Fred Krueger has made a major move in the race for a World Darts Championship berth. The 45-year-old American claimed his third title of the season during the penultimate CDC Main Tour weekend in Chicago and has climbed to the position of highest-ranked American player not yet assured of a spot at the Worlds.
The CDC Main Tour touched down in Oakbrook Terrace on 19 and 20 September 2026, where three tournaments were played. Krueger, David Cameron, and Alex Spellman split the titles. There was plenty on the line for Krueger in particular. The American made his TV debut at the US Darts Masters in June and is now chasing his first-ever qualification for the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace. He took a significant step on Saturday at the Cosmo Darts Championship, winning the event to secure his third CDC Main Tour title of 2026.
Krueger kept the momentum on Saturday’s second event. At the Winmau Darts Masters he reached the semi-finals. Those results lifted him past Leonard Gates on the CDC Main Tour ranking. A day later Krueger added a last-16 finish at the DartConnect Challenge. As a result, he heads into the decisive CDC Main Tour weekend as the highest-ranked American without a Worlds ticket. Three events remain on the schedule this season. They will be played from 16 to 18 October 2026 in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. There we will learn whether Krueger can convert his strong position into a maiden World Championship appearance.
Krueger was not the only winner in Chicago. The Winmau Darts Masters went to Canadian David Cameron. He defeated Adam Sevada in the final, the current leader of the CDC Main Tour ranking. For both Cameron and Sevada, the Worlds race is already settled. Each has secured a place at Alexandra Palace. Sevada did so by winning the North American Darts Championship earlier this year, while Cameron earned his ticket via victory at the Cross-Border Challenge. On Sunday the top prize went to Spellman. The reigning CDC Continental Cup champion bounced back from his loss at the Cosmo Darts Championship to land his first title of 2026. In the DartConnect Challenge final, the American defeated compatriot Doug Boehm.
The Canadian race for a Worlds berth is also still open. Twenty-three-year-old Brayden Hall goes into the final weekend as the highest-ranked Canadian yet to qualify. He, too, is chasing a December debut at Ally Pally. After October’s final three CDC Main Tour events, the North American season concludes with the CDC Continental Cup. That event takes place on 6 and 7 November 2026 in Newfoundland. The top 24 players on the 2026 ranking will line up there.
CDC Tour Order of Merit:
1 Adam Sevada (USA) 140
2 Fred Krueger (USA) 98
3 David Cameron (CAN) 88
4 Leonard Gates (USA) 77
5 Alex Spellman (USA) 66
6 Danny Young (USA) 56
7 Nick Linberg (USA) 55
8 Brayden Hall (CAN) 54.5
9 Doug Boehm (USA) 54
10 Gary Mawson (USA) 49
11 Joey Lynaugh (USA) 47
12 Kiley Edmunds (CAN) 46
