Joe Hunt has sealed a PDC Tour Card and a spot at the 2026 Grand Slam of Darts following a dominant run on the 2026 PDC Challenge Tour. With 22 of 24 events completed, Hunt leads the Order of Merit with £20,050, putting him in pole position to claim one of the two automatic Tour Cards for the 2027 and 2028 seasons. The top two players on the Challenge Tour Order of Merit, who have not obtained a PDC Tour Card via another method, will earn a two-year Tour Card, while the top three will qualify for the 2027 PDC World Championship. The highest ranked player also receives a spot at the 2026 Grand Slam of Darts.
Hunt's recent form has been outstanding. He won Challenge Tour 23, defeating Jack Tweddell 5-1 in the final with a 99.48 average. En route, he overcame Harrison Leigh 5-3 in the semi-finals and Jack Aldridge 5-4 in the quarter-finals. He also won Challenge Tour 22, beating Callum Francis 5-3 in the final, and Challenge Tour 14, where he defeated Tommy Morris 5-3. His consistency has seen him climb to the top of the Order of Merit, ahead of Derek Coulson (£15,500) and Tommy Morris (£12,350).
The 2026 Challenge Tour features 24 events held across Milton Keynes, Leicester, Hildesheim, and Wigan. The season began on 16 January at Arena MK and will conclude on 27 September at Robin Park Leisure Centre in Wigan with Events 23 and 24. Each event carries a total payout of £20,000, with the winner receiving £3,000, the runner-up £2,000, semi-finalists £1,000, quarter-finalists £750, and last 16 losers £350. Matches are played first to five legs. The top 16 players on the Order of Merit who have not obtained a PDC Tour Card before 2027 Q-School will receive free entry to the final stage of Q-School, while the top eight not already on tour qualify for the first round of the 2026 UK Open.
Beyond Hunt, the race for the second Tour Card remains intense. Derek Coulson sits second with £15,500, followed by Tommy Morris on £12,350 and Daniel Klose on £12,150. Archie Self, Tommy Lishman, Jack Tweddell, and Daniel Ayres are also in contention. The Challenge Tour is not televised, with results available via DartConnect and the DartsNews Tournament Centre. As the final weekend approaches, all eyes will be on Wigan to see who joins Hunt in securing a coveted Tour Card.
