A total of 329 players are listed in the Challenge Tour Order of Merit 2026.

When is the Challenge Tour Order of Merit updated?

The ranking is updated after every tournament that counts. With Challenge Tour 24, the 2026 season is over: the table is kept as the final standings, and darts1.de lists it as the final standings of 28 September 2026 with the results of all 24 tournaments.

Who won the most Challenge Tour tournaments in 2026?

Joe Hunt won five tournaments in the 2026 season with Challenge Tour 02, 03, 14, 22 and 23. Two wins each went to Derek Coulson (CT06, CT16), Daniel Klose (CT07, CT20) and Archie Self (CT18, CT21); the season finale, Challenge Tour 24, was won by Patrik Williams.

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