Van Veen seen as a lock for Premier League Darts: "If he’s not in, that would be unjust"

Gian van Veen has firmly put himself in the spotlight with his World Darts Championship campaign. The 23-year-old Dutchman reached the quarterfinals at Alexandra Palace for the first time in his career, and did so convincingly. Former top darter Vincent van der Voort sees more than just a sporting breakthrough in that achievement. In his view, Van Veen is now a near-certainty for a Premier League Darts spot.

Tuesday night in London started promisingly from a Dutch perspective, but took a different turn than hoped. Both Michael van Gerwen and Kevin Doets exited early, leaving Van Veen as the only compatriot left in the tournament. The reigning European champion dispatched debutant Charlie Manby convincingly in the fourth round: 4-1 in sets. “It looked good,” Van der Voort judged on the podcast Darts Draait Door.

With that victory, Van Veen wrote a new chapter in his still young Worlds story. Where in previous appearances he went no further than the opening round, he now stands among the last eight. The sporting impact extends beyond this tournament alone. By reaching the quarterfinals, Van Veen climbs to fifth in the world rankings and closes the gap to Michael van Gerwen to a short distance.

According to Van der Voort, that all but settles the debate about a Premier League invitation. The prestigious competition, in which eight players are selected by the PDC, now seems within Van Veen’s grasp. “Premier League is in. We can tick that box,” Van der Voort stated firmly. He has no doubt whatsoever. “If he’s not in, that would be unjust. He’s in, it can’t be otherwise.”

The former top darter points not only to Van Veen’s results, but also to his presence and playing style. In his analysis, the Dutchman has everything that makes the Premier League appealing to fans and organizers. “He hits a lot of 180s, he interacts with the crowd, and he gives good interviews.” That puts Van Veen, according to Van der Voort, right in the profile the PDC seeks for its flagship event.

Notably, during his match against Manby, Van Veen himself said he was not thinking about a potential invitation. Only later, during the press conference, did he admit that the thought had indeed crossed his mind beforehand and afterwards. For now, though, his focus is fully on the sporting continuation of the Worlds.

That continuation promises to be a stiff test straight away. In the quarterfinals he faces Luke Humphries, a former world champion and one of the circuit’s absolute elite. Yet Van Veen is far from without a chance in that clash. The last four meetings between the two, including three on TV, have all been won by the Dutchman. “So Humphries won’t be entirely at ease,” Van der Voort concluded.