'They're amateurs, they shouldn't be there at all': Vincent van der Voort fumes over World Darts Championship qualifiers

The newly introduced format for the World Darts Championship has sparked strong opinions from Vincent van der Voort. The former Dutch professional is largely supportive of the PDC’s efforts to evolve the sport’s biggest tournament, which kicks off in December, but he hasn't held back on certain elements he finds questionable. In the latest episode of the Darts Draait Door podcast, Van der Voort voiced particular frustration with the inclusion of Challenge Tour players.

“I find it incomprehensible that players from the Challenge Tour are granted spots at the World Darts Championship,” Van der Voort said bluntly. “They’re essentially competing in the first division – that shouldn’t be enough to qualify for the World Championship. These players should have to go through a qualifying tournament in their own country or region.”

To underline his point, Van der Voort drew a comparison from football: “It would be ridiculous if TOP Oss got to play in the Champions League just because they won the Eerste Divisie, wouldn’t it?”

From his perspective, the criteria should be straightforward: if a player fails to secure a PDC Tour Card via Q-School, they’re not a professional and therefore don’t belong on the sport’s biggest stage. “They’re amateurs. That means you should have to work your way up before playing at the World Championship,” he continued. “Frankly, they shouldn’t be there at all. And that some of them are also being invited to the Grand Slam of Darts? That’s completely baffling. If you finish high enough on the Challenge Tour, you earn a Tour Card – so wait for that.”

“First Division Doesn’t Cut It”

The former World Cup finalist is adamant that success on the Challenge Tour doesn’t automatically mean a player belongs on the main stage. “It’s still just the first division. If you're not good enough for a Tour Card, then you should wait your turn. I don’t think it’s fair that Challenge Tour players now get to share three spots at the World Darts Championship.”

Van der Voort was, however, more positive about the decision to increase the number of female qualifiers from two to four. Even so, he offered a note of caution: “When women play, it naturally draws more attention. That’s good for the PDC and for the growth of women’s darts. But you have to make sure the best women are competing. If Beau Greaves decides not to participate and that becomes a trend, then you could end up with the world number eight – and that’s a step down in quality.”