The 18-year-old now sets his sights on a second Premier League crown, as eight of the sport’s biggest names compete across 17 nights from February to May for a record £350,000 top prize.The 2025 season proved truly outstanding for Littler. He claimed titles at the UK Open, World Matchplay, World Grand Prix and the Grand Slam of Darts, reached the Players Championship Finals final, and capped the year with World Championship glory, further cementing his status as the game’s leading figure.
World number one Luke Humphries laid the foundations for his Premier League triumph with victory at the World Masters last January, before finishing runner-up at the World Grand Prix, the European Championship and the Grand Slam of Darts.
The 2026 Premier League lineup also brings fresh faces, with World Championship runner-up Gian van Veen and Northern Ireland World Cup winner Josh Rock set to make their first appearances in the competition.European Champion Van Veen surged to third place in the world rankings thanks to his outstanding performances at Alexandra Palace, overtaking Michael van Gerwen to become the highest-ranked Dutch player.
As a result, he will feature alongside the seven-time Premier League champion, who returned to winning ways with a memorable triumph at the World Series of Darts Finals in September.Josh Rock celebrated Northern Ireland’s first-ever World Cup of Darts title in June and also reached the semi-finals of the UK Open, the World Matchplay and the World Series of Darts Finals, underlining his consistency at the highest level.The 2021 Premier League champion Jonny Clayton also returns to the field after reaching two televised finals at the World Masters and the World Cup of Darts, as well as making semi-final appearances at the UK Open, the World Matchplay and the World Grand Prix.Clayton is joined by his World Cup partner Gerwyn Price, who enjoyed a strong return to form in 2025, claiming five ranking titles and hitting two nine-dart finishes in last year’s Premier League, where he reached the semi-finals.
World number seven Stephen Bunting completes the eight-man field following a trophy-laden season in which he collected six PDC titles, including World Series victories in Bahrain and Copenhagen, along with European Tour successes in Riesa and Basel.
“This year’s Premier League features a fresh and refreshed lineup, and I’m confident it will entertain our incredible crowds across the UK and Europe,” said PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter. He added that selecting the field was particularly difficult given the exceptional standard seen over the past 12 months, and that following a historic World Championship, the PDC is determined to build on that momentum in 2026 — especially with the BetMGM Premier League heading to Belgium for the first time.
The 2026 BetMGM Premier League begins in Newcastle on February 5. Eight players will compete across 16 nights, with each event featuring quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final, comprising 11 matches per night. Points awarded each evening will determine the league table, with the top four progressing to the Play-Offs at London’s O2 Arena on Thursday, May 28.Matches will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland, and globally via the PDC’s broadcast partners including DAZN and Viaplay, as well as PDCTV for international subscribers.
2026 BetMGM Premier League Field:
Luke Littler
Luke Humphries
Gian van Veen
Michael van Gerwen
Jonny Clayton
Stephen Bunting
Josh Rock
Gerwyn Price
