“Time is running out” for Luke Humphries, according to Sky Sports’ Wayne Mardle, as the defending Premier League champion sits outside the top-four play-off spots with just four regular weeks remaining.
Humphries is still without a nightly win in 2026 and suffered a convincing 6-2 quarter-final defeat to Luke Littler on Night 12 in Liverpool, leaving him on 13 points and back in sixth place. Gian van Veen leapfrogged the world No 2 after earning two points from his quarter-final win over Gerwyn Price, while Michael van Gerwen moved further clear of Humphries in fourth by reaching the semi-finals.
How points are scored in Premier League Darts
– Nightly win: 5 points
– Runner-up: 3 points
– Losing semi-finalist: 2 points
– Losing quarter-finalist: 0 points
That reality means Humphries would need a nightly win and van Gerwen to go pointless just to draw level with MVG — and likely more than that to overtake him. “There’s four weeks left now, and if he’s to have any chance of retaining that title, I think he needs to win a couple of nights,” said Sky Sports’ Laura Turner.
Van Veen (5th, 14 points) and Stephen Bunting (7th, 11 points) are also chasing, trying to close in on van Gerwen (4th, 18 points) and Price (3rd, 19 points). Humphries faces van Gerwen on Night 13 in Aberdeen, while Bunting plays Price in his quarter-final — opportunities for the challengers to close the gap or for the frontrunners to extend it.
Clayton and Littler battling for top spot
Jonny Clayton and Luke Littler can still be caught, but both look comfortable after another final between the pair in Liverpool. Clayton leads with 32 points and Littler is second on 29, the pair having shared the last three nightly wins. Littler matched Clayton’s four nightly wins for the season by beating him 6-1 in Liverpool.
Clayton can confirm his place at The O2 on May 28 with victory in his quarter-final against Van Veen in Aberdeen on Night 13; even in defeat he could still qualify provided Van Veen doesn’t win the night. The tussle for top spot remains close — “I’m very close to Jonny now. I’m going to go chasing,” Littler said after his Night 12 win. “I want to finish top once again.”
Can Rock still make Finals Night?
Josh Rock remains at the foot of the table after his quarter-final exit to van Gerwen in Liverpool, stuck on eight points and 10 off a play-off spot. Rock had been in good form earlier, producing a run of four quarter-final wins through Night 11, but is left with a steep task: two nightly wins would only see him tie van Gerwen for fourth — and only if MVG gained no points and other chasers did not make up ground.
Remaining league fixtures
Night 13 – April 30, P&J Live, Aberdeen
Quarter-finals
– Josh Rock v Luke Littler
– Stephen Bunting v Gerwyn Price
– Jonny Clayton v Gian van Veen
– Luke Humphries v Michael van Gerwen
Night 14 – May 7, First Direct Arena, Leeds
Quarter-finals
– Gerwyn Price v Jonny Clayton
– Luke Littler v Michael van Gerwen
– Josh Rock v Luke Humphries
– Gian van Veen v Stephen Bunting
Night 15 – May 14, Utilita Arena, Birmingham
Quarter-finals
– Josh Rock v Gian van Veen
– Gerwyn Price v Michael van Gerwen
– Luke Humphries v Stephen Bunting
– Jonny Clayton v Luke Littler
Night 16 – May 21, Utilita Arena, Sheffield
(Based on league table after Night 15)
Quarter-finals
– 2nd vs 7th
– 3rd vs 6th
– 1st vs 8th
– 4th vs 5th
What is the format for Finals Night?
The season-ending play-offs take place at The O2 in London on Thursday, May 28. Finals Night differs from the regular rounds: each semi-final is contested over 19 legs, and the final is the best-of-21 legs.
What is the prize?
The total prize pot for the 2026 Premier League is £1.25 million, up from £1 million the previous year. Each of the four semi-finalists are guaranteed £110,000, the runner-up receives £170,000 and the winner claims £350,000.