Just two players in Premier League Darts history have defended the trophy, and Luke Humphries wants to become the third in 2026.
Phil Taylor held the title from 2005-2008 and Michael van Gerwen retained it from 2016-2019 and again in 2022-23. Humphries is only in his third Premier League campaign but has already reached the final twice, losing to Luke Littler on his debut before winning in 2025.
Now he is targeting another “accolade” — motivated by achieving things only a handful of players have done and elevating his standing in the sport. “I think it would mean a lot from the fact that I want to have these great accolades, these great things next to my name, do things that other players haven’t done,” Humphries told Sky Sports. “For me to go and do that is a great opportunity. The way I have been playing, my consistent level that I’ve showed this year already, to join them too would be quite something.”
Humphries said joining that exclusive group would “cement my name a bit higher up in the sport” and add to the legacy he is building. “The two other players who have done it before are two of the greatest that have ever played and, you for me to just be in that bracket again would just cement so much more for my legacy of the player that I’m starting to become,” he added. “So I have got 10, 15 years more to give, but to have these accolades so early on in my career definitely sets me up for having a good finish to my career.”
Humphries has been making small changes on and off the oche to stay at the top and cope with the demanding 17-week Premier League schedule. Early in 2026 he already sees benefits. “I have just been looking after my health a bit more, looking after it even more than usual to try and keep myself and healthy,” he said. “To take in these long weeks and long days that do entail just little incremental changes in my darts, a couple of extra millimetres on my points and using different flights. They are a little bit stronger and they just seem to fly better through the air.”
He believes marginal gains matter. “This is what I have said every year. It is just a little one or two per cent on my game can make me such a better player. It is premature. We are only talking a month into the year here, but I already see changes there. I feel much more comfortable on the dartboard which is more important to go on and win more.”
Consistency is the foundation of Humphries’ success in the Premier League. Although he does not always post spectacular 110-plus averages, he maintains a steadier 100-ish level more often than many rivals — a form that suits the tournament. “I just think for me, I am a consistent player. You won’t always see big 110 averages from me, I know I have had a 118, but what I mean is you don’t see this from me all the time,” he said. “But what you do see is that level of 100 average or just above it quite more often than the rest of the players. Luke (Littler), he probably does the same as me, he probably gets more 100 averages than he doesn’t. So that is why I think this tournament sort of works for me better than most, it is that consistent level that I show definitely sort of benefits in this tournament.”
Humphries begins his Premier League defence in Newcastle against Gerwyn Price, who is in good form but currently ranked world No 12. Humphries expects a tough opener: “Price is probably on the up himself. He’s playing a lot better now than he was two years ago. He will probably be annoyed at the fact that there’s a lot of talks about me and Luke all the time, he probably won’t like that. He used to be the name that everyone talked about and look, they still do, but he’s not the same as me and Luke anymore and he wants to be a part of it. So, he is going to want to be beating me and putting a good marker down for himself so I think he is going to be up for it. I am going to be up for it as well, though, because I always like to start off well, take the pressure off early and not make it too hard for yourself at the end.”
Who will win this year’s Premier League Darts? Luke Humphries will be defending his title, and you can watch the action every Thursday from February until May on Sky Sports. Stream darts and more top sport with NOW.