As the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship progresses, the Premier League Darts will also come up as a topic of discussion. For players, the current tournament at Alexandra Palace is one of the last chances to put themselves in the picture with the selectors.
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The PDC announced previously that the format for the upcoming Premier League Darts has not been tinkered with. So that means eight players will once again be selected. They will, for sixteen weeks, then play mini-tournaments every Thursday night in cities across the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands and Germany. The four players who perform best during these mini-tournaments will return to action during the playoffs on Thursday, May 29.
The big question, of course, is which players will make their appearance at the 2025 Premier League Darts. Dartsnews.com lists the players who stand a chance of being invited.
Who are 100% sure?
We begin with the players who we believe are already certain to participate. That's three at the moment. If you doubt the names, look at almost all Premier League-related announcements from the PDC. There are the pictures of three players on those every time.
The defending champion is the first one we fill in on the list. Preceded by the previous discussion of whether the PDC would do well to add such a young player to the lineup right away. Although it took a while for Littler to really pick up steam, he ended up paying back the confidence in the end. 'The Nuke' peaked on the final night and became the youngest ever winner of Premier League Darts.
The world number one will, of course, also be there during the touring darts circus. Luke Humphries first competed in a full Premier League in 2024 and managed to make it to the final then. Only because of an unleashed Littler was Humphries denied the title at the O2 Arena in London.
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Of course, Michael van Gerwen is also going to make another appearance in Premier League Darts. Since the 2013 edition, 'Mighty Mike' has invariably been part of the lineup. His statistics in the Premier League are phenomenal. Van Gerwen won the Premier League Darts seven times, while also losing two finals. Only once did Van Gerwen miss out on participation in the playoffs.
Of course, Luke Littler will not be missing during the 2025 Premier League Darts
Who stand a very good chance of participating?
This group is quite a bit smaller. According to us here ar Dartsnews.com, there are only two players who can pretty much book off Thursday nights in their schedules for the next few months.
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Bold to include someone who lost in the second round of the World Darts Championship already, but chances are Rob Cross will just slot in. Cross is currently number four in the world after the World Championships, and the (unwritten) rule is that the top four always sit in. Cross could drop another spot in the rankings, but chances are slim that the PDC would then still decide to look over Cross as world number five. The former world champion usually performs very consistently, reaching five major-quarterfinals and one semifinal in 2024.
Stephen Bunting
We believe Stephen Bunting will make his return to Premier League Darts in 2025. That would be ten years after the first (and as yet last) time 'The Bullet' participated in Premier League Darts. The Englishman actually meets all the requirements necessary to qualify for a wildcard. In terms of performance, he's in good shape. He won the 2024 Masters and did extremely well on the Pro Tour. The results on the majors may have been a bit disappointing in breadth, but Bunting does have the excuse that he lost to Humphries three times at a major in 2024. In addition, Bunting's walk-on and huge #LetsGoBuntingMental fanbase makes him a suitable addition to the lineup as well.
Will Stephen Bunting finally return to the best darts competition in the world after a decade?
Read also
Who are the contenders for the remaining three spots?
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We have narrowed down the list of candidates for the remaining three spots in the Premier League to 12 realistic options. For many of them will depend on how the World Darts Championship will develop. We have divided the 12 possible options into five different groups.
For these three players, a miracle would actually have to happen to get an invitation. Dave Chisnall is currently ranked number five in the world, but is actually in this spot primarily because of his Pro Tour performance. His major results over the past three seasons have been downright disappointing. Since the start of 2022, Chisnall has been in the quarterfinals of a major only twice. At the World Darts Championship, Chisnall was eliminated in the second round by Ricky Evans.
Michael Smith will no doubt also recognize that he would not deserve an invitation. If 'Bullyboy' does get invited, it will be primarily on name and status. Smith made it to the playoffs at the 2024 Premier League Darts, but did not perform well at the ranking majors. A semifinal at the World Matchplay was a paltry highlight, although Smith did win the World Cup of Darts with Humphries. At the World Darts Championship, Smith lost in the second round to Kevin Doets. As a result, the Englishman will take a significant dip in the world rankings, to probably a position just inside the top-20 of the PDC Order of Merit.
Gary Anderson is someone who would deserve an invitation, but 'The Flying Scotsman' himself has indicated several times that not a hair on his head thinks about participating in the Premier League Darts. Unless the PDC comes up with an offer that cannot be refused, we can put a small cross through Anderson's name.
In fact, we can hardly imagine a Premier League without a player from Wales. The last time this happened was in 2015, before the emergence of Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton. They might even both be there in 2025, although that chance is not great either. Clayton is in a shared sixth spot in the world rankings, while Price is number nine. 'The Iceman' is a bit more of a crowd-pleaser than his countryman, but the last time Price really got far at a televised tournament was also some time ago. Price and Clayton could face each other in the fourth round of the World Darts Championship. Perhaps a Premier League ticket is the hidden stake in that duel.
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Dimitri van den Bergh & Mike de Decker
Darts is booming in Belgium and we all know that the financial picture is always important for the PDC as well. Dimitri van den Bergh and Mike de Decker both won a major this season. Van den Bergh won the UK Open, while De Decker surprisingly took the title at the World Grand Prix. The advantage for De Decker is that the World Grand Prix was broadcast by Sky Sports, the British broadcaster of the Premier League. Moreover, De Decker then also showed well at the Grand Slam of Darts and the Players Championship Finals. However, the Worlds became a disappointment for "The Real Deal," with an elimination in the second round. Van den Bergh is still in the tournament, though. The further 'The Dreammaker' gets at Alexandra Palace, the greater his chances of participating will become.
Damon Heta & Nathan Aspinall
Two players who certainly fit into the Premier League in terms of character, especially considering their walk-ons. Only the television results do not yet speak in their favor. Damon Heta and Nathan Aspinall both still have the chance to show during the World Darts Championship why they are entitled to an invitation. A quarter or semifinal would therefore be just the right time.
Three outsiders for an invitation to Premier League Darts. What goes for Michael Smith actually goes for Peter Wright as well. The only difference is actually that Wright is still in the World Championship. With a very good result in Ally Pally, "Snakebite" still gives the selection committee ammunition to include him. In that case, though, Wright may have to win over both Jermaine Wattimena (third round) and Luke Humphries (last 16) at the World Darts Championship. Even then, the question is whether a quarterfinal is going to be enough.
Chris Dobey already competed in the Premier League Darts once in 2023 and would be only too happy to return in 2025. 'Hollywood' was ranked number one on the Players Championship Order of Merit in 2024, but did rather less well at the television tournaments, where he usually performs better than on the floor. A very good Worlds result, say a semifinal, will still put Dobey high on the nomination list.
In the third round, Dobey will then have to face Josh Rock. The PDC likes refreshment in Premier League Darts, but they have to have a reason for it. Rock could provide this reason if he makes it to the semifinals at the World Darts Championship.
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From 2014, Peter Wright was always there in the Premier League Darts
Prediction
Luke Littler
Luke Humphries
Michael van Gerwen
Rob Cross
Stephen Bunting
Gerwyn Price
Nathan Aspinall
Mike de Decker
Kieran WoodDarts Journalist
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He contributes to DartsNews.com, where he covers professional darts through news, match reports, analysis, and live coverage across the PDC calendar and major tournaments.
A key part of his work is on-site reporting from leading events. Kieran has covered the PDC World Darts Championship in person, reporting daily from the venue and providing first-hand insight from the tournament. During his coverage, he has conducted interviews with leading players including Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, and Gerwyn Price.
He is also one of the leading voices of the English-language Dartsnews Podcast, contributing regular analysis and discussion on developments across the professional darts circuit.
In his reporting, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles when new, verified information becomes available.
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- And why should he listen to you?Deduce635807-11-2026
- Ultimately it is a bye for whoever draws Barney. It will be another stroppy and sulky performance once he goes behind. Barney was excellent but really must completely call it a day now.richieburnettrocks07-11-2026
- I'm disappointed he was not able to secure a spot at the Grand Slam. With Carl Sneyd taking care of Daryl Gurney, he would have had to beat Andy Boulton before facing the winner of Sneyd vs Mensur Suljović for a Grand Slam spot. Unfortunately, after beating Filip Bereza comfortably, he succumbed to Boulton, and the board would ultimately be won by the highly inconsistent Carl Sneyd. Since he could instead have been drawn against the likes of Cristo Reyes, Dirk van Duijvenbode and Stephen Bunting, I think once Gurney was out of the picture he would have been favourite to win his board, and it seems like a massive missed opportunity to put 5 grand on his ranking and seal another major TV appearance ahead of the Worlds. The highs and lows of following Raymond van Barneveld!Deduce635806-11-2026
- Probably i will receive a lot of backlash and hate for this reaction, but well, so be it. I am more than sick and tired of those lies of you Barry Hearn. How dare you defend yourself over the back of Fallon’s son! He has a disability and not an illness, so let me correct that for you! I know because I have the exact same disability. I have tried to reach out to Fallon in the past, and offered her to help her and her son, because I was struggling with the same problems, and I understood the boy. I wanted him to have finally someone who understood him. However she told me that she did not want my help, and I have respected Fallon’s choice. I have never asked Fallon for money. They don’t need money in that case. I only ever wanted the best for Fallon and Rory, but I have to be honest about the situation. Fallon should tell the true story and not be forced to tell lies. I don’t hate Fallon, and I don’t begrudge or envy a single penny that she gets, but this situation/case is just not fair. I hate the lies and the dishonesty and injustice. I don’t want Fallon to be hated because there is an unfair disadvantage created. Don’t proclaim your false lies over the back of Rory! I only stand for integrity and justice. I am precisely the one who always sticks up for Fallon. And you don't, you don't give a damn about them. You were never there for them, and now you only want to save your own position! You are just trying to talk your way out of your own bad behavior at the expense of someone with a disability. And to Fallon, I don’t know if this may ever reach you, and you read it, but I want you to know I love you and I love your son Rory very much, I am sorry how things developed and went. I hope you and Harriet are still friends. I am sorry if I were too persistent to you, or you experienced it that way, but it was never my intention. Please understand I have autism as well. As Barry Hearn would say, I am only just a human being too, and I also make mistakes and misjudge things sometimes. I promise you I did everything out of the deepest love and care for you and Rory. If I were you, I should just keep all the money, only please never be dishonest or tell lies anymore for Barry Hearn, or anyone else. I hope you have the best life, and I wish nothing more than the best for you. I have always loved the two of you. Farewell.Hiddo05-11-2026
- She is a professional. If darts is her income, she is a professional. Same as Adrian Lewis, Martin Adams. A tour card just means someone can play on the PDC tour. You could even make a case that Clayton wasn't a professional (until recently I believe) because he had employment elsewhere.BandB04-11-2026
- She's technically not a professional though as she doesn't hold a pro tour card.mr-pablo04-11-2026
- Such a shame that lakeside has been reduced to this. Fantastic venue,and previously a great tournament. Not any morerick6703-11-2026
- Seems to me that the top 16 players pick and choose whatever they want to play. Good,all the money will get spread out more. They get more money from exhibitions than tournaments so let them all withdrawrick6703-11-2026
- Play all legs and the winners split the pot. Luke gets the lot of he wins them all. If your occupation is darts player you can't enter, regardless of ability.BandB01-11-2026
- I'm quite a jaded person all things considered, but to be honest I found Beat Luke Littler to be pretty entertaining. It certainly wasn't seamless, which is to be expected given the lack of precedence, but I actually think the pacing was pretty good, the production was impressive, and there was a good sense of humour and levity to it. I think it was a very ambitious undertaking but one that, for the most part, paid off. I liked the system with the four pots and I think it added to the drama and intrigue. I enjoyed seeing the diverse range of entrants and learning about their backstories. I think the interactivity was pretty clever and well-integrated. The panel was a little incoherent at times; Lee Mack shone however, and his improvisational skills were appreciated during some more awkward interstitial moments. As far as the darts is concerned, it was a shame that the format didn't allow Littler to get into full flow. You obviously don't want him to steamroll everyone but you want to feel like you're getting the full Littler package rather than seeing him struggling to get out of first gear. I will say that his leg against Jayden Walker was very impressive, but it was mostly downhill from there. The attraction revolves around Littler being this untouchable, indomitable force, yet the format doesn't really allow him to fulfil that characterisation. As for Fallon Sherrock, she was mightily impressive and deserved the victory. It is a testament to her unshakeable character that she was able to bang in a 14-darter under such mind-bending pressure. Everything that has been said about the misleading marketing is valid, though they were clear about their eligibility criteria and were able to offload the responsibility somewhat by bringing the viewers into the decision-making process in real time. What is clear though, is that Fallon played the game according to the rules, and she should not be criticised for that, much less abused. I will admit though that it is a kick in the teeth for those true amateurs who committed time and money to the course, and I would also question those who think pub players would have no chance, given that some of Littler's winning legs were dispatched in 7 visits to the board! The great thing about darts is that it isn't so much that amateurs cannot replicate the feats of brilliance pulled off by professionals of the sport, than it is that they simply cannot replicate the consistency of their output, something that this format almost entirely removes from the equation. It should also be noted that, financially, Fallon certainly stands to benefit much less in relative terms from the paycheque than would your average pub thrower, as I'm sure she nets a fair income from the lucrative exhibition circuit alone. What I do hope is that she might use this as an opportunity to really build up a head of steam heading into the new season, as it seems long overdue that she come through Q-School and really take it to the pros on a week-in week-out basis, but whatever she chooses to do, she has certainly achieved enough already for one if not several lifetimes, so who am I to dictate terms? To conclude though, I will state once again that I found Beat Luke Littler to be a pretty enjoyable evening of entertainment. I do feel for the contestants who never actually had the chance to try their luck against the world #1, although I suppose it comes with the format, but all which inevitably raises the question: will Netflix be tempted to do it all again next year? It's hard to say. Whether it would be financially viable, I can't weigh in there. One point I have been making though, and which I touched on earlier, is that the entire concept relies on a public perception that Littler is more or less unbeatable, and that certainly hasn't been the case of late. If the execs had been trying to pitch the show in recent months while Littler has seemed vulnerable, rather than when he was mopping up almost every major title on the calendar, it would certainly be a tougher sell. We will have to see in about 6 months' time whether Littler can still reliably command perception as a near-unstoppable force in darts, and then we'll have a clearer idea about whether we should expect a second helping. Even as a one-off experiment though, and with all the controversy taken into account, I still don't think they disgraced themselves by any means, and that will probably be my lingering assessment of the event when all is said and done.Deduce635801-11-2026