"My self-belief and confidence went through the roof": Catch me if you can says Gian van Veen, uses Euro title as Ally Pally catalyst

Gian van Veen emphatically underlined his name at the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship. The young Dutchman delivered a performance on the Alexandra Palace stage that not only impressed statistically, but above all showed how far he has grown as a player and as a person.

With a 108.28 average – the highest at this World Championship so far – and a staggering 121 average in the final set, Van Veen powered into the third round. More importantly, he broke through a mental barrier that had held him back in London in recent years.

“Thank you very much, I’m really happy of course,” Van Veen said afterwards. “I think it was a hard-fought battle. I got a bit lucky in the second set, but I think you need a bit of luck in these kinds of tournaments. I broke my luck today, and afterwards I didn’t look back and I played really well.”

Van Veen’s display was all the more striking because it didn’t start flawlessly. In the opening set he missed several doubles, something he was quick to acknowledge. “I think the first set I missed loads of doubles,” he admitted. “It can always be better and I’m always trying to be better.”

The turning point came with a crucial finish early in the match. “After I hit the 72 checkout to go 1–0 up in sets, I think the last six legs were probably some of the best I’ve ever played, especially on this stage,” he said. “I’m really happy with this win.”

The statistics backed up the eye test. Just three treble-less visits across four sets underlined the relentless pressure he applied. “I knew I was playing well,” Van Veen explained. “After the second set I saw I was averaging about 104 in both sets, so I knew the level was there, but I didn’t know it was only three treble-less visits.”

Even the headline numbers were secondary to how he felt on stage. “The 108 average felt really good. I felt really comfortable,” he said. “Whether you average 97 or 108 doesn’t really matter, as long as you feel comfortable and get the win, that’s the main thing.”

Beyond the quality of play, it was Van Veen’s composure that stood out most. Previous visits to Alexandra Palace had brought visible tension, but this time he looked relaxed and free.

“I said it last week when I won my first ever game here — that was like a monkey off my back,” he said. “The last couple of days I was really looking forward to getting back on the stage, and even this morning I didn’t feel any nerves at all, which I did last week. I was just excited to play.”

That change in mindset has been deliberate. “The last two years I put too much pressure on myself,” he reflected. “I practised too much before the Worlds and wanted everything to be perfect. This year I told myself not to practise more than I have all season and just treat this like any other tournament. So far it’s going really well.”

With such a dominant performance, Van Veen inevitably drew attention as a genuine contender in the draw. Yet he remains focused inward rather than outward.

“For me, I just look at my own game,” he said. “I don’t look at winning the tournament and I don’t compare myself to Luke Littler, Luke Humphries or any other players. I just want to go as far as I possibly can.”

Even his position among the bookmakers does little to alter his approach. “Before the tournament I was third or fourth favourite, and after Gerwyn Price lost I was third favourite,” he explained. “But I don’t put any extra pressure on myself. Maybe this performance puts more pressure on others, but not on me.”

What matters most is how he feels on stage. “I just feel really comfortable the last two games, and that’s what I’m going to take into the rest of the tournament,” he said.

The belief underpinning Van Veen’s World Championship run was forged earlier in the year when he lifted his first major title at the European Championship.

“My self-belief and confidence went through the roof after that tournament,” he said. “The results at the Grand Slam and the Players Championship Finals afterwards were maybe a bit disappointing, but I still played well.”

That perspective is vital in today’s fiercely competitive PDC landscape. “If you’re averaging 90 to 92, you’re going to lose so many games,” Van Veen said. “If you want to be top 16, top 10 or top eight in the world, you have to keep performing.”

He has set a clear internal benchmark. “I said to myself that if someone is going to beat me at the Worlds, they’ll have to play really well, average between 98 and 105,” he explained. “That’s what I’ve done so far. It’s about keeping that level and putting pressure on my opponent.”

Although still relatively new to life on tour, Van Veen knows adaptation is non-negotiable. “If you don’t keep up, someone else will,” he said. “You have to learn on the job.”

That learning curve is already paying dividends. “These two matches alone have helped me enormously as a player,” he said. “It gives me confidence for this tournament, but also for 2026 and future World Championships. I know now that if my opponent pushes me, I can perform.”

For now, Van Veen can enjoy a rare moment of calm. He will return home to the Netherlands to spend Christmas with his family before coming back to London for round three.

“I’m going back home, spending Christmas with the family,” he said. “I’ll do a couple of hours’ practice just to make sure I’m ready, then come back fully prepared.”

The significance of that break is not lost on him. “I think this Christmas is going to be the best one of my life so far,” Van Veen smiled. “I’m still in the World Championship. That was a massive goal for me and thankfully I’ve achieved that this year.”

As for bigger dreams, they remain firmly in the background. “Of course I want to be world champion,” he said. “But it’s so far away. Soon there will be 32 players left. I’m only looking at the next match.”