Price Gets 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 way to another final.


But the seven-time champ was no match for Welshman Price, who had actually come through two final-leg deciders before lifting the title in more comfy fashion.


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


For Price it was a welcome victory to verify the fine form he had been in of late.


"I think I'm playing a few of the finest stuff I have actually played, I'm just not winning competitions," Price told Sky Sports after his triumph.


"There's no chance I can't win a major, larger Pro Tours, Europeans. Averages are just for program 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 enthusiasts inside the AFAS Dome were treated to a lot of delights.


Premier League Darts 2026 components, results and table


5 days earlier


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


Littler beats Humphries on night of returns


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


Humphries and Littler both struck seven 180s and averaged over 102 and 105 respectively, but both were remarkably bad on the outer ring - missing out on 28 doubles between them.


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


World second Humphries has actually now lost 11 of his 15 Premier League conferences with Littler, with his last triumph of any kind against the 19-year-old being available in the tournament's final last May.


The previous 4 defeats before this one can be found in tournament finals, and perhaps it is becoming a psychological barrier now for the safeguarding Premier League champ as his scoring was strong all game, however he might just not get over the line.


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


Stephen Bunting finished bottom of the table last year after stopping working to win a single match in the very first 8 weeks, but looked to have one finished when leading 4-0, only to enjoy Jonny Clayton rattle 6 straight legs to win 6-4.


And Price had to originate 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 distance as MVG sinks Littler


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


Price had 4 180s to Clayton's 3 and averaged simply over 100 - however was forced to win the final 2 legs under severe pressure to make the final.


It was no real surprise provided Price had actually won nine in a row against his compatriot and 15 of their past 16 meetings.


Van Gerwen did not impress in his opener but certainly did in a weird 6-4 triumph over Littler where seven of the 10 legs broke the darts.


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


But it was the ending up under pressure that made the difference as the Dutchman struck six of 13 attempts at a double, including rounding off a 10-darter, in a performance that was far more like the Van Gerwen of old.


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


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


Premier League Darts night two 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 across 16 preliminary weeks in the league stage with quarter-finals, semi-finals and a last each night.


Each of the eight gamers is guaranteed to deal with the other seven in the in weeks one to seven and 9-15, with week 8 and week 16 components done off the table. It indicates we will get fourth v fifth in Sheffield on the last league-stage night, with the play-off areas potentially on the line.


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


The leading 4 players after the group stage development to the play-off night at London's O2 Arena on 23 May, with very first facing fourth and 2nd versus 3rd in a best-of-19-leg match. The last, which is the very best of 21 legs, follows.


If gamers are level on points after the 16 weeks then places 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