The PDC has announced a new qualifying tournament for the World Darts Championship, set to debut in 2026. The Trans-Tasman Championship will give players from Australia and New Zealand an extra chance to secure a spot at the sport's biggest stage: the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace, which starts on December 10 this year.
The event will be held from August 28 to 30, 2026 at the Pine Rivers Darts Club in Brisbane, featuring a full darts weekend with multiple disciplines. On Friday, August 28, the Trans-Tasman Open Singles will kick off with a prize fund of 7,500 Australian dollars. Saturday, August 29, includes the Open Doubles with 5,000 dollars in prize money and an Australia vs New Zealand Test Match, where the top eight players from both countries face off.
The climax comes on Sunday, August 30, when 32 players—the top 16 from the Australian Darts Association rankings and the top 16 from DartPlayers New Zealand—battle for one coveted place at the World Darts Championship. The winner secures the fourth Oceanic spot at the World Championship, joining qualifiers from the ANZ Premier League and the number ones on the Order of Merit rankings of both Australia and New Zealand (or the next-highest ranked player not yet qualified).
This move represents an important step in the continued development of darts in Oceania, offering players more opportunities to compete at a high level and a clearer pathway to the World Championship. The event aims to fuel international rivalry and support local dart venues, with the Trans-Tasman Championship poised to become a fixture on the international darts calendar.
