Reveal of Premier League Darts Lineup Set for Today on Sky Sports News

The highly anticipated lineup for the 2026 Premier League Darts will be unveiled today at 3:30 pm on Sky Sports News, with the competition format remaining unchanged from the previous season. The Premier League, broadcast live on Sky Sports, has undergone various format changes since its inception in 2005, with the most recent adjustments occurring in 2022, transforming it into an eight-player competition with nightly winners at each weekly event. The top four players from the PDC Order of Merit, following the conclusion of the World Darts Championship, will be joined by four wildcard selections to complete the lineup for the 16-week regular season, which will take place across the UK and Europe. The top four players in the standings will then advance to the Finals Night at The O2 in London. In September, the PDC announced the 2026 Premier League schedule, including the opening night in Newcastle on February 5 and Belgium's inaugural event the following week, but did not confirm the proposed format at the time. Speculation had grown about whether the PDC would opt for a change, given the increased field for this year's World Darts Championship and the large number of potential challengers for the wildcard spots. However, PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter has confirmed that the current format will continue next season. 'We always say that we evaluate it and will change it at some point, but we just feel that the data shows us that this is the right format,' Porter exclusively told Sky Sports. 'The crowds in the arenas love it, they love seeing a winner on the night, it keeps them entertained until the last dart, and the TV audience figures are great.' Luke Littler and Luke Humphries occupy the top two positions in the Order of Merit and are guaranteed to feature in the Premier League again in 2026, as is new world No 3 Gian van Veen, after his run to the World Darts Championship semi-finals, and seven-time winner Michael van Gerwen. Nathan Aspinall and Gerwyn Price both reached Finals Night last year but suffered early exits at the World Darts Championship, with Stephen Bunting, Chris Dobey, Rob Cross, and Van Gerwen all part of last year's Premier League lineup and also failing to reach the quarter-finals at the Alexandra Palace. Danny Noppert and James Wade both sit inside the top 10 of the Order of Merit, but Porter insists no decisions have been confirmed about who will feature in the 2026 Premier League lineup. 'We never make a decision until the end when we've got all the facts in front of us,' Porter added. 'There is no point talking about it now. You don't make decisions until you've got everything in front of you.' World No 2 and reigning Premier League champion Humphries was asked for his thoughts on whether there should be a change and understands why picking just eight players is becoming increasingly difficult. 'There are a lot of good players playing well - Josh Rock, Gian van Veen, Gary Anderson are playing well,' Humphries said after his last-16 win over Kevin Doets at the World Darts Championship. 'There are a lot of good players, and I think there is going to be a headache for the Premier League this year. It is going to be a tough ask to pick that. It is hard to know what the perfect scenario is for the Premier League.' Sky Sports remains the home of the Premier League in 2026, with every night exclusively live along with the World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, Grand Slam of Darts, and more.