Grand Slam of Darts 2026: 31 of 48 places filled as Gary Anderson still chases a Wolverhampton spot
Jonny Clayton and Lisa Ashton are in, taking the expanded Grand Slam field to 31 of 48. Gary Anderson must still qualify before the 14-22 November event.
The field for the first 48-player Grand Slam of Darts is more than half complete. Jonny Clayton's Swiss Darts Trophy title and Lisa Ashton's qualification, both confirmed by the PDC on 12 October, took the number of confirmed players to 31. Gary Anderson, a two-time world champion, is not yet among them.
Who is already in
The tournament returns to WV Active Aldersley in Wolverhampton from 14 to 22 November with a bigger field than ever. The early places went to players who reached the finals of the PDC's biggest events. World champion Luke Littler and runner-up Gian van Veen are in, along with World Grand Prix champion Luke Humphries, World Series Finals winner Ross Smith and runners-up Gerwyn Price, James Wade, Nathan Aspinall and Michael van Gerwen.
The expanded format also gives places to emerging and regional players. Beau Greaves, Cam Crabtree and Jan Schmidt qualified through the World Youth Championship, Sebastian Bialecki through the Development Tour and Joe Hunt through the Challenge Tour. For fans in Southeast Asia, the Philippines' Paolo Nebrida is in the field as the PDC Asian Championship winner, while Adam Sevada qualified as North American champion.
European Tour winners Wessel Nijman, Josh Rock, Luke Woodhouse, Krzysztof Ratajski and Clayton are also confirmed, as are ten Players Championship winners including Chris Dobey, Cameron Menzies and Rob Cross.
How the remaining places will be decided
According to Darts News, 17 spots remain. The winner and runner-up of the European Championship qualify, as do the winners of the PDC Nordic and Baltic Championship and the ANZ Premier League. Further players on the European Tour and Players Championship lists can be added until the pre-qualified field reaches 40, ranked by number of titles and then by PDC ranking.
Before that list is finalised, one European Tour event, four Players Championship events and the European Championship still have to be played. The last European Tour event is the Dutch Darts Championship in Maastricht from 16 to 18 October.
The final places will be settled at the Tour Card Holder Qualifier in Leicester on Friday, 6 November, which is guaranteed to offer at least eight spots.
Anderson's route
Anderson has not won a title that would give him an automatic place, so he needs one of the remaining routes or a strong day at the qualifier. The Scot withdrew from the Swiss Darts Trophy earlier this month, along with Gerwyn Price and Nathan Aspinall, so time and opportunities are running short.
A new group format
The 48 players will be split into 16 groups of three, Sky Sports reported when the expansion was announced. The top 16 in the PDC rankings are seeded, and the remaining 32 are drawn from two ranking pots.
Key takeaways
- Jonny Clayton and Lisa Ashton have qualified, taking the Grand Slam field to 31 of 48.
- Gary Anderson has not yet qualified for the 14-22 November event in Wolverhampton.
- The Philippines' Paolo Nebrida qualified as PDC Asian Championship winner.
- The last places go at a Tour Card Holder Qualifier in Leicester on 6 November.
FAQ
When is the 2026 Grand Slam of Darts? From 14 to 22 November 2026 at WV Active Aldersley in Wolverhampton, England.
How many players are in this year's Grand Slam? 48, up from previous editions, in 16 groups of three.
Is there a Southeast Asian player in the field? Yes. Paolo Nebrida of the Philippines qualified by winning the PDC Asian Championship.
Sources: Darts News, PDC, Sky Sports