'I don’t even know if I want the Tour Card' – Florian Hempel clarifies stance uncertain future

In the latest episode of the Game On podcast, Elmar Paulke and Florian Hempel took to the stage in front of a live audience. There, the German darts professional spoke candidly about his current struggles and what the future might hold.

Hempel was upfront from the start: if he fails to qualify for the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship in the coming weeks, he will be left without a Tour Card next year – a major setback for the 35-year-old.

“Whether I’ll go to Q-School next year is beyond question, of course I will,” Hempel explained. “But whether I’ll actually take the Tour Card, whether I’ll do something completely different for a year, or whether I’ll qualify for the Worlds and keep it – I honestly don’t know. I can’t give you an answer before January.”

"Other doors will open”

Despite the uncertainty, there is still hope. “I’ll give everything I’ve got to make sure I’m at the World Championship this year. I know all the ways to get there - I’ve been through them all before,” he said with a laugh. If he does qualify, it would be his fifth consecutive appearance. “If I make it, I’m in. If not, then other doors will open.”

Hempel is even considering alternatives if he does lose his Tour Card. “I don’t know if I’ll have enough for the Tour Card – or if I even want it,” he admitted. “Maybe I’ll just play the European Tour qualifiers through the Host Nation route for a year. There’s also the Next Gen and the Super League, which could get me to the Worlds. I back myself enough for that right now. We’ll see.”