When does Premier League Darts 2026 start, all venues, and how do you get tickets?
FAQWednesday, 04 February 2026 at 12:30
For many years, Premier League Darts has been one of the most important and popular competitions in international darts. As an annual tournament series run by the Professional Darts Corporation, it brings the world’s best players together over several months in major arenas across the UK and Continental Europe. With its unique format, high prize fund, and exceptional media presence, the Premier League holds a special place in the PDC calendar – both on the sporting and commercial fronts.
This article answers the key questions surrounding Premier League Darts comprehensively and concisely. From its origins through venues and qualification criteria to format, prize money, TV coverage, and the most important records, this article provides a complete overview for fans, newcomers, and interested viewers.
In this article we provide all the key information on Premier League Darts:
1. The history and origins of Premier League Darts
2. When does Premier League Darts 2026 start?
3. Which venues will host in 2026?
4. Germany and Netherlands as part of the roadshow: The Premier League in Berlin and Rotterdam.
5. How do I get tickets for Premier League Darts?
6. How do you qualify for Premier League Darts?
7. Which players are competing in Premier League Darts 2026?
8. How can I watch Premier League Darts 2026 live on TV?
9. How much prize money is on offer at Premier League Darts?
10. How does the Premier League Darts format work?
11. Which players have already won Premier League Darts?
2. When does Premier League Darts 2026 start?
3. Which venues will host in 2026?
4. Germany and Netherlands as part of the roadshow: The Premier League in Berlin and Rotterdam.
5. How do I get tickets for Premier League Darts?
6. How do you qualify for Premier League Darts?
7. Which players are competing in Premier League Darts 2026?
8. How can I watch Premier League Darts 2026 live on TV?
9. How much prize money is on offer at Premier League Darts?
10. How does the Premier League Darts format work?
11. Which players have already won Premier League Darts?
1. The history and origins of Premier League Darts
Premier League Darts is an annual tournament series run by the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) and has been a permanent fixture on the international darts calendar since its launch in 2005. It was created to pit the world's best players against each other weekly, further professionalize the sport, and make it accessible to a wider audience. The Premier League quickly developed into one of the most popular tournaments in darts, and today, just behind the PDC World Darts Championship – is regarded as one of the most prestigious events worldwide.
In the early years, the Premier League was held exclusively in large arenas in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. As international interest grew, the PDC gradually expanded the tournament’s geographic footprint. The Netherlands has been a regular host nation since 2015, and Germany was added to the schedule in 2018. In 2026, the Premier League becomes even more international as Belgium joins as a new host country for the first time in quite some time.
From a sporting perspective, the Premier League began in 2005 with a field of seven players, which was expanded to eight professionals in 2007. In parallel, the venues grew to meet rising demand. Due to its great success, the PDC decided in 2013 to increase the field to ten participants – a format that remained in place through 2021 inclusive.
Even before the major overhaul in 2022, there were notable developments. The 2019 season played a special role when Gary Anderson had to withdraw due to injury. Instead of naming a fixed replacement, the PDC introduced the “Contender” concept for the first time: On each of the first nine nights, a regional guest player joined the field in line with the host city. The model proved successful both athletically and with audiences, and gave several players valuable stage experience – including Luke Humphries, who would later become world champion, world No. 1, and Premier League winner.
John Henderson, one of the nine Contenders in the 2019 Premier League, delivered one of the most emotional and memorable moments in Aberdeen with a 6-6 draw against Michael van Gerwen
Due to the positive response, the PDC stuck with a similar concept in 2020. Instead of Contenders, so-called “Challengers” were used, appearing on all match nights of the league phase. They included Jonny Clayton, who in the following years also developed into one of the PDC’s most successful players and a Premier League champion.
The 2020 season was also heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. From Night 7 onward, all remaining evenings had to be postponed. After several adjustments, the PDC decided to stage a large portion of the remaining nights behind closed doors in Milton Keynes. The Play-Offs night eventually took place on 10/15/2020 at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry, marking the first time since 2008 that it was not held in London. The 2021 Premier League was also played under special conditions: For the first time in its history, the tournament took place entirely at a single venue, again in Milton Keynes.
In 2022 came the biggest turning point in the history of Premier League Darts. The PDC reduced the field from ten to eight players and replaced the classic, league-based matchnight model with a pure tournament format. Since then, each of the 16 nights in the league phase has been a standalone mini-tournament with quarterfinals, semifinals, and a final. This new concept marks the start of the modern Premier League Darts and continues to define the tournament today.
2. When does Premier League Darts 2026 start?
The Premier League Darts 2026 begins on Thursday, 05/02/2026, with the opening night in Newcastle. The venue is the Utilita Arena Newcastle, where the top stars of the Professional Darts Corporation will take to the oche for the first time in the new season at 7:15 PM.
In the following weeks, Premier League Darts will be staged as usual every Thursday evening. The league phase comprises a total of 16 nights, running through Thursday, 21/05/2026.
The season concludes with Finals Night, which takes place a week later on 28/05/2026. There, the top four players in the league phase battle for the 2026 Premier League title.
3. Which venues will host in 2026?
The 2026 Premier League Darts schedule is made up largely of tried-and-tested, established venues. The PDC remains true to its approach of staging the series as a Europe-wide roadshow in major arenas, incorporating both traditional darts locations and high-demand metropolitan areas.
In 2026, the Premier League will again stop in Newcastle, Glasgow, Belfast, Cardiff, Nottingham, Dublin, Berlin, Manchester, Brighton, Rotterdam, Liverpool, Aberdeen, Leeds, Birmingham, Sheffield, and London, among others. These venues have been fixed parts of the Premier League calendar for years and stand for large arenas, sell-out crowds, and a rich darts atmosphere.
There is, however, one major innovation: The Premier League Darts will visit Belgium for the first time. Play will take place at the AFAS Dome in Antwerp, where up to 23,000 people are expected. By adding Belgium, the PDC further broadens the international character of the series and reflects the sport’s growing popularity in the Benelux region.
In return, a long-standing venue drops off the calendar. Exeter, which was part of the Premier League continuously from 2009 through 2025 inclusive, will not be included in 2026.
4. Germany and The Netherlands also as part of roadshow: Premier League Darts in Berlin and Rotterdam
Germany has been a fixed component of the Professional Darts Corporation’s international roadshow for several years. With the sport’s steadily growing popularity, Premier League Darts has also become a permanent highlight on the calendar in this country.
The Premier League first stopped in Germany in 2018. The venue was the then Mercedes-Benz Arena Berlin, which celebrated its debut as a Premier League host night. Just a year later, in 2019, the series returned to Berlin. In 2020 and 2021, however, the planned Germany stops had to be canceled due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2022, Premier League Darts made German darts history. For the first time, the Play-Offs and thus Finals Night were staged on German soil. Around 11,000 spectators created a vibrant backdrop in Berlin and underlined the importance of the German market for the PDC.
Packed stands, superb atmosphere: Premier League Darts has thrilled thousands of fans in Berlin for years
In the years that followed, Berlin remained a fixed part of the schedule. In the 2023, 2024, and 2025 seasons, a regular Premier League night was staged in the arena, which has been operating under the name Uber Arena Berlin since March 2024.
In 2026, Premier League Darts returns once more to the German capital. On March 26, 2026, Night 8 of the league phase will be staged at the Uber Arena, ensuring Berlin remains a central stop on the Premier League roadshow.
In addition the action also heads to the Rotterdam Ahoy as the arena turns orange as has heralded incredible moments including a certain Raymond van Barneveld's homecoming.
5. How do I get tickets for Premier League Darts?
The ticket process for Premier League Darts has followed a clearly structured, multi-stage system for years. For the 2026 season, pre-sale first opened exclusively for existing PDCTV subscribers. This initial window opened on Monday, 20/10/2025, giving annual subscribers priority access to tickets for all venues.
On Tuesday, 21/10/2025, another pre-sale window followed for fans who had previously registered for the Professional Darts Corporation’s official pre-sale. All remaining tickets then went on general sale on Thursday, 23/10/2025.
As Premier League Darts runs over 17 weeks and visits a different city each night, each venue is managed via its own ticket page within the PDC ticket portal. Even though many events sell out early, it’s worth checking the individual event pages regularly: For selected nights, limited additional tickets sometimes appear, making a short-notice visit to Premier League Darts 2026 possible.
Albeit those outside the UK including tickets for Rotterdam and Berlin are not sold directly by the PDC. In the case of Berlin, it is via PDC Europe. However, the Berlin night of Premier League Darts 2026 is already completely sold out.
6. How do you qualify for Premier League Darts?
Premier League Darts holds a special status on the PDC calendar. It is the second-richest event of the season but does not count towards the world rankings and is officially a non-ranking tournament. The reason is clear: there is no classic sporting qualification pathway, as ranking events require. To avoid distortions in the Order of Merit, prize money earned in the Premier League does not count towards the rankings.
Nevertheless, the path into the Premier League is, of course, tied to performance. The top four players in the world rankings are guaranteed places. Anyone inside the top four of the Order of Merit after the World Championship automatically earns a Premier League spot for the following season.
The remaining four places are awarded by the PDC as wildcards. The primary criteria are sporting achievements over the previous calendar year, especially at major events. However, non-sporting factors also play a decisive role. Aspects such as a player’s home market, popularity, walk-on, stage presence, and overall marketability are considered. This blend makes the annual Premier League nominations one of the most hotly debated topics in darts. For the PDC, the Premier League is not only a major sporting event but also a Europe-wide marketing instrument to further grow and popularize the sport.
The line-up is traditionally announced shortly after the World Championship. For the 2026 season, the eight players were officially unveiled on January 5, with the announcement broadcast live on the UK news channel Sky Sports News.
In earlier years, the Premier League nominations were integrated into the World Championship final. Immediately after the trophy presentation, then PDC chairman Barry Hearn would take to the stage at Alexandra Palace and announce the invited players live on air – a ritual many fans still remember.
7. Which players are competing in Premier League Darts 2026?
The field for the Premier League Darts 2026 features eight of the world’s leading players, included either via their ranking positions or wildcard invitations.
The field is led by defending champion Luke Humphries, who won the Premier League title last year, and current world No. 1 and world champion Luke Littler. Both are among the seeded players as they – among others – are in the top four of the PDC Order of Merit, which automatically qualifies them for the Premier League.
The line-up is completed by more big-name professionals: These include multiple major winner Michael van Gerwen and Dutch youngster Gian van Veen, who are also seeded based on their ranking positions.
The remaining four places were awarded as wildcard invitations and go to players who impress with performances, presence, and importance to the sport. For the 2026 season, those are Jonny Clayton, Gerwyn Price, Stephen Bunting, and Josh Rock. Many of these players have made headlines at big tournaments and across the circuit in recent years and are regarded as fan favorites or strong contenders for the 17-week Premier League season.
8. How can I watch Premier League Darts 2026 live on TV?
Premier League Darts 2026 is widely available on TV and via stream in the UK. All nights will be shown on sports broadcaster Sky Sports.
Channels vary due to other sporting coverage but it will likely be on Sky Sports Main Event as the biggest sport on the channel outside of football.
9. How much prize money is on offer at Premier League Darts?
Premier League Darts is one of the richest tournaments on the Professional Darts Corporation calendar. For the 2026 season, a total prize fund of £1,250,000 will be paid out, comprised of fixed placement prizes and performance-related bonuses.
The Premier League Darts winner receives £350,000, while the runner-up earns £170,000. The two losing semifinalists on Finals Night take home £110,000 each. Players who miss the Play-Offs also get paid: Fifth place in the final table earns £95,000, sixth £90,000, seventh £85,000, and eighth £80,000.
In addition, a £10,000 bonus is awarded to each nightly winner during the league phase. These payments are made regardless of final position and reward consistent performances across the season.
10. How does the Premier League Darts format work?
Since the comprehensive format change for the 2022 season, Premier League Darts has been staged in a weekly tournament mode. Instead of a classic league system, each of the 16 nights in the league phase is a standalone mini-tournament.
At the start of each Premier League night, the eight participants face off in four quarterfinal matches. The winners move into the semifinals and secure two points for the overall table. The two semifinals then determine the evening’s final pairing.
The night’s final offers the biggest return: The nightly winner earns five points for the table plus an additional £10,000 bonus. The runner-up receives three points, while the semifinalists remain on the two points they collected earlier.
After all 16 league nights have been completed, the four highest-scoring players qualify for the Play-Offs. These take place on Finals Night, where the new Premier League champion is crowned.
On May 28, the winner of Premier League Darts 2026 will be crowned at London’s O2 Arena
The Play-Offs night will be held on May 28 at the O2 Arena in London. In the semifinals, the top seed faces the fourth seed, while the players in second and third contest the other semi. The winners of those two matches meet later in the evening in the grand final, where the Premier League champion is decided.
11. Which players have already won Premier League Darts?
A look at the roll of honor shows that two names have shaped the competition for many years. Michael van Gerwen, with seven titles, is the most successful player in Premier League Darts history and has surpassed Phil Taylor, who won six titles. Taylor dominated the early years of the tournament, winning each of the first four editions from 2005 to 2008.
Beyond titles and finals, Premier League Darts is also known for extraordinary peak performances. The highest final average in tournament history was set by Michael van Gerwen in 2018, when he beat Michael Smith 11-4 in the decider with a 112.37 average. Van Gerwen also holds the all-time Premier League average record: On Night 4 of the 2016 season, he posted a 123.40 average against Michael Smith – a mark that remains not only the Premier League record but also the highest average ever recorded in front of TV cameras in darts.
| Year | Winner (Average) | Result | Runner-up (Average) |
| 2005 | Phil Taylor (101.01) | 16-4 | Colin lloyd (97.20) |
| 2006 | Phil Taylor (101.41) | 16-6 | Roland Scholten (92.01) |
| 2007 | Phil Taylor (99.20) | 16-6 | Terry Jenkins (90.81) |
| 2008 | Phil Taylor (108.36) | 16-8 | James Wade (100.14) |
| 2009 | James Wade (90.38) | 13-8 | Mervyn King (85.83) |
| 2010 | Phil Taylor (111.67) | 10-8 | James Wade (100.08) |
| 2011 | Gary Anderson (94.67) | 10-4 | Adrian Lewis (85.75) |
| 2012 | Phil Taylor (97.08) | 10-7 | Simon Whitlock (95.32) |
| 2013 | Michael van Gerwen (103.29) | 10-8 | Phil Taylor (104.10) |
| 2014 | Raymond van Barneveld (101.93) | 10-6 | Michael van Gerwen (102.98) |
| 2015 | Gary Anderson (104.85) | 11-7 | Michael van Gerwen (105.81) |
| 2016 | Michael van Gerwen (104.68) | 11-3 | Phil Taylor (98.84) |
| 2017 | Michael van Gerwen (104.76) | 11-10 | Peter Wright (101.06) |
| 2018 | Michael van Gerwen (112.37) | 11-4 | Michael Smith (97.01) |
| 2019 | Michael van Gerwen (103.36) | 11-5 | Rob Cross (100.98) |
| 2020 | Glen Durrant (91.84) | 11-8 | Nathan Aspinall (92.15) |
| 2021 | Jonny Clayton (100.18) | 11-5 | Jose de Sousa (100.53) |
| 2022 | Michael van Gerwen (99.10) | 11-10 | Joe Cullen (99.36) |
| 2023 | Michael van Gerwen (105.43) | 11-5 | Gerwyn Price (99.50) |
| 2024 | Luke Littler (105.60) | 11-7 | Luke Humphries (102.47) |
| 2025 | Luke Humphries (97.86) | 11-8 | Luke Littler (100.29) |
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