“Surely he has to be able to win a major tournament?" - Praise being directed at Wessel Nijman after phenomenal 2026 campaign

Wessel Nijman's rise in the sport over the past few years have been an intriguing watch. Having previously shown an abundance of potential, he is living up to that and then some with his rapid start to the 2026 campaign. With five Players Championship titles and a Euro Tour triumph, the Dutchman is soaring.

The consistency is on another level. Nijman has competed in 14 of the 16 floor events this year. He has reached the final in six of them, winning five titles. He is over £30,000 clear of Chris Dobey in the Players Championship Order of Merit having racked up a whopping £104,500.

The success does not stop there. He has since showcased his credentials on the big stage. After reaching a brace of Euro Tour semi-finals last year, he managed to get over the line after battering Gerwyn Price 8-3 to win the European Darts Trophy.

That was the last remaining question over the 25-year-old. In the past, his kryptonite had been mastering his craft in front of the TV cameras on the big stage. That triumph in Gottingen hushes the doubters and leaves him as one of the favourites going into any tournament.

Darts organiser Johan Sterk was hugely impressed with Nijman's form, touting him for a successful stint in the sport. "He is very calm and exudes a lot of self-confidence," he told De Telegraaf. "Wessel doesn't care much about what others think of him, and that is a very good quality. He is mainly focused on his own game and less on the opponent."

He continued to praise the world number 16. "He is very calm and exudes a lot of self-confidence. Wessel doesn't care much about what others think of him, and that is a very good quality. He is mainly focused on his own game and less on the opponent. And his talent naturally sets him apart from others. He has a very hard throwing style, with which you can go incredibly far if you are in good shape. He hits everything he needs to hit."

The journey to the top has not been the simplest for Nijman. Martijn Kleermaker is pleased that he has moved on from the past and become the darter he now is. “Wessel was always a good player, and this year’s results confirm that once again," he commented. "I’ve really watched him with amazement. He had the label of a cheat from the coronavirus period, and he has erased that by playing like this. That is incredibly impressive.”

Nijman had received a two and a half year suspension from the sport after being found guilty of a match-fixing scandal in 2020 after deliberately losing an online darts match. It was a tough and dark period for Nijman, but he has most certainly come back from it with flying colours.

“Winning five Players Championship tournaments and a Euro Tour title while the season is still far from over is very special. And there’s still a long list of tournaments to come,” Kleermaker said, outlining his potential.

“If he could consistently bring his floor game onto the stage, then a lot could happen. But we also need to be careful not to expect too much from Wessel. Still, if he continues like this, he will be in the world’s top 10 before long.”

Sterk also suggested that major success may not be too far around the corner. “Surely he has to be able to win a major tournament? When you have this kind of talent and are this good… The only obstacle is called Luke [Littler]. But all the players are struggling with that. I think Wessel can become a world top-5 player. On the other hand, I could also name nine other players who have the qualities to get there, so it certainly won’t be an easy task.”