Jonny Clayton, the reigning champion from 2021, along with Stephen Bunting, Josh Rock, and Gerwyn Price, have been selected as the four wildcards for the upcoming BetMGM Premier League season. These four players will join the top four automatic picks based on merit rankings, including double world champion Luke Littler, defending champion Luke Humphries, Gian van Veen, and Michael van Gerwen.
Notably, van Veen, who impressed but lost 7-1 to Littler in the recent world final, and Rock, the World Cup winner from Northern Ireland, will both make their debut appearances in the competition. Van Veen’s outstanding performance at Alexandra Palace propelled him to World No. 3, surpassing van Gerwen as the new top-ranked Dutch player, with van Gerwen being a seven-time Premier League champion.
The Premier League season spans 17 weeks, featuring 16 weeks of league matches starting in Newcastle on Thursday, February 5, culminating in the final at The O2 in London on May 28. Littler, fresh off his world championship victory, aims to reclaim his crown after intense battles with Humphries in the last two finals.
Meanwhile, Clayton, ranked fifth in the world, secured the Premier League title in 2021 by defeating Jose de Sousa 11-5 in the final in Milton Keynes, with a record £350,000 top prize up for grabs. Rock, who led Northern Ireland to its first World Cup triumph in June, also achieved televised semi-final appearances at the UK Open, World Matchplay, and World Series of Darts Finals.
Bunting, the seventh-ranked player globally, had a successful campaign with six PDC titles, including wins in Bahrain and Copenhagen on the World Series, as well as victories in Riesa and Basel on the European Tour.
PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter expressed excitement about the fresh lineup for this year’s Premier League, anticipating entertaining matches for fans in the UK and Europe. The selection process for the tournament was challenging due to the high level of darts displayed over the past year. With a focus on building on the momentum from the historic World Championship, the 2026 season promises to be memorable, with the addition of Belgium as a venue for the first time.
The upcoming event, following record-breaking ticket sales, will see all eight players showcasing their skills on the grand stage, with each league night featuring quarter-finals, semi-finals, and a final contested over the best of 11 legs. Points accrued each night will determine the league table standings, with the top four players advancing to the Finals Night for a shot at the title.
