“My game’s getting to that level again” – Dave Chisnall eyes return to darting elite in 2026

For Dave Chisnall, the opening weeks of 2026 mark less of a fresh start and more of a recalibration. After a 2025 season that failed to meet his own expectations, Chisnall is clear that the new campaign is about re-establishing standards rather than rewriting his identity as a player.

The recent lull in the calendar has offered him a rare period of normality. “There’s not much to report as present, with this arguably being the quietest few weeks in the darting season,” he writes in his latest column for Kwiff, describing a spell split between preparation and home life.

“It’s been combining practising and getting myself ready for the new campaign and being something of a househusband,” 'Chizzy' adds.

That downtime, he suggests, has been valuable rather than disruptive. “It’s been good to be home for a bit and spend time with the family, but now it’s time to get back on the road and hopefully earn a few quid along the way.”

Rather than talking in abstract terms about form, Chisnall anchors his confidence to a specific moment. Looking at the Winmau World Masters, he references a quarter-final defeat to Michael van Gerwen as a benchmark for where his game needs to be.

“The tournament has been good to me historically, and I probably should have made a better fist of it when losing to Michael (Van Gerwen) in the Quarter-Finals back in 2024,” he says. “My game’s getting to that level again.”

It is a revealing line. Chisnall is not claiming dominance, nor suggesting he is already back among the very best. Instead, he is identifying the level he believes he can still reach and framing 2026 as the opportunity to prove it.

That belief matters given his current standing. Still seeded and still a regular presence on the main stages, Chisnall remains firmly established among the game’s leading professionals. What has been missing recently is the ranking momentum that once made him a near-constant threat deep into tournaments.

By his own admission, last season stood out for the wrong reasons. Chisnall has long built his career on consistency at Pro Tour and European Tour level, even when major titles proved elusive. The absence of silverware in 2025 was notable.

“The mantelpiece had a few bits up there that season, and I’m hoping to claim a bit of silverware again in 2026,” he writes. “It was rare not to bag at least a Pro Tour or Euro Tour event last year but I should be making amends this time around.”

The response, he suggests, will be built through familiar routes rather than radical change. Chisnall has already identified early-season opportunities as key, particularly the February Players Championship events.

“I’ve already got my eye on the six Players Championship events in February,” he explains, highlighting stops in Hildesheim, Wigan and Leicester, noting that the German venue is “a venue that’s been very good to me in the past.”

There is a practical edge to how Chisnall views the season ahead. Travel, logistics and rhythm all matter, especially at this stage of his career. “Those events are perfect for me because I can just get the train and don’t need to mess about with flights and hotels and the like,” he says, underlining a preference for routine over disruption.

At the same time, he is candid about the central challenge that has defined much of his career. “If I can translate the form I’m showing on the practice board at home to the stage then the others are in trouble,” he says, before immediately adding the caveat: “But it’s a big if.”

It is that honesty which perhaps best explains his longevity at the top end of the game. Chisnall understands that strong practice alone guarantees nothing, particularly after “not played competitive darts for over a month now.”

As the tour resumes, the focus sharpens. “Next week should be fun, it will be nice to get back on the road and see a lot of familiar faces again,” he adds, before summing up his mindset with characteristic bluntness. “Let’s get back to it. As Roy Keane would say – it’s my job!”

For Chisnall, 2026 is not about proving he still belongs. It is about showing that a disappointing 2025 was an anomaly, and that his place among the darting elite remains very much within reach.