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 declaring a 6-3 triumph in night 2's final 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 champ was no match for Welshman Price, who had actually come through 2 final-leg deciders before raising the title in more comfy style.


Littler had earlier opened the competition's very first see to Belgium by edging a final-leg decider of his own against competing Luke Humphries.


For Price it was a welcome triumph to validate the great kind he had been in of late.


"I think I'm playing a few of the very best things I have actually played, I'm just not winning tournaments," Price told Sky Sports after his victory.


"There's no chance I can't win a major, bigger Pro Tours, Europeans. Averages are just 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 competitors's 21-year history, and the 10,000 darts fanatics inside the AFAS Dome were treated to plenty of thrills.


Premier League Darts 2026 components, results and table


5 days ago


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


Littler beats Humphries on night of returns


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


Humphries and Littler both struck 7 180s and averaged over 102 and 105 respectively, but both were surprisingly poor on the external ring - missing 28 doubles in between them.


Humphries was the much better gamer throughout, but at 4-1 up he started missing doubles severely, 17 in all by the end of the match, as Littler engineered an escape to make it 5 straight wins against his huge rival.


World number 2 Humphries has now lost 11 of his 15 Premier League meetings with Littler, with his last victory of any kind against the 19-year-old can be found in the tournament's final last May.


The previous four defeats before this one was available in tournament finals, and perhaps it is ending up being a mental barrier now for the safeguarding Premier League champion as his scoring was solid all video game, but he could just not get over the line.


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


Stephen Bunting completed bottom of the table last year after failing to win a single match in the first 8 weeks, but aimed to have one finished when leading 4-0, just to see Jonny Clayton rattle six straight legs to win 6-4.


And Price needed to originate from 3-1 and 4-2 down 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 battle.


Price had four 180s to Clayton's three and averaged just over 100 - but was forced to win the last 2 legs under severe pressure to make the final.


It was no real surprise offered Price had actually 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 victory over Littler where seven of the 10 legs went against the darts.


The Dutchman averaged just over 100 with an off-colour Littler down at 95 and - oddly for him - only handling a single optimum, while Van Gerwen hit 4.


But it was the completing under pressure that made the distinction as the Dutchman struck 6 of 13 efforts at a double, consisting of rounding off a 10-darter, in an efficiency that was a lot more like the Van Gerwen of old.


Despite amazing back-to-back surfaces of 167 and 160 in the final Van Gerwen was always 2nd best, however a win and a last after 2 nights is a great start considering he failed to win a single night in last season's competition.


The outcomes also leave Littler and Humphries in fifth and 6th in the table with simply one win each, however there is no panic right now with 14 weeks of fixtures remaining.


Premier League Darts night 2 results


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 preliminary weeks in the league stage with quarter-finals, semi-finals and a last each night.


Each of the 8 gamers is guaranteed to deal with the other seven in the quarter-finals in weeks one to 7 and 9-15, with week eight and week 16 components done off the table. It means we will get fourth v 5th in Sheffield on the last league-stage night, with the play-off spots possibly on the line.


Players make 2 points per quarter-final win, an additional point if they win their semi-final and 5 for winning the night.


The top four players after the group phase development to the play-off night at London's O2 Arena on 23 May, with very first facing 4th and second against third in a best-of-19. The last, which is the finest of 21 legs, follows.


If gamers are level on points after the 16 weeks then locations are chosen by nights won and after that matches won.


Premier League Darts night 3 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