There are nine tickets left, and just one day to secure them. The 2026 Grand Slam of Darts, scheduled to take place from 14 to 22 November at WV Active Aldersley in Wolverhampton, still needs to complete an unprecedented field of 48 players. The qualification criteria have identified forty players, and a minimum of nine further places will be allocated on Friday 6 November during the qualifying tournament reserved for Pro Tour cardholders.
For the first time in its history, the tournament is expanding from 32 to 48 participants. This 20th edition is therefore on a new scale, with the prize fund increased to £1,000,000 and groups reduced to three players each. The field will be finalised eight days before the start of the tournament, leaving very little time for the remaining contenders to prepare.
Forty places allocated based on criteria, at least nine via the qualifier
The regulations, published on 11 February 2026, divide the places into two blocks. The first is based on the finalists of televised tournaments from the past twelve months, up to a maximum of 24 players, supplemented by a maximum of 12 additional qualifiers. The second block is reserved for Pro Tour cardholders, with at least nine places to be filled via a single qualifying event.
This mechanism explains the current composition of the field. Winners of televised titles and Pro Tour events have qualified throughout the season, whilst the final places are decided via a single day of knockout matches. The final tally therefore depends on the exact number of players already qualified via the criteria, and the number of places allocated via the qualifier may rise above nine if places remain vacant.
6 November: a single day to secure a place in the main draw
The qualifying tournament on 6 November acts as a final gateway. No rankings, no repechage: players must string together victories on the same day to secure one of the minimum nine places. For players who have won nothing this season, this date could salvage a whole year’s work.
The format also creates a bottleneck. The circuit’s top players are already guaranteed a place in Wolverhampton, which leaves the door open for lesser-known contenders: young players fresh from the Development Tour, players returning from injury, or Pro Tour specialists who have never had their chance on a major televised stage.
An already very strong line-up
The known qualifiers set the tone. Gian van Veen, winner of the 2025 World Junior Championship and holder of six Players Championship titles this season, will be one of the most eagerly anticipated outsiders. Beau Greaves, winner of the 2026 Women’s World Matchplay and a Pro Tour event, is also in the field, as is Lisa Ashton, who qualified via the Women’s Series rankings.
The development circuits are well represented: Sebastian Białecki (Development Tour), Joe Hunt (Challenge Tour), Cam Crabtree and Jan Schmidt, finalists at the 2026 World Junior Championship. The continental titles have sent Paolo Nebrida (Asian Championship) and Adam Sevada (North American Championship), whilst Raymond Smith has earned his place thanks to his victory in the ANZ Premier League.
Among the top players, Gerwyn Price (runner-up in the World Series Finals), Michael van Gerwen and Gian van Veen (runners-up in the World Cup), Jonny Clayton (winner of the Swiss Darts Trophy), Martin Schindler and Henry Coates have secured their places in recent weeks.
48 players, 16 groups of three: the most ruthless format on the calendar
The format is what really sets this event apart. Sixteen groups of three players, one top seed per group, two group matches per participant and two points for a win. Only the top player in each group progresses to the round of 16. In other words, a defeat in the first match is almost always fatal, and a high average won’t save anyone.
Players will therefore have to manage their energy differently from a traditional tournament: two short group matches, followed by a week of consecutive knockout matches. In a 48-player draw, pace and recovery are just as important as scoring.
Prize money increased to £1,000,000
The total prize fund has risen from £650,000 in 2025 to £1,000,000 this year. The winner will take home £200,000 and the Eric Bristow Trophy, the runner-up £100,000, the semi-finalists £60,000, quarter-finalists £35,000 and round-of-16 players £20,000. The format guarantees prize money for all participants: £12,500 for the runner-up in each group and £5,000 for third place.
Littler on the defensive, in a tournament taking on a new dimension
Luke Littler arrives in Wolverhampton as the defending champion. In 2025, he beat Luke Humphries 16-11 in the final to claim his second Grand Slam and take the world number one spot. This time, he will have to play two group matches followed by three knockout rounds, a physically demanding challenge compared to previous 32-player tournaments.
Full details of the format, ticketing and past winners are all set out in our comprehensive guide to the 2026 Grand Slam of Darts. The full line-up will be confirmed on 6 November, eight days before the first group match.
The criteria list is now complete
On 2 November the PDC confirmed two more qualifiers for Wolverhampton: Charlie Manby and Raymond Smith. Both join an already crowded field featuring most of this year's televised finalists and several continental tour winners.
For Manby, 2026 has been the breakthrough season. The young Englishman landed a statement win on the Pro Tour in late October at Players Championship 31 before sealing his Grand Slam spot. Smith has enjoyed a full year on the international circuits and returns to a major televised event eager to make an impact in a group where every match counts.
6 November for the last places
Only one route in remains: the one-day Tour Card Holder Qualifier on 6 November. Players who come through it will arrive at Wolverhampton without recent form on English soil behind them, a recipe that has often produced surprises over the opening days of group play.
The final field will therefore be known eight days before the 14 November start at Aldersley Leisure Village. Sixteen groups of three impose a particular rhythm: two group matches per player, then a knockout phase that leaves no room for a bad afternoon.
