The question on everyone’s mind as the Premier League darts season draws to a close is whether reigning champion Luke Humphries will be able to secure a top‑four spot and reach the Play‑Offs at London’s O2 on 28 May. At the moment Humphries finds himself in seventh place after ten weeks of competition, having amassed just 11 points and still searching for his first night‑long victory of the campaign.
His recent form has been a mixed bag. A narrow 6-5 loss to league leader Jonny Clayton in Brighton saw the Welsh No.1 miss a decisive bullseye in the final leg, handing the win to the Englishman.
The setback was followed by an early exit at the Player Championship 9 in Wigan, where he fell in the last‑16 to Chris Dobey, who went on to claim his second title of 2026 on Monday. The pressure is now mounting as Humphries prepares to face home favourite Gian van Veen in Rotterdam on Thursday, a match that could prove pivotal for his Play‑Off aspirations. To analyse his chances, Michael Bridge and Chris Murphy joined this week’s Love The Darts podcast. Bridge noted that Humphries appears to be regaining his composure: "Luke isn’t running away with things any longer.
He’s getting his life back a bit because he’s heading to Aintree for the Grand National and Cheltenham, so I don’t think things are getting to him like they used to." Murphy added that while a loss in Brighton would sting, it is unlikely to devastate the 31‑year‑old as it might have a few seasons ago. Looking ahead, Humphries has six nights remaining to accumulate enough points to break into the Play‑Off positions. Currently, seven‑time champion Michael van Gerwen sits in fourth place with 16 points, five ahead of the Cheshire thrower.
Murphy speculated that Humphries could still mount a late surge: "Out of all the players currently outside the Play‑Offs, he is the one who could win back‑to‑back nights and catapult himself into those places. It isn’t panic yet, but time is running short and he needs those nightly wins, not just match victories." The upcoming fixtures are stacked: Humphries versus van Veen in Rotterdam, followed by potential clashes with Luke Littler in Liverpool, van Gerwen in Aberdeen, Josh Rock in Leeds and Stephen Bunting in Birmingham. The league table after Night 15 in Sheffield will determine who reaches the Finals Night at the O2. Humphries, who lifted his ninth European Tour title at the Belgian Darts Open last month, remains untroubled by the prospect of defending his league crown.
He told reporters, "I don’t really feel the pressure of defending. You’re not thinking about it every week you play. My average this year has been the best it’s ever been – better than 2024 and 2025 at this point." He acknowledged that timing may have been off and that opponents have been playing better against him, but he shrugged it off as part of sport: "Sometimes you play well and don’t get the rewards. It happens, but I’m not worried.
I’ve won a couple of tournaments this year and I’m still performing well. The challenge is consistency in the Premier League." Humphries stressed that the onus now lies on him to deliver the big performances needed to climb the table: "It’s up to me to win one or two nights, get myself up there and try to get into the O2 and defend that title.
If I don’t, so be it. I won’t be too hard on myself." The BetMGM Premier League moves across the English Channel for the Rotterdam night, where Dutch No.1 Gian van Veen will host Humphries on his first home league night. Meanwhile, Michael van Gerwen will take on Jonny Clayton, Luke Littler will meet Gerwyn Price, and Stephen Bunting will battle Josh Rock, each fight carrying crucial points for the Play‑Off race.
Points are awarded per night – five for the winner, three for the runner‑up and two for each semi‑finalist – and the top four after all nights will advance to the Finals Night at the O2 on 28 May. Fans can follow the action each Thursday on Sky Sports or stream the matches via NOW. The drama intensifies as Humphries seeks to turn his season around, aiming to add another Premier League title to his growing résumé.