Here’s the story of the day: Raymond van Barneveld secured his place in the next two PDC European Tour events in quick succession on Thursday in Hildesheim. Six matches, six wins, and a pretty clear statement from a player who needed to get his season back on track.
The PDC has confirmed the qualifiers from the Tour Card Holder Qualifiers for the Flanders Darts Trophy and the Swiss Darts Trophy. Put another way: Barney hasn’t just had a good day. He’s secured himself two European stages in September and October, with a real opportunity to regain some visibility.
Barney steps up in Hildesheim
Van Barneveld first made the cut for the Flanders Darts Trophy, scheduled to take place in Antwerp from 11 to 13 September 2026. His run was flawless: victories over Samuel Price, Andy Boulton and then Thomas Lovely. On a qualifying day, this sort of run counts for a lot, because there’s no room for error. The format is short, pitfalls come thick and fast, and one bad spell can derail the whole tournament.
The Dutchman then did it all again for the Swiss Darts Trophy, scheduled to take place in Basel from 9 to 11 October 2026. He beat Arno Merk, Connor Scutt and then David Sharp. The most telling performance was his match against Scutt: the PDC recorded checkouts of 120, 124 and 160 in a 6-4 victory. This wasn’t just down to a favourable draw. We’re talking about a player capable of producing the right shots at the right moment.
The end of the day also called for some nerve. Against Sharp, Van Barneveld was trailing 5-4 before turning the match around. This detail changes the narrative: he didn’t simply cruise to victory; he secured a European spot by salvaging a situation that could have slipped from his grasp.
Two brackets taking shape
These qualifiers are already adding some excitement to the next two European events. For Antwerp, Beau Greaves continues his rise on the European Tour with another qualification. For Basel, Michael Smith’s return is also worth noting, with DartsNews reporting that this will be his first European Tour appearance since the Austrian Darts Open in May.
| Tournament | Tour Card Qualifiers |
|---|---|
| Flanders Darts Trophy Antwerp, 11-13 September |
Bradley Brooks, Cristo Reyes, Jim Long, Stephen Burton, Jeffrey de Graaf, Beau Greaves, Raymond van Barneveld, Karel Sedlacek, Mickey Mansell, Chris Landman |
| Swiss Darts Trophy Basel, 9-11 October |
Bradley Brooks, Mensur Suljovic, Tom Bissell, Jeffrey de Graaf, Michael Smith, Mario Vandenbogaerde, Raymond van Barneveld, Sietse Lap, Maik Kuivenhoven, Cristo Reyes |
The fact that Bradley Brooks, Jeffrey de Graaf, Cristo Reyes and Van Barneveld are all competing in both events is worth noting. On a day featuring two qualifiers, making it through both draws provides a real breather in the schedule. It guarantees stage time, but also potential points in a part of the circuit where every point can quickly make a difference.
Why this day is significant for Van Barneveld
For us, the significance of this news lies not just in Van Barneveld’s name, but in the timing. Following the recent hectic days in Hildesheim, notably marked by Sebastian Bialecki’s title at the Players Championship 26, these qualifiers extend the German run with a different kind of signal: less spectacular than a final, but very useful for gauging the rest of the schedule.
Barney no longer needs to be marketed as a new act. However, every successful return to the European Tour stage remains a milestone, especially when it’s accompanied by high-scoring finishes and a match turned around at the last moment. The score tells one story, but the day’s events reveal a little more: Van Barneveld still has enough in the tank to make these European fixtures exciting.
Next up: Antwerp then Basel
The next hotspot will therefore be Antwerp, with the Flanders Darts Trophy already boasting several big names set to catch the eye. Basel will follow in October, with the Swiss Darts Trophy and Michael Smith’s return to the European Tour circuit. For Van Barneveld, the message is simple: two places secured on the same day, two opportunities to prove that this spell of form wasn’t just down to a good Thursday in Hildesheim.
Additional source: DartsNews covered the qualifiers for Flanders Darts Trophy and the Swiss Darts Trophy separately, focusing in particular on the places secured by Beau Greaves, Michael Smith and Cristo Reyes.
