Grand Slam of Darts qualifier 2026: Leicester date, entry rules and the places still up for grabs

The Grand Slam of Darts qualifier takes place in Leicester on Friday 6 November, with at least eight places available for the expanded tournament in Wolverhampton.

The Tour Card Holder qualifier follows the final two Players Championship events of the season. For eligible players who have not secured their Grand Slam place through another route, Friday offers another opportunity to reach the televised event.

This year’s Grand Slam runs from 14–22 November at WV Active Aldersley, with the field increasing from 32 players to 48.

When is the Grand Slam of Darts qualifier?

The qualifier is on Friday 6 November in Leicester, immediately after Players Championship 33 on Wednesday and Players Championship 34 on Thursday.

Detail	Information
Event	Grand Slam of Darts Tour Card Holder qualifier
Date	Friday 6 November 2026
Location	Leicester
Places available	At least eight
Confirmed UK start time	Awaiting clarification
Live streaming	Not yet confirmed

The PDPA’s official event listing gives a noon start but labels it BST, despite the UK being on GMT in November. The precise UK start time therefore needs clarification.

How many Grand Slam places are available?

Eight places are allocated to the qualifier initially. That number increases if fewer than 40 players qualify through the other routes, allowing the tournament to complete its 48-player field.

For example, 39 pre-qualified players would leave nine places available through the qualifier. That is how the allocation works, rather than a confirmed count for Friday.

The PDPA says any additional places will be announced on the day. The final allocation matters to every entrant because it determines how many players can progress from Leicester to Wolverhampton.

Our Grand Slam qualification guide explains the different routes into the main event.

Who can enter the Grand Slam of Darts qualifier?

This is the Tour Card Holder qualifying route. It is not an open-entry tournament for anyone seeking a place in Wolverhampton.

The entry deadline was Wednesday 28 October at 2pm GMT. A final player list and draw will establish who is competing and the route each entrant must take to qualify.

Players can also reach the Grand Slam through the competition’s other qualification categories, which include televised-event results and specified tour achievements. Those routes are separate from Friday’s tournament.

Why Leicester’s three days have different consequences

Wednesday and Thursday bring the Players Championship season to a close. Those results settle the qualification standings for the Players Championship Finals in Minehead.

Friday’s qualifier offers places in a different event: the Grand Slam in Wolverhampton. Missing out on Minehead does not, by itself, mean a player has missed the Grand Slam too.

Nathan Aspinall illustrates that distinction. His appearance in the 2025 Players Championship Finals final earned him a place in the 2026 Grand Slam, independently of this year’s Minehead qualification race.

For the earlier floor events, read our Players Championship coverage from Den Bosch.

Can you watch the Grand Slam qualifier live?

A live television or streaming service for Friday’s qualifier has not yet been confirmed in the official information checked for this preview.

PDCTV coverage of the Players Championship events on Wednesday and Thursday should not be taken as confirmation that Friday will also be streamed.

The main Grand Slam tournament is confirmed live on Sky Sports in the UK. Its coverage begins with the Wolverhampton event, which starts on Saturday 14 November.

What awaits the qualifiers in Wolverhampton?

The expanded Grand Slam will begin with 16 groups of three. The top 16 qualified players will be seeded according to the PDC rankings, with the other entrants divided into two further ranking bands for the draw.

Luke Littler heads into the tournament as defending champion. Luke Humphries and Gian van Veen are also among those already qualified.

For Friday’s successful players, the immediate reward is a place alongside them. Their opponents will be established by the main-event draw.

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