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 victory 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 2 final-leg deciders before lifting the title in more comfy fashion.
Littler had earlier opened the competition's very first visit to Belgium by edging a final-leg decider of his own versus competing Luke Humphries.
For Price it was a welcome victory to verify the fine type he had actually been in of late.
"I think I'm playing a few of the finest 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 significant, bigger 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 visited Belgium for the very first time in the competitors's 21-year history, and the 10,000 darts enthusiasts inside the AFAS Dome were dealt with to plenty of thrills.
Premier League Darts 2026 components, outcomes and table
5 days back
Premier League: Price beats Van Gerwen to win Antwerp last - as it happened
Littler beats Humphries on night of comebacks
The night started with a bang as the two greatest darts stars worldwide played out a premium contest that went down 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 external ring - missing 28 doubles 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 five straight wins versus his big rival.
World number 2 Humphries has actually now lost 11 of his 15 Premier League meetings with Littler, with his last success of any kind against the 19-year-old coming in the tournament's final last May.
The past four defeats before this one can be found in competition finals, and maybe it is ending up being a mental barrier now for the protecting Premier League champion as his scoring was solid all video game, however 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 in 2015 after failing to win a single match in the very first 8 weeks, however aimed to have one stitched up when leading 4-0, just to watch Jonny Clayton rattle 6 to win 6-4.
And Price had to originate from 3-1 and 4-2 down to beat Gian van Veen in the first of his two 6-5 success on the night.
Price goes distance as MVG sinks Littler
Price's 2nd final-leg decider came versus great pal and Wales World Cup team-mate Clayton in a nip-and-tuck fight.
Price had four 180s to Clayton's 3 and balanced simply over 100 - however was required to win the last two legs under extreme 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 past 16 meetings.
Van Gerwen did not impress in his opener however certainly performed in an odd 6-4 triumph over Littler where 7 of the 10 legs went versus the darts.
The Dutchman balanced simply over 100 with an off-colour Littler down at 95 and - oddly for him - just managing a single optimum, while Van Gerwen hit 4.
But it was the completing under pressure that made the difference as the Dutchman struck six of 13 attempts at a double, consisting of rounding off a 10-darter, in a performance that was much more like the Van Gerwen of old.
Despite unbelievable back-to-back surfaces of 167 and 160 in the final Van Gerwen was constantly second best, but a win and a last after two nights is a terrific start considering he failed to win a single night in last season's competition.
The results likewise leave Littler and Humphries in 5th and 6th in the table with simply one win each, but there is no panic just yet with 14 weeks of fixtures remaining.
Premier League Darts night 2 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 preliminary weeks in the league phase with quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final each night.
Each of the 8 players 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 means we will get 4th v 5th in Sheffield on the final league-stage night, with the play-off areas potentially on the line.
Players earn 2 points per quarter-final win, an extra point if they win their semi-final and 5 for winning the night.
The top 4 players after the group stage development to the play-off night at London's O2 Arena on 23 May, with first dealing with 4th and second 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 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