The battle for a spot at the 2027 PDC World Darts Championship is exceptionally tight, with several big names currently outside the provisional qualifying places. Raymond van Barneveld and Dimitri van den Bergh are among the top stars set to miss out on qualification for Alexandra Palace unless they produce a strong finish to the Pro Tour season.
Raymond van Barneveld, the five-time world champion, sits only 44th on the live world rankings and 62nd on the Pro Tour Order of Merit. Only the top 40 on both rankings qualify for the World Darts Championship. Dimitri van den Bergh is 55th on the live world rankings and as low as 78th on the Pro Tour Order of Merit, underlining an erratic season for the Belgian.
English players Scott Williams and Martin Lukeman also currently sit outside the top 40 on both rankings, lacking the consistency needed to feel safe. Jeffrey De Graaf, a multiple World Championship participant, is also outside the qualifying places. British Tour Card holders Nick Kenny, Ryan Meikle, and Bradley Brooks find themselves in a similar situation, too inconsistent to secure their spots.
From the Netherlands, Wesley Plaisier and reigning Lakeside champion Jimmy van Schie are not yet assured of a World Championship berth. Van Schie, who won the WDF World Championship at the end of last year, only secured his PDC Tour Card at the start of this year and still has plenty of work to do. The margins in modern darts are incredibly fine, with the difference between direct qualification and missing out potentially swinging after just one good or bad weekend.
