Premier League Darts League 2026 predicted line-ups and wildcard candidates

this Premier League Darts League 2026 will follow world darts championship Luke Humphries looks to defend his title at Alexandra Palace.

The coveted spots will be determined after the finals, Luke LittlerRyan Searle, Gary Anderson and Gian Van Veen for a record £1 million prize and prestigious trophy.

There is plenty of prize money up for grabs during the 16-week league stage ahead of the play-off final at London’s O2 Arena.

The total prize money is 1,250,000 pounds, with the overall winner receiving 350,000 pounds and a weekly bonus of 10,000 pounds. Antwerp, Belgium will become the new venue this year.

Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s Premier League:

How does the PDC decide who is selected as a Premier League wildcard?

The top four are from PDCThe merit ranking will automatically qualify for the Premier League. The remaining four players will then be selected by the PDC, giving each player a lifeline of generous prize money, exposure and high-level competition to build a successful 2026 on the circuit.

PDC CEO Matt Porter hinted that “star quality” and those who can “perform on the big stage” are deciding factors in the wild-card draft.

Expected lineup

automatic input

The following players have locked down their Premier League spots for 2026:

An additional automatic spot is granted, and Jonny Clayton’s Running Pally on Ally had him sit in the box seat.

As the 2021 Premier League champions, Clayton will have to watch out for Anderson, Van Veen and Sale, who could all be in automatic contention for the final spot.

wildcard candidate

Josh Locke

The 24-year-old possesses high-octane scoring ability and can blend in with the best players. A semi-finalist at the World Match Play and British Open, and a World Cup winner with Northern Ireland alongside Daryl Gurney, Locke’s world tour was halted in the round of 16 by the majestic Justin Hood.

Gary Anderson

The two-time world champion would be a lock to appear, even if he doesn’t automatically get the final spot, if he so chooses. A stellar performance at Worlds showed the Scot is a real threat to anyone. But such a schedule does not suit Anderson, who recently said: “No, no, I’m happy, I need to focus on my ranking. If I finish the Premier League, the European Championship disappears, the Players Championship disappears.”

“I can’t give it to a monkey [if I’m world champion]. I couldn’t do it, and over the years I’ve done it, and it’s amazing. But I can’t be on the road for 16 weeks and then try to come back and pick them up. I can’t do it. “

Jean van Veen

A true superstar, the Belgian will almost certainly make his debut in the Premier League. The 23-year-old looks ready to take his first step after winning the European Championship.

Ryan Searle

“Heavy Metal” is in good form and has reached the semi-finals of the World Championship, dropping only two sets on the way to the semi-finals.

The PDC will face a huge problem if the 38-year-old reaches the final, but Sale has hinted that he does not expect to do so.

“I’ve said privately that the Premier League is something I’d like to do once, just to say I’ve done it,” he said. “Whether it’s this year or not… if you look at Chris Dobie last year, you’ll see he had a similar path to me, in the previous majors, he didn’t do much and then got to Worlds and made it to the semi-finals and they put him in. Not sure if my face will fit in, but we’ll see what happens.”

Justin Hood

Hood was the star of his debut at the World Championships, winning thousands of new fans at the Ally Pally with his unpredictable facial expressions on stage.

The world number 86’s defeat in the quarter-finals against Anderson may have ended his hopes of reaching the Premier League.

Stephen Bunting

Bunting, who dropped to fifth in the world rankings after the world championships ended abruptly, has endured a difficult time and admits he has struggled with criticism, including online trolls aimed at his 13-year-old son Toby.

Despite some criticism, Bunting is well-loved and popular for his strike songs, but this year’s selection is uncertain.

Nathan Aspinall

Sneaked into the Premier League last year and performed well, finishing third in the regular standings and winning two games in a row. Given Lock’s immense potential, if the PDC deems Lock a player they can fully support, he could beat Bunting for the final spot. It took until the third round of the World Championship to be stopped by the inspired Kevin Doets.

Rob Cross

The 2018 world champion had a decent fight with Luke Littler but dropped to 20th in the world rankings after exiting the worlds in the last 16.

Voltage finished seventh last year and will exit the Premier League this year.

Premier League Darts League 2026 Predicted Lineups