From heated Price–Aspinall to historic Humphries: what stood out during the semi-finals in Leicester

Sunday, 04 October 2026 at 12:00

Tonight in Leicester the arrows fly again for the World Grand Prix final. Before attention fully shifts to the battle for the prestigious title, it’s time for one last look back at the semi-finals. And, as we’ve come to expect from this tournament, they delivered plenty to talk about.

The two semi-finals provided spectacle in their own ways. The first featured two players who never shy away from a scrap. It became a contest where not only scoring, but also emotion and character, played a decisive role. Two alpha competitors going head-to-head, desperate to reach the final at any cost: it made for palpable tension on stage.

Price keeps his cool in heated semi-final against Aspinall

On paper, the semi-final between Gerwyn Price and Nathan Aspinall may not have been a thriller, but anyone watching the stage knew better. The tension was constant throughout. Price and Aspinall not only faced off at the oche; they seemed to challenge each other at every turn. In the end, the Welshman prevailed 5-2 to reach the final of the World Grand Prix.

Price made a sharp start. The Iceman seized control immediately and raced into a 3-0 lead. Although the margin looked comfortable, it was his stage presence that stood out. The Welshman, as so often, let himself be heard after key moments and celebrated his strong legs with visible passion.

That fuelled a match where emotions frequently ran high. Price is known for wearing his heart on his sleeve on the oche, and this was no different against Aspinall. The Englishman, however, refused to roll over. The Asp fought back and cut the deficit to 3-2. For a moment, the momentum seemed to be turning.

Aspinall also made himself heard in that spell. He celebrated his legs exuberantly, roaring several times. The tension between the pair was clear to see and hear. At the same time, Aspinall showed signs of irritation with the crowd’s behaviour. He voiced his complaints to the referee on several occasions.

Price had little sympathy afterward. According to the Welshman, there was no reason at all to think the crowd was against Aspinall. On the contrary, Price felt the spectators were largely on The Asp’s side. It underlined the stark contrast in how both players experienced the match.

Despite Aspinall’s brief surge, Price reasserted himself. The Welshman stayed composed and showed why he has been a mainstay at the top for years. With a 5-2 victory he ended Aspinall’s hopes and booked his place in the final.

Gerwyn Price can win the World Grand Prix for the second time

For Price, the final is also a fresh chance to end a surprisingly long wait for a major title. The Iceman has not lifted a major since 2022. His last big win came at that year’s World Series of Darts Finals. Since then, Price has repeatedly shown he belongs among the elite, but another major trophy has eluded him.

In Leicester, he gets the opportunity to finally change that. Four years after his last major, Price stands on the brink of another prestigious triumph. His game looks ready, but one question will define Sunday night: can The Iceman keep his emotions and nerves in check in the final?

Gerwyn Price’s major titles

Year	Major	Final opponent	Result
2018	Grand Slam of Darts	Gary Anderson	16–13
2019	Grand Slam of Darts	Peter Wright	16–6
2020	World Grand Prix	Dirk van Duijvenbode	5–2
2020	World Series of Darts Finals	Rob Cross	11–9
2021	World Championship	Gary Anderson	7–3
2021	Grand Slam of Darts	Peter Wright	16–8
2022	World Series of Darts Finals	Dirk van Duijvenbode	11–10

Humphries makes history and chases another major title

Luke Humphries made history at the World Grand Prix. The 31-year-old Englishman defeated compatriot James Wade 5-3 in the semi-final. That sent Cool Hand Luke into the final, but more importantly: he reached the World Grand Prix decider for the fourth year in a row. No one had ever done that before.

Even the biggest names in darts history could not touch this record. Both Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen reached multiple World Grand Prix finals, but neither managed to make the showpiece four years in a row. Humphries now does, adding another remarkable chapter to an already imposing résumé.

The World Grand Prix also holds a special place in Humphries’ career. In 2023 the Englishman truly broke through at the highest level by winning his first major in Leicester. That victory proved the start of an outstanding spell. Humphries evolved into one of his generation’s most successful players and has since added no fewer than seven more majors to his haul.

Even so, his most recent individual major win dates back to 29.05.2025. On that day, Humphries lifted the Premier League Darts title. Since then, it has been notably quiet around “Cool Hand Luke” in terms of individual majors. He continued to go deep at big events, but another title eluded him.

In fact, Humphries has lost five major finals since that last triumph. Four times he ran into a particularly pesky rival on the opposite side of the stage: Luke Littler. The young Englishman has become a real tormentor for Humphries in recent years, denying him multiple chances at major silverware.

Not this time, though. Humphries does not have to account for “The Nuke”. Littler suffered an early exit at the World Grand Prix, making Humphries’ path to the title suddenly a touch less steep. That does not mean the Englishman will face a soft touch in the final.

Far from it. Standing opposite is Gerwyn Price. The Welshman dispatched Nathan Aspinall in his semi-final and is also desperate for fresh major silver. Price has waited even longer than Humphries for an individual big title. His last came in 2022, when he won the World Series of Darts Finals.

Luke Humphries reaches his fourth consecutive World Grand Prix final

So on Sunday evening two players meet with plenty on the line. Humphries can end a long run without an individual major while crowning an unprecedented fourth straight World Grand Prix final with a new title. Price, in turn, can finally end a drought that now spans four years.

A one-sided final looks unlikely. Both players have the quality, experience, and drive to push each other to the limit. They also know there is a prime chance to end a lengthy major dry spell. The tension will be tight on Sunday evening. One thing seems clear in advance: whoever lifts the trophy will have to dig deep.

Luke Humphries’ World Grand Prix finals

Year	Opponent	Result
2023	Gerwyn Price	5–2 win
2024	Mike De Decker	4–6 loss
2025	Luke Littler	1–6 loss
2026	Gerwyn Price	To be played

Wade falls just short again

James Wade ranks among this season’s most consistent performers at the big tournaments. The 43-year-old Englishman can look back on a strong run of results: two quarter-finals, a semi-final and now a final across the majors he entered. For a player of Wade’s pedigree, that is hardly cause for complaint. Yet one feeling will dominate: once again he was close, and once again the big payoff slipped away.

Wade is now one of the most seasoned players on the PDC circuit. The Englishman owns no fewer than eleven major titles, but has been waiting for number twelve since 2021. That long wait grows more conspicuous, especially as “The Machine” has repeatedly shown this season he can still go deep on the biggest stages.

At the World Grand Prix it finally seemed time. Week after week Wade impressed, drawing praise from all quarters. Friends and rivals agreed that “The Machine” was throwing superbly. His game convinced, he radiated confidence, and suddenly a first major in five years no longer felt far away.

Wade did not play a poor match in the semi-final against Luke Humphries either. The Englishman maintained his level and gave his compatriot real resistance. Humphries, though, proved just sharper at the key moments. With a 5-3 win, “Cool Hand Luke” booked his place in the final and Wade’s promising major campaign ended once more.

That will sting all the more. Wade again showed he can still contend for the biggest prizes, but when it truly matters, that twelfth major remains out of reach. It is a pattern increasingly visible in recent years. The Englishman gets close, but that final step to another big trophy remains missing.

James Wade lost 5-3 to Luke Humphries

There is another missed opportunity to add. With the surprisingly early exit of Luke Littler, the path to the title was wide open this time. In recent years Littler has been a huge obstacle for many top players, and the world champion’s departure offered Wade and the other contenders a prime opening.

Yet Wade could not capitalise on that chance either. He fell in the semi-finals, one match short of the final and another shot at silverware.

Even so, that elimination does little to diminish Wade’s impressive World Grand Prix. At 43 he has once more shown he remains a player who can cause problems on the biggest stages. Only that nagging feeling still lingers for now.

Once again James Wade was close. Once again a 12th major title seemed within reach. And once again “The Machine” has to settle for just short.

James Wade’s results at PDC majors in the 2026 season

Major	Result	Eliminated by	Score
World Masters	Quarter-finals	Gian van Veen	2–4
UK Open	Final	Luke Littler	7–11
Premier League Darts	Not selected	—	—
World Matchplay	Quarter-finals	Gian van Veen	13–16
World Grand Prix	Semi-finals	Luke Humphries	0–5

Sunday night’s World Grand Prix final is not only about the prestigious title and the top prize. There is also plenty at stake on the world ranking. While Price already knows he will remain world number four after the tournament regardless of the final result, Humphries can still see movement. The Englishman is currently second, but will only keep that spot if he wins the World Grand Prix.

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If Humphries loses, the picture changes completely. Gian van Veen will then overtake Humphries and the Dutchman will move up to second place, a position he already held earlier this year.

Current world ranking before the World Grand Prix final

Source: dartsrankings.com

Rk	+/-	Name	Prize money	R1	R2	QF	SF	F	W
1		Luke Littler	3124	3124
2	+1	Gian van Veen	1029.75	1002.25	1014.75	1029.75
3	-1	Luke Humphries	1011	938.5	951	966	981	1011	1081
4		Gerwyn Price	793	720.5	733	748	763	793	863

Samuel GillChief Content Officer

Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.

Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.

In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.

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