Simon Whitlock handed major Ally Pally route as PDC confirms ANZ Premier League return with Grand Slam spot on offer

Simon Whitlock’s route back to Alexandra Palace has been reopened, with the Australian legend confirmed for the returning ANZ Premier League as the PDC strengthens its pathway for players across Australia and New Zealand.

Whitlock won the inaugural edition last year, beating Raymond Smith in the final, and will now headline the second staging of the event as he targets back-to-back titles on home soil.

The ANZ Premier League follows the travelling format made famous by the PDC’s flagship Premier League Darts, where names such as Luke Littler, Luke Humphries and Michael van Gerwen compete across weekly arena nights before Finals Night decides the champion.

For the Oceanic version, the purpose is different but increasingly significant. The 2026 winner will claim a $30,000 top prize, a place at the 2026/27 PDC World Darts Championship and qualification for November’s Grand Slam of Darts.

The tournament’s return follows what the PDC described as a successful first edition, with Whitlock’s 2025 triumph giving the ANZ Premier League an instantly recognisable first champion.

The event will again feature eight players from Australia and New Zealand, with five league nights followed by Finals Night in Brisbane on October 31. Each league night will include quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final, with points earned towards the final league table before the top four progress to the season-ending finale.

Whitlock is already confirmed as reigning champion, while the Trans-Tasman Championship winner will also earn a place in the field. The remaining spots will go to the top four non-qualified players from the final ADA rankings and the top two non-qualified players from the final DPNZ rankings.

PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter said: “Last year’s event proved hugely popular, providing a terrific platform for players across the Oceanic region to showcase their quality on the biggest stages.”

The 2026 series will begin at the AIS Arena in Canberra on September 26 before moving on to Adelaide, Melbourne, Auckland and Newcastle.

By the end of Finals Night in Brisbane, one Oceanic player will have secured not only the ANZ Premier League title, but a place on two of the PDC’s biggest televised stages.