The line-up for the 2026 Grand Slam of Darts is now complete. On Friday, ninety-one players gathered at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester for the Tour Card Holder Qualifier, the final gateway to Wolverhampton. Ten places were up for grabs in a tournament that will see forty-eight players competing for the Eric Bristow Trophy and a first prize of £200,000.
Stephen Bunting emerged from the day with the strongest record. The 2023 semi-finalist was the highest-ranked player in the qualifier and lived up to that status, posting three averages above 100 against Arno Merk, Callan Rydz and then Jimmy van Schie, whom he beat 5-2 in the final round.
Springer averages 112, Brooks knocks out Chisnall
Niko Springer produced the statistical highlight of the day. The German, who had beaten Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson in this very tournament last year, qualified with an average of 112.25 against Stefaan Henderyck, whom he dispatched 5-1. An immediate return to Wolverhampton for a player who is beginning to make his mark on the major tournaments.
Bradley Brooks also made a strong impression. The former World Youth Champion knocked out Dave Chisnall, the unlucky 2014 runner-up, 5-2 with an average of 106.31. This is his first Grand Slam qualification since 2021, a sign of progress for a player long expected to reach this level.
Cullen overturns Burton then sees off Smith
Joe Cullen had to fight hard. Trailing 4-2 to Stephen Burton, the 2022 Masters champion turned the match around before beating Michael Smith 5-3 in a match that secured a place in Wolverhampton. For Smith, a three-time Grand Slam finalist, the door is closing at the worst possible moment.
Ricky Evans also returns to the tournament for the second year running. Last year’s quarter-finalist saw off William O’Connor and then Cristo Reyes 5-3. Alan Soutar put in a strong performance by knocking out Madars Razma, Mickey Mansell and Mike De Decker, the latter defeated 5-3 in the final round.
Three debutants in the draw
Maik Kuivenhoven, a two-time ProTour finalist in 2026, will be competing in his first Grand Slam following his 5-2 victory over Chris Landman. Tom Sykes and Carl Sneyd join him in this group of newcomers, having beaten Adam Leek (5-3) and Andy Boulton (5-2) respectively. Rusty-Jake Rodriguez completes the list of qualifiers after knocking out Australia’s Damon Heta and former European champion Ritchie Edhouse, before defeating Tom Bissell 5-2.
The big names are left out
It has been a harsh reality check for several regulars. Damon Heta was knocked out in the first round, as were Danny Noppert - a semi-finalist in 2025 - Dirk van Duijvenbode and Peter Wright, a three-time finalist in the tournament. Raymond van Barneveld, the 2012 winner, was knocked out in the penultimate round. Michael Smith, meanwhile, fell just a few legs short of a place in a draw he knows like the back of his hand.
This qualifier therefore completes the list of entrants for Wolverhampton, following the withdrawals and qualifiers already confirmed over the past few days. The draw for the Grand Slam of Darts will take place on Monday 9 November and will reveal the group line-up, with a format combining a group stage and knockout rounds.
For Bunting, Cullen and the other survivors from Leicester, the real challenge begins now: turning a hard-fought qualification into a successful tournament, in a competition where the world’s top-ranked players arrive fresh and where the outcome of any group can hinge on a single match.
