Ranking chaos looms after the World Grand Prix: Van Gerwen can make a major leap as Humphries battles to keep World No.2 spot
PDCFriday, 25 September 2026 at 11:00
The World Grand Prix is upon us again, and that means the battle for the prestigious title and the coveted Sid Waddell Trophy is about to begin. For a sizeable group of players, however, Leicester is about far more than pride alone. They have a significant amount of prize money to defend at this year’s World Grand Prix, earned at the same event two years ago. An early exit could therefore have serious consequences for their position on the PDC Order of Merit.
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That adds extra intrigue for those who went deep two years ago. Where a strong run usually brings a welcome financial bonus, this time it may also be essential to limit damage on the world rankings.
Especially in a spell where margins are narrowing and key ranking events come thick and fast, every pound can make a difference.
In the build-up to the World Grand Prix, we look at which players have the most prize money to defend this year. For some, Leicester offers a chance to match or even better past performances, while others are under pressure from the first round to protect their ranking capital.
Absent Belgians set for a slide on the world rankings
Two years ago, Mike De Decker enjoyed the pinnacle of his career in Leicester. “The Real Deal” lifted the World Grand Prix title and banked a hefty £120,000. This year, however, the Belgian is a surprise absentee from the Leicester stage. De Decker failed to qualify for the prestigious event and will take a heavy hit on the world rankings.
The 30-year-old Belgian currently sits 24th on the PDC Order of Merit, but because he cannot defend his 2024 prize money, he is expected to drop outside the top 32 after the World Grand Prix. That erases a large portion of the cushion he built with his historic triumph.
Dimitri Van den Bergh is also missing in Leicester this year. “The Dreammaker” reached the semi-finals two years ago, where he lost 5-4 to compatriot De Decker. That last-four run earned Van den Bergh £40,000, but that prize money will now fall off the ranking entirely.
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The implications are even greater for Van den Bergh. The Belgian is currently 46th in the world, but is projected to slide to around 60th after the World Grand Prix. That is worrying with regard to keeping his PDC Tour Card. Moreover, Van den Bergh has not yet qualified for the other major ranking events scheduled later this autumn.
While De Decker must absorb a sharp rankings drop, Van den Bergh finds himself in a far more precarious position. The coming months are therefore crucial for the 32-year-old Belgian, who urgently needs ranking points to improve his world standing.
Mike De Decker and Dimitri Van den Bergh are absent from this year’s World Grand Prix
Can Humphries defend his final spot?
Luke Humphries lost the final two years ago at the World Grand Prix. “Cool Hand Luke” must at least match that run this time, otherwise he will surrender second place in the world rankings to Gian van Veen. The 24-year-old Dutchman went out in the opening round two years ago and therefore has no prize money to defend.
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Another who went deep two years back is Ryan Joyce. The Englishman reached the semi-finals and has £40,000 to defend. “Relentless” is currently 25th in the world, but an early exit could see him slip to 28th. Heading towards the Worlds, his top-32 status could then come under pressure.
Luke Humphries reached the World Grand Prix final two years ago
And what about Joe Cullen? The 37-year-old Englishman is already having a below-par season and only just scraped into the World Grand Prix. “The Rockstar” needs to be at full tilt in Leicester. Two years ago he enjoyed an excellent run to the quarter-finals, worth £25,000. That sum is now on the line.
Cullen currently sits 30th on the PDC Order of Merit. An early defeat in Leicester could have far-reaching consequences. If he cannot defend his 2024 prize money, he risks dropping outside the top 32 for the first time in a long while. For Cullen, there is much more at stake at this World Grand Prix than simply a good performance on stage.
Rob Cross also has reason to travel to Leicester with a touch of tension. “Voltage” reached the quarter-finals two years ago and therefore has £25,000 to defend. The former world champion is currently 22nd in the world rankings and will need a strong week to avoid slipping further.
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Stringing together a few wins is vital for Cross. An early exit could see him drop several places on the Order of Merit, while a deep run in Leicester would help consolidate his spot inside the top 32.
Battle between Clayton and Wade for the top 5
Jonny Clayton and James Wade also have significant prize money on the line at this World Grand Prix. Both men made the quarter-finals two years ago and must safeguard £25,000 again. For Clayton and Wade, more than just that figure is at stake.
The pair sit fifth and sixth in the world rankings, separated by only £10,000. The World Grand Prix could therefore be pivotal in securing the best possible seeding for the World Darts Championship. A strong campaign in Leicester could prove decisive, while an early defeat may trigger movement at the sharp end of the Order of Merit.
Luke Littler’s situation is entirely different. “The Nuke” made his World Grand Prix debut two years ago, but that first appearance ended in the opening round. Littler lost 2-1 to Rob Cross back then and has no prize money to defend this year.
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The reigning world champion can therefore only gain on the world rankings in Leicester. With his sizeable advantage over the field, Littler has little to worry about regarding his No. 1 spot for now. A deep run would stretch that lead even further.
Can Van Gerwen halt the slide?
While some players must protect sizeable sums from 2024 at the World Grand Prix, that does not apply to Michael van Gerwen. “Mighty Mike” lost in the opening round two years ago. The Dutchman went down 2-0 to Daryl Gurney and therefore has little to lose in this year’s ranking race.
That also gives Van Gerwen a prime chance to claw back ground. The 37-year-old is enduring a tricky spell and has slipped to ninth on the PDC Order of Merit. Leicester offers a chance to reverse the trend.
He does not even need to lift the title to make headway. Josh Rock and Danny Noppert, currently ranked seventh and eighth, are within £15,000 of the Dutchman. A deep run at the World Grand Prix could move Van Gerwen up several places.
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More than that: if “MVG” were to win the World Grand Prix for a seventh time, he could make a major leap up the rankings. In that case, he could overtake James Wade and Jonny Clayton and climb to fifth. Leicester thus presents Van Gerwen with a key opportunity to leave a difficult period behind and reconnect with the elite.
Beyond those defending hefty sums at the World Grand Prix, several entrants were absent in Leicester two years ago. For them, this is a chance to make a big move up the rankings with minimal pressure. The Dutch contingent, in particular, has intriguing prospects.
Starting with Wessel Nijman. The 26-year-old is enjoying an outstanding season, already owning four Players Championship titles and two Euro Tour titles. What’s missing is a deep run at a major. The World Grand Prix offers a fresh shot.
Nijman currently sits 12th on the PDC Order of Merit, with less than £16,000 to make up on No. 10 Gary Anderson. A good week in Leicester could yield swift gains. If Nijman were to win the World Grand Prix, he would pocket £150,000 and could surge to fourth in the world. It is a huge opportunity to add another milestone to his impressive season.
Wessel Nijman can make a major jump on the world rankings
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Kevin Doets is another Dutchman making his World Grand Prix debut this year. “Hawkeye” is also in fine form and has climbed to 27th in the world. A strong display in Leicester could nudge him several places higher before the Worlds.
Doets also benefits from the situation ahead of him. Of the three players directly above, Ryan Joyce must defend a semi-final, while Mike De Decker is not in Leicester at all. Only Cameron Menzies, who lost in round one two years ago, has a similarly open door. A couple of wins could therefore make an immediate impact in the battle for Order of Merit places.
Niels Zonneveld will also step up at the World Grand Prix this year. “Triple Z” currently sits 35th in the world rankings and knows exactly what is at stake in Leicester. A quarter-final spot would move him into the top 32 of the Order of Merit.
Then there is Jermaine Wattimena. “The Machine Gun” reached the World Grand Prix quarter-finals back in 2019, but has nothing to defend this year. The Dutchman is currently 17th in the world rankings and has a clear target: reconnect with the top 16.
For Wattimena, Chris Dobey and Nathan Aspinall are within reach. The gap to the players ahead is small, and a win in Leicester could already be enough to reclaim a spot in the top 16. After his previous quarter-final run, Wattimena has shown he can make his presence felt on the World Grand Prix stage.
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Finally, Dirk van Duijvenbode is another Dutchman who can travel to Leicester with confidence. “Aubergenius” has no prize money to defend this year and is currently just outside the world’s top 20. That gives him a chance to capitalise on a strong performance.
Van Duijvenbode does not even need to survive multiple rounds to benefit. One win at the World Grand Prix could be enough to leapfrog Krzysztof Ratajski again on the Order of Merit. For the Dutchman, Leicester is an excellent opportunity to regain ground and push back towards the top 20.
World Grand Prix 2026 prize money
| Position | Number of players | Prize money |
| Winner | 1 | £150,000 |
| Runner-up | 1 | £80,000 |
| Semi-finals | 2 | £50,000 |
| Quarter-finals | 4 | £35,000 |
| Last 16 | 8 | £20,000 |
| Last 32 | 16 | £7,500 |
| Total | 32 | £750,000 |
Former world champions absent
While the World Grand Prix traditionally showcases great champions, three former world champions stand out this year because they are missing. Michael Smith, Peter Wright and Raymond van Barneveld all featured two years ago, but will have to watch from the sidelines this time.
Starting with Michael Smith. “Bully Boy” even entered the tournament as the second seed two years ago, but could not live up to that status. The Englishman was knocked out 2-0 in the opening round by Gary Anderson. As a result, Smith has relatively little prize money to defend and the impact on his world ranking will be limited.
Smith is currently 37th on the PDC Order of Merit and is expected to drop only one or two places. After the World Grand Prix, the 36-year-old Englishman is likely to be world number 38. For a former world champion that remains a strikingly low position, but the World Grand Prix will not cause a major additional slide this year.
Peter Wright is also absent in Leicester. “Snakebite” also had a brief stay at the World Grand Prix two years ago and was eliminated in the opening round. That means the Scot again has little prize money to lose.
However, Wright has been slipping further down the rankings in recent months. The two-time world champion is currently 37th and will remain inside the top 40 after the World Grand Prix. The downward trend will not be halted immediately, but a major extra drop due to missing Leicester will be spared.
Two-time finalist Raymond van Barneveld
Finally, Raymond van Barneveld will also not feature this year. “Barney” also exited in the first round two years ago and therefore has little prize money to defend. The Dutchman will largely retain his current position in the world rankings.
Van Barneveld is currently 40th and is expected to stay there. There is, however, one scenario in which the two-time world champion could drop out of the top 40 for the first time in a long while. If Sebastian Bialecki manages to win the World Grand Prix, the Pole could overtake him on the Order of Merit.
Springer flies the German flag, implications for Schindler and Pietreczko
Germany will be represented by just one player at the World Grand Prix this year: Niko Springer. “Meenzer Bub” returns to Leicester for the second year running and will be keen to make amends for last year’s showing. Back then, he bowed out 2-0 to Stephen Bunting in the opening round.
This year, however, Springer has a key advantage. He was not active at the World Grand Prix in 2024, so he has no prize money to defend. Every win in Leicester will not only add to his prize pot, but could also trigger a direct jump up the rankings. Springer will in any case move past the absent Peter Wright and Michael Smith after the World Grand Prix. With a deep run, even a spot in the top 32 is possible.
Martin Schindler misses the World Grand Prix this year
For two other German standouts, the picture is far less positive. Both Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko miss out on Leicester this year, while both reached the second round two years ago. As a result, they lose a significant amount on the Order of Merit.
Schindler is still 19th in the world rankings, but will drop out of the top 20 as his 2024 prize money falls away. “The Wall” is expected to land around 23rd. That costs the German several places without any chance to earn points in Leicester.
A slide also looms for Pietreczko. “Pikachu” is having a difficult season anyway and is also battling dartitis. The German sits 34th in the world rankings and will have to defend his position from the sidelines. His most direct rivals are Niels Zonneveld and Niko Springer. Should either the Dutchman or the German debutant go deep, it could affect his Order of Merit position.
Conclusion
The World Grand Prix will not only be a title fight, but also a key moment for players aiming to protect their rankings. Those who went deep last year must do so again to bank their prize money.
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At the same time, others have a prime chance to profit. With the unique double-in, double-out format and high stakes, it promises to be a tense event once more. One thing is certain: for players with serious prize money on the line, every win in Leicester counts.
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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