“I was in the crowd myself” - Gian van Veen reflects on Van Barneveld’s iconic Rotterdam walk-on before leading Dutch hopes in 2026 Premier League Darts

Gian van Veen stands on the brink of a new chapter in his still young career. The Dutchman will soon make his debut in the Premier League Darts, a competition he followed for years as a regular TV viewer but will now experience from the stage himself.

In an interview with Viaplay, recorded ahead of his semi-final at the Winmau World Masters last weekend, Van Veen spoke about his expectations, dreams, and the “circus” that comes with the Premier League.

“From a young age I always watched the Premier League,” Van Veen says. “Every Thursday night I was back in front of the TV. And if you now get to take part yourself, in that whole circus, that’s something I’m really looking forward to.”

He chooses that word deliberately: the Premier League means weeks of travel, packed arenas, and sometimes multiple matches in one night. He isn’t worried about that, though. “No, not at all. I’m mainly just really looking forward to it,” he says matter-of-factly.

That’s exactly where the appeal lies, according to Van Veen. “There’s a lot of travel, but every night it’s a new arena, a new crowd. Everything is just a bit different. Sure, it’s the same players, but the conditions are constantly changing. Because it’s also the first time, I’m really looking forward to every night.”

The thought of sold-out venues energizes him. “All those new arenas you get to play, packed to the rafters. I don’t think I’ll struggle with that.”

Where he now regularly plays in front of three to five thousand spectators, a very different scale awaits. Arenas with ten to fifteen thousand fans are no exception. “When you put it like that, that really is what you do it for,” Van Veen admits. “To actually play in front of such big venues.”

One place clearly stands out for him: Rotterdam. “Of course Rotterdam Ahoy. That’s definitely circled in red on the calendar. That’s going to be a really great experience.”

Van Veen has ambitions too. Modest, but clear. “The goal is simply to reach finals night,” he says. “It might be my first time and maybe we’ll feel things out a bit at the start. But my goal is simply to make it to the O2 in London.”

Whether that’s as first or fourth doesn’t matter much to him. “That’s where I want to be. That’s the goal.”

He sees the weekly showdowns with the absolute elite mainly as a challenge. “You have to be switched on every match,” he knows. “You’re just getting hundred, hundred-five averages thrown at you, week in, week out. It’s also a great step to experience that every week. And I also know I’m capable of that myself.”

Besides Rotterdam, he’s looking forward to other European stops, such as Antwerp and Berlin. England itself he mentions less specifically, strikingly enough. “Whether it’s Leeds or Sheffield makes little difference to me,” he says with a smile. “As long as it’s a big arena with ten or twelve thousand people, it doesn’t matter where I’m standing.”

Still, Rotterdam remains special. He remembers earlier editions. “The first time it was there, I was in the crowd myself,” Van Veen recalls. “Then Raymond came on with that legendary walk-on. That gave me goosebumps.”

The fact that he will now be introduced on that stage himself is still hard to grasp. “That’s one of those moments where I’ll have to pinch myself. I’m really looking forward to it. It’s still hard to imagine, but that will come,” he concludes.