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 comfy style.


Littler had earlier opened the competition's 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 actually remained in of late.


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


"There's no method I can't win a major, bigger Pro Tours, Europeans. Averages are simply for show and if you play well on your darts and win matches you win tournaments. 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 fanatics inside the AFAS Dome were dealt with to lots of thrills.


Premier League Darts 2026 fixtures, outcomes and table


5 days back


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 greatest darts stars in the world played out a high-quality contest that decreased to a final-leg decider.


Humphries and Littler both struck 7 180s and balanced over 102 and 105 respectively, however both were surprisingly bad on the outer ring - missing out on 28 doubles in between them.


Humphries was the better player throughout, however at 4-1 up he started missing doubles badly, 17 in all by the end of the match, as Littler crafted an escape to make it 5 straight wins against his huge competitor.


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


The previous four defeats before this one came in competition finals, and maybe it is ending up being a mental barrier now for the defending Premier League champion as his scoring was strong all video game, but he might just not overcome 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 ended up bottom of the table last year after failing to win a in the first 8 weeks, but aimed to have one finished when leading 4-0, just to view Jonny Clayton reel off six straight legs to win 6-4.


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


Price goes range as MVG sinks Littler


Price's 2nd final-leg decider came against good friend and Wales World Cup team-mate Clayton in a nip-and-tuck battle.


Price had four 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 given Price had actually won 9 in a row versus his compatriot and 15 of their previous 16 meetings.


Van Gerwen did not impress in his opener however definitely performed in a strange 6-4 triumph over Littler where seven of the 10 legs went versus 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 hit 4.


But it was the ending up under pressure that made the distinction 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 incredible back-to-back surfaces of 167 and 160 in the final Van Gerwen was constantly 2nd best, however a win and a final after 2 nights is a terrific start considering he stopped working to win a single night in last season's competitors.


The results likewise leave Littler and Humphries in fifth and 6th in the table with just one win each, but 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 final each night.


Each of the eight gamers is ensured to deal with the other 7 in the quarter-finals in weeks one to seven and 9-15, with week eight and week 16 components done off the table. It implies we will get 4th v 5th in Sheffield on the last league-stage night, with the play-off spots potentially on the line.


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


The top four players after the group stage development to the play-off night at London's O2 Arena on 23 May, with first dealing with fourth and 2nd against third in a best-of-19-leg match. The last, 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 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