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 last in Antwerp.
Van Gerwen won the season opener in Newcastle last week 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 come through two final-leg deciders before lifting the title in more comfy style.
Littler had earlier opened the competition's first check out to Belgium by edging a final-leg decider of his own versus rival Luke Humphries.
For Price it was a welcome victory to validate the fine kind he had been in of late.
"I think I'm playing a few of the best things I have actually played, I'm simply not winning tournaments," Price informed Sky Sports after his victory.
"There's no other way I can't win a major, larger Pro Tours, Europeans. Averages are simply for program 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 competitors's 21-year history, and the 10,000 darts enthusiasts inside the AFAS Dome were treated to a lot of thrills.
Premier League Darts 2026 components, results and table
5 days back
Premier League: Price beats Van Gerwen to win Antwerp last - as it took place
Littler beats Humphries on night of resurgences
The night started with a bang as the two most significant darts stars in the world played out a top quality contest that decreased to a final-leg decider.
Humphries and Littler both hit 7 180s and balanced over 102 and 105 respectively, but both were surprisingly poor on the outer ring - missing 28 doubles in between them.
Humphries was the better player throughout, however at 4-1 up he began missing doubles terribly, 17 in all by the end of the match, as Littler engineered an escape to make it five straight wins versus his big competitor.
World second Humphries has now lost 11 of his 15 Premier League conferences with Littler, with his last victory of any kind against the 19-year-old being available in the tournament's final last May.
The previous 4 defeats before this one was available in competition finals, and maybe it is becoming a mental barrier now for the protecting Premier League champion as his scoring was solid all video game, but he could simply not get over the line.
Comebacks were a theme of the opening quarter-finals with all bar Van Gerwen's stroll versus an Rock filled with excitement.
Stephen Bunting completed bottom of the table in 2015 after failing to win a single match in the very first 8 weeks, but wanted to have one finished when leading 4-0, just to see Jonny Clayton reel off six straight legs to win 6-4.
And Price needed to originate from 3-1 and 4-2 to beat Gian van Veen in the very first of his two 6-5 triumphes on the night.
Price goes range as MVG sinks Littler
Price's second final-leg decider came against buddy and Wales World Cup team-mate Clayton in a nip-and-tuck fight.
Price had 4 180s to Clayton's three and balanced just over 100 - but was required to win the last 2 legs under severe pressure to make the last.
It was no real surprise given Price had won nine in a row versus his compatriot and 15 of their past 16 conferences.
Van Gerwen did not impress in his opener however certainly did in a weird 6-4 success over Littler where seven of the 10 legs went versus the darts.
The Dutchman balanced just over 100 with an off-colour Littler down at 95 and - strangely for him - only managing a single maximum, while Van Gerwen struck 4.
But it was the finishing under pressure that made the difference as the Dutchman hit 6 of 13 efforts at a double, consisting of completing off a 10-darter, in an efficiency that was a lot more like the Van Gerwen of old.
Despite unbelievable back-to-back finishes of 167 and 160 in the final Van Gerwen was constantly 2nd best, but a win and a last after 2 nights is an excellent start considering he failed to win a single night in last season's competition.
The results likewise leave Littler and Humphries in fifth and 6th in the table with simply one win each, however there is no panic just yet with 14 weeks of fixtures staying.
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 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 face the other seven in the quarter-finals in weeks one to seven and 9-15, with week eight and week 16 components done off the table. It suggests we will get fourth v fifth 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 five for winning the night.
The leading 4 players after the group phase progress to the play-off night at London's O2 Arena on 23 May, with first facing 4th and second against third 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 decided by nights won and then 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