Price Picks Up Title In Premier League's Belgian Debut

ByPaul Higham
BBC Sport Journalist


12 February 2026


100 Comments


Gerwyn Price ended Michael van Gerwen's unbeaten start to the Premier League by claiming a 6-3 triumph in night 2's last in Antwerp.


Van Gerwen won the season opener in Newcastle recently and beat Luke Littler in the semis on his method to another final.


But the seven-time champion was no match for Welshman Price, who had come through 2 final-leg deciders before raising the title in more comfortable fashion.


Littler had earlier opened the tournament's first see to Belgium by edging a final-leg decider of his own versus rival Luke Humphries.


For Price it was a welcome success to confirm the fine type he had actually been in of late.


"I think I'm playing some of the best things I've played, I'm just not winning tournaments," Price told Sky Sports after his success.


"There's no other way I can't win a significant, larger Pro Tours, Europeans. Averages are simply for show and if you play well on your darts and win matches you win competitions. I'm going to get some."


The PDC Premier League checked out Belgium for the very first time in the competition's 21-year history, and the 10,000 darts enthusiasts inside the AFAS Dome were dealt with to lots of thrills.


Premier League Darts 2026 components, outcomes and table


5 days ago


Premier League: Price beats Van Gerwen to win Antwerp final - as it occurred


Littler beats Humphries on night of comebacks


The night began with a bang as the two most significant darts stars worldwide played out a high-quality contest that went down to a final-leg decider.


Humphries and Littler both hit seven 180s and averaged over 102 and 105 respectively, however both were surprisingly bad on the outer ring - missing 28 doubles between them.


Humphries was the much better player throughout, however at 4-1 up he started missing out on doubles severely, 17 in all by the end of the match, as Littler engineered an escape to make it five straight wins against his big competitor.


World number 2 Humphries has actually now lost 11 of his 15 Premier League conferences with Littler, with his last victory of any kind versus the 19-year-old coming in the competition's final last May.


The previous 4 beats before this one came in competition finals, and perhaps it is ending up being a mental barrier now for the protecting Premier League champion as his scoring was solid all game, but he could simply not overcome the line.


Comebacks were a theme of the opening quarter-finals with all bar Van Gerwen's stroll against an out-of-sorts Josh Rock filled with excitement.


Stephen Bunting completed bottom of the table in 2015 after stopping working to win a single match in the first eight weeks, however sought to have one finished when leading 4-0, only to watch Jonny Clayton reel off six straight legs to win 6-4.


And Price needed to come from 3-1 and 4-2 to beat Gian van Veen in the very first of his 2 6-5 triumphes on the night.


Price goes range as MVG sinks Littler


Price's 2nd final-leg decider came versus buddy and Wales World Cup team-mate Clayton in a nip-and-tuck fight.


Price had 4 180s to Clayton's 3 and just over 100 - however was required to win the last two legs under severe pressure to make the last.


It was no real surprise offered Price had won 9 in a row versus his compatriot and 15 of their previous 16 conferences.


Van Gerwen did not impress in his opener but definitely performed in an unusual 6-4 success over Littler where seven of the 10 legs went against the darts.


The Dutchman balanced just over 100 with an off-colour Littler down at 95 and - strangely for him - just managing a single maximum, while Van Gerwen hit 4.


But it was the ending up under pressure that made the difference as the Dutchman hit six of 13 efforts at a double, consisting of rounding off a 10-darter, in an efficiency that was much more like the Van Gerwen of old.


Despite amazing back-to-back surfaces of 167 and 160 in the last Van Gerwen was constantly second best, but a win and a last after 2 nights is a terrific start considering he stopped working to win a single night in last season's competition.


The outcomes also leave Littler and Humphries in 5th and sixth in the table with simply one win each, but there is no panic right now with 14 weeks of components staying.


Premier League Darts night two outcomes


Thursday, 12 February - FAS Dome, Antwerp


Luke Littler 6-5 Luke Humphries


Michael van Gerwen 6-2 Josh Rock


Jonny Clayton 6-4 Stephen Bunting


Gerwyn Price 6-5 Gian van Veen


Littler 4-6 Van Gerwen


Clayton 5-6 Price


Van Gerwen 3-6 Price


Premier League Darts table


Premier League Darts format and points system


Premier League Darts is played throughout 16 initial weeks in the league phase with quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final each night.


Each of the 8 gamers is ensured to face the other 7 in the quarter-finals in weeks one to seven and 9-15, with week 8 and week 16 components done off the table. It means we will get fourth v fifth in Sheffield on the final league-stage night, with the play-off areas possibly on the line.


Players make two points per quarter-final win, an extra point if they win their semi-final and 5 for winning the night.


The leading 4 gamers after the group stage development to the play-off night at London's O2 Arena on 23 May, with very first facing 4th and second against 3rd in a best-of-19-leg match. The final, which is the best of 21 legs, follows.


If players are level on points after the 16 weeks then places are chosen by nights won and then matches won.


Premier League Darts night three order of play


Thursday, 19 February - OVO Hydro, Glasgow


Quarter-finals


Stephen Bunting v Gian van Veen


Luke Humphries v Josh Rock


Michael van Gerwen v Luke Littler


Jonny Clayton v Gerwyn Price


Semi-finals


Bunting/Van Veen v Humphries/Rock


Van Gerwen/Littler v Clayton/Price


Final


Bunting/Van Veen/Humphries/Rock v Van Gerwen/Littler/Clayton/ Price


Darts