Our eight picks for the 2027 Premier League Darts - Littler and Humphries as a certainty, Wade and Smith knocking on the door and doubts over Michael van Gerwen

A new edition of the Premier League Darts is still several months away, but speculation about the line-up is already in full swing. Which players can expect an invitation from the PDC, and who risks missing out on a coveted place?

At Dartsnews.com, we have made our prediction. We are putting ourselves in the shoes of the PDC decision-makers, analysing the sporting performances and commercial appeal of the potential participants, and weighing up the chances of the various candidates. Who looks certain to qualify, who still needs to make an impression, and which outsiders can strengthen their case in the coming months?

First, it is important to stress that the Premier League Darts is not a ranking event. With a winner’s prize of £350,000, it is nevertheless the most lucrative tournament after the World Championship. The participants are invited by the PDC in consultation with TV rights holder Sky Sports. The four highest-ranked players in the world rankings are generally assured of a place, after which four more players are selected to complete the eight-player line-up.

Those final four places spark plenty of debate every year. Alongside sporting performances, factors such as popularity, profile and commercial appeal also play a role. As a result, a high world ranking is not always enough to secure an invitation, while players with strong results or a large following can significantly improve their chances.

As a reminder, this year’s Premier League Darts line-up consisted of Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, Gian van Veen, Michael van Gerwen, Gerwyn Price, Jonny Clayton, Stephen Bunting and Josh Rock. Click here for the full overview.

Let us start with an absolute certainty: Luke Littler. ‘The Nuke’ won the Premier League Darts for the second time in his career this year. In a thrilling final, the still only 19-year-old Englishman defeated compatriot Luke Humphries 11-10.

Littler continues to impress on other fronts too. Apart from the World Series of Darts Finals and the World Grand Prix, he has won every major this year. As world number one, he also holds a considerable lead over his nearest challengers.

There is therefore no doubt whatsoever about his participation in the 2027 Premier League Darts. Littler is not only an outstanding performer on the oche, but also one of the biggest crowd-pullers in the sport. His presence is one hundred per cent certain.

Luke Humphries is another absolute certainty for the 2027 Premier League Darts. ‘Cool Hand Luke’ won the prestigious tournament in 2025 and remains second in the world rankings. The Englishman also ended a period of more than a year without a major title by recently winning the World Grand Prix.

Humphries may no longer be the all-conquering player he was for a period. He has since surrendered that status to the unstoppable Luke Littler, but that does not diminish his qualities. The former world champion remains a fixture at the very top and has the experience and level required to challenge for victory at any major tournament.

His second place in the world rankings, previous Premier League title and recent World Grand Prix success leave no reason to question his participation. Humphries will undoubtedly be there again in 2027.

Gian van Veen can also rest easy. The 24-year-old Dutchman made his Premier League Darts debut this year and finished seventh. Although he did not win a ranking title in 2026, he continues to impress with strong performances at the major tournaments. Reaching the latter stages on a regular basis has proved at least as important to his position among the elite.

Those consistent results have firmly established Van Veen in the world’s top four. Second place may even be within reach after the World Championship, allowing him to climb another step. The PDC has naturally taken notice of his development into one of the world’s best players.

We therefore consider it highly unlikely that the organisation would overlook ‘GVV’ for the 2027 edition. Despite the absence of a ranking title, Van Veen has more than proved through his results that he belongs among the darts elite. His young age and growing status also make him an appealing name for the future of the Premier League.

We conclude the list of absolute certainties with Gerwyn Price. ‘The Iceman’ reached the semi-finals of this year’s Premier League Darts, where he narrowly lost to Luke Littler. The Welshman had already reached the final of the prestigious competition in 2023.

Price possesses two major strengths that make him ideally suited to the Premier League: enormous scoring power and a distinctive stage presence. His passionate style of play consistently delivers excitement, while he knows how to engage the crowd. Those are precisely the ingredients that make the Premier League unique within darts.

Like Van Veen, Price is still waiting for a major title in 2026. In fact, his last major triumph came back in 2022. That should not prevent him from being selected, however. The Welshman has performed at a remarkably high level throughout the year and has established himself firmly in the world’s top four.

Price is therefore rightly the fourth certainty for the 2027 Premier League Darts. His sporting level, experience and entertaining style make him a candidate the PDC will find difficult to overlook.

Fourteen consecutive appearances, seven titles — a record — and at least a semi-final reached in every edition but three. Michael van Gerwen’s Premier League Darts record is hugely impressive. Yet that remarkable run could come to an end in 2027. For the first time in years, ‘Mighty Mike’ is far from certain to participate.

The Dutchman is currently only ninth in the world rankings. After the World Championship, he could even drop as low as 19th in the projected rankings. That would be a striking decline for a player who dominated darts for years and was almost automatically considered one of the favourites for every major.

Should Van Gerwen receive an invitation to the Premier League Darts, it will be mainly thanks to his remarkable record and status as one of the biggest names in the sport. His popularity with the public remains another important asset. Based purely on his 2026 results, however, he has fewer arguments than in the past. He did not progress beyond the last 16 in any individual major this year.

It is still too early to write off the Dutchman. With the European Championship, Grand Slam of Darts and Players Championship Finals still on the calendar, the 37-year-old Van Gerwen has several opportunities to turn his season around. And that is before even mentioning the World Championship. A strong result at one of those major events could provide a significant boost to his Premier League bid.

The signs are not especially encouraging for now, but anyone familiar with Van Gerwen’s career knows he can silence the doubts quickly. He has repeatedly shown that he should never be written off too soon. The question is whether ‘Mighty Mike’ has another suitable answer ready this time.

We have already discussed five players from the so-called ‘Class of 2026’: Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, Gian van Veen, Gerwyn Price and Michael van Gerwen. Jonny Clayton, Stephen Bunting and Josh Rock were also part of this year’s line-up. However, their chances of receiving another invitation for 2027 vary considerably.

Of the three remaining participants, Jonny Clayton perhaps has the strongest case for returning next year. ‘The Ferret’, who won the Premier League in 2021, enjoyed a fairly consistent season and once again showed that he can challenge for titles across different events.

The Welshman reached finals on both the Players Championship circuit and the European Tour. He also reached at least the quarter-finals in most major tournaments. Clayton has considerable Premier League experience and knows what it takes to perform at the highest level.

Provided he does not completely lose his way in the coming months, his selection for the 2027 edition therefore looks highly likely. Clayton may not always be the most eye-catching name, but his consistent performances speak for themselves.

Stephen Bunting’s situation is considerably less positive. ‘The Bullet’ finished fifth in this year’s Premier League, but his selection for the 2026 edition had already raised questions beforehand. He has also endured a particularly difficult season, especially by his own standards.

That is reflected in the world rankings, where Bunting has slipped to 14th. It is becoming increasingly difficult to make a case for another invitation. In the coming months, the Englishman will have to prove that he still belongs among the absolute elite.

At least one eye-catching result appears necessary. A major title in one of the remaining tournaments would considerably improve his chances. Without such a breakthrough, it will be extremely difficult for Bunting to convince the PDC and Sky Sports that he deserves another place in the line-up. At present, selection for 2027 looks rather unlikely.

Josh Rock made his Premier League Darts debut this year. For ‘Rocky’, however, it was not an unqualified success: the Northern Irishman finished eighth and last in the final standings.

That should not define his entire season, though. Rock also showed considerable quality in other tournaments and reached the semi-finals of two majors. He proved that he can compete with the best players in the world.

A genuine breakthrough, in the form of a major final or title, has nevertheless remained elusive. That is precisely his biggest challenge. Eighth in the world rankings, Rock has a strong position on paper, but that may not be enough to earn another invitation.

The coming months will therefore be particularly important for the Northern Irishman. Another eye-catching result could strengthen his case. If such a result fails to materialise, Rock must seriously consider the possibility that he will make way for another player in 2027.

James Wade has played in the Premier League Darts twelve times. ‘The Machine’ even won the title in 2009, but the Englishman has not received another invitation since 2022. Could that finally change in 2027? The signs are certainly encouraging.

At the age of 43, Wade has climbed back to fifth in the world rankings. Although he has now been waiting some time for another major title, he has spent more than two decades proving that he belongs among the world’s best players. His experience and consistency remain major assets, especially in a competition where mental resilience is as important as scoring power.

Wade underlined that he is far from finished with several strong performances in major tournaments this year. He reached the final of the UK Open and recently progressed to the semi-finals of the World Grand Prix. Once again, he showed that he can compete with the very best.

Wade may not always be high on the priority list of the PDC and Sky Sports selectors, but his results are making him increasingly difficult to ignore. His fifth place in the world rankings and recent performances give him strong grounds to earn a return.

After several years away, another Premier League Darts invitation would therefore not be a major surprise. Much can still change in the coming months, but Wade already looks like one of the leading candidates to make his comeback in 2027.

Alongside Van Veen and Van Gerwen, two more Dutchmen can hope for an invitation to the 2027 Premier League Darts: Danny Noppert and Wessel Nijman. Their starting positions are quite different, however.

Noppert is currently seventh in the world rankings. Nevertheless, we cannot escape the impression that ‘The Freeze’ has looked slightly less convincing than last year. It is also notable that, despite an outstanding 2025 season, the Dutchman was not invited to the most recent edition of the Premier League.

That does not immediately improve his chances for 2027. Noppert has enough quality and experience to compete with the world’s best, but he may need more than his usually solid performances to convince the selectors. A major title in one of the remaining tournaments would provide a significant boost to his case. Without such a breakthrough, an invitation looks unlikely to us.

The player whose chances we currently rate more highly is Wessel Nijman. The 26-year-old Dutchman is enjoying an excellent season and established himself in 2026 as one of the most prominent players on the PDC circuit. With six Players Championship titles and two European Tour victories, he has already built an impressive record this calendar year.

Nijman also looks well placed in the projected world rankings, which take the expected changes after the World Championship into account. At present, he would be seventh following the tournament.

Nijman also possesses several qualities that make him attractive to the Premier League. He is young, has exceptional scoring power and has taken a huge step forward this year. His performances in floor events and on the European Tour show that he can win titles regularly.

There is, however, one important area for improvement. Nijman has not yet transferred his strong form to the major tournaments as effectively. He has not progressed beyond the last 16 in any of them this year. That could count against him when the PDC and Sky Sports assess the candidates.

If Nijman wants to significantly improve his chances of making his Premier League debut in 2027, a strong result in one of the remaining majors would be extremely welcome. A final appearance or even a major title would strengthen his case further. His season is already impressive, but he may need to take one more major step to force his way into the eight-player line-up.

Finally, there are several outsiders who could come into consideration for the 2027 Premier League Darts. Nathan Aspinall is the first name that comes to mind. ‘The Asp’, the losing finalist in 2020, was absent from the prestigious invitational event for the first time in four seasons this year. That disappointed him, but the decision was not entirely incomprehensible. After a period in which injuries hampered him, Aspinall had to prove again that he could compete with the absolute world elite.

The Englishman showed at the World Grand Prix that he should not be written off. By reaching the semi-finals, he produced an excellent result and gave his case renewed momentum. Even so, that is not yet enough to make his chances of returning to the Premier League genuinely strong. In the coming months, Aspinall will need more performances of that quality to convince the PDC and Sky Sports again.

An outsider who currently appears to have more in his favour is Ross Smith. Although ‘Smudger’ is ranked slightly lower than Aspinall, he can point to impressive results. Smith has already won two European Tour events and two Players Championship titles in 2026. On top of that, he claimed a major televised title at the World Series of Darts Finals.

Smith is therefore among the players who have been in particularly strong form this season. His combination of titles, consistency and big-stage results could bring him firmly into the selectors’ thinking. If he maintains that level in the coming months and also excels in the remaining majors, his case may become impossible to ignore. A Premier League debut is certainly not out of the question.

Gary Anderson also deserves a mention. Despite his limited schedule, the two-time Premier League champion is still tenth in the world rankings. ‘The Flying Scotsman’ clearly has the experience and record to merit consideration for an invitation. A return nevertheless seems unlikely. Anderson has previously made it clear that he is no longer interested in playing in the Premier League. Unless that attitude changes, his name is unlikely to be near the top of the list of potential candidates.

To conclude, below is our prediction of the eight players currently in contention for selection for the 2027 Premier League Darts. This does not yet take the results of the coming tournaments into account, and those events could obviously change the picture.