The PDC have announced that the 2020 Premier League will feature nine ‘challengers’ in a move which potentially opens the door for Fallon Sherrock to feature.

Last year’s competition included nine ‘contenders’ for the first time after Gary Anderson was forced to withdraw from the tournament with a back injury.

The PDC have decided to use the system again, although rebranded as ‘challengers’, and it may allow for the inclusion of Sherrock after her history-making run at the World Championship.

The 25-year-old became the first woman to win a match at the tournament, before then beating number 11 seed Mensur Suljovic on her way to the third round.

Points won by the challengers will not count towards the league table of the weekly competition, which begins on 6 February in Aberdeen and concludes at London’s O2 on 21 May, but they will receive financial rewards for winning or drawing matches.

The top four players in the PDC Order of Merit qualify automatically and are joined by five wildcards. Those selections will be confirmed after the World Championship final on 1 January, and the ‘challengers’ will then be announced in early January.

After her defeat to Chris Dobey, Sherrock said she hoped women would be given more opportunities and spoke specifically about an increased number of places at next year’s World Championship.

Earlier on Sunday, the PDC announced she would be featuring in all 2020 World Series of Darts events, including tournaments in the United States, Denmark and New Zealand.

Many will hope she is rewarded for her remarkable displays at Alexandra Palace with a chance to appear in the Premier League, while the likes of Luke Humphries, Jeffrey De Zwaan and Dimitri Van Den Bergh will all hope to receive ‘challengers’ spots.

But Sherrock’s first assignment will be the BDO Women’s World Championship, beginning on January 4, where she is the fourth seed.