2026 Premier League Darts line-up: Stephen Bunting out and the wildcard picks to join Luke Littler

The Premier League Darts line-up will be announced in January and there are some huge question marks over who will be in the eight-man line-up.

The picks will be made shortly after the conclusion of the PDC World Darts Championship and there is sure to be some controversy.

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The first four players will qualify on performance – the top four in the PDC’s order of merit will be selected automatically.

Then the remaining four are chosen by the PDC.

talkSPORT’s team at Alexandra Palace for the 2026 World Championship have pored over who will make it and who will not.

Paul Nicholson told the talkSPORT Darts YouTube channel: “There are more question marks against names at this stage of the Worlds than I can ever remember.

“We are on the premise that things are not going to change. Is it still going to be eight players? If it is, I wouldn’t want to be in that board meeting on January 3.”

Automatically Qualified

Luke Littler

Littler is the world no.1 and the reigning World Champion.

‘The Nuke’ is box office on stage and secured his place at the 2026 Premier League a long time ago.

The 18-year-old is the favourite to defend his title at Ally Pally.

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Luke Humphries

The 2024 World Champion recently lost his place as world no.1, but is Littler’s closest challenger.

He is looking in great form at the 2026 World Championships and is on course for a showdown for another all-Luke final.

‘Cool Hand’ also ticked off winning the Premier League in 2025 to add to his growing trophy collection.

Michael van Gerwen

The Dutchman is a three-time world champion and was beaten by Littler in last year’s World Championship final.

He is a clear third place in the Order of Merit and has had a good 2025.

MVG is a record seven-time Premier League winner and it would not be the same without him.

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Jonny Clayton 

Clayton’s win over Andreas Harrysson on December 30 pushed him up to no.4 in the world and has his hands on that last remaining automatic spot.

He won the Premier League in 2021 and looks set to have squeezed in to that final qualifying spot so he does not have to rely on a wildcard.

Josh Rock

The 24-year-old is one of the rising stars of the game and has enjoyed a brilliant 2025.

He made the semi-final of the World Matchplay and UK Open, while he is a World Cup winner for Northern Ireland alongside Daryl Gurney.

Rocky’s journey at the 2026 World Championships was stopped at the last-16 by a magical performance from Justin Hood.

Nicholson said: “I think Josh Rock is ready. We know the level he can deliver.

“There have been rumours of him going in before this. I didn’t think he was ready, but now 100 per cent I think he’s ready.”

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Gian Van Veen

Van Veen is another rising Dutch star and had his big breakthrough moment in 2025 by winning the European Championship.

The 23-year-old is likely to be another fresh face for the Premier League.

Chris Mason told talkSPORT: “I think winning the European Championship, the performances that he’s produced here [at Ally Pally] shows that whatever happens from here on in, he’s ready to go in. I think he’d be a great pick. Like Rock, he’s ready.”

Nathan Aspinall and Gerwyn Price

Aspinall and Price were both controversial picks for the 2025 Premier League amid accusations they were not deserving of a spot.

That same argument will be made for the 2026 edition, especially with both having a weak World Championships.

Mason said: “I’ve got Aspinall and Price in because they are really safe bets.”

Nicholson added: “They were the controversial picks. What did they do? They made the playoffs. So maybe that’ll carry some weight.

Mark Wilson said: “I think those two will be. I think they’ve got to keep it where you’re going. People are buying tickets expecting to see a certain level of player.”

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Wildcards

Ryan Searle

‘Heavy Metal’ is one of the men in form at the World Championship having not dropped a set so far.

The 38-year-old has reached the quarter-finals for the first time and a run to the final could pose a huge question for the PDC.

Nicholson said: “Ryan Searle has actually said in a podcast recently as well that he wants to have a crack at it at some point. 

“But he’s also said that he cares less about the sport, just like Gary [Anderson] and Ryan Joyce.”

Justin Hood

Hood is the breakout star of the World Championships having exploded seemingly out of nowhere.

The world no.86 is set for a huge boost in his ranking, and possibly enough money to achieve his dream of opening a Chinese restaurant.

He downed Josh Rock 4-0 and was involved in the match of the tournament when he beat Danny Noppert.

Murphy said:  “I mean what a pick he would be.”

Mason added: “He’d definitely get his Chinese restaurant, but he wouldn’t have time to run it.”

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OUT

Stephen Bunting

Bunting slipped to no.5 in the world after his early exit from the World Championship.

He has been having a tough time of late, breaking down in tears during a press conference after receiving strong criticism.

Bullet also released a statement saying his 13-year-old son, Toby, had been the victim of online trolling.

The talkSPORT team argued that it would probably do him good to be taken out of the firing line.

Murphy said: “I think last year’s Premier League campaign will come into it. It was not good for Stephen Bunting and I think maybe replacing him with someone else to give them a chance at doing better.

“I also think the way things have gone in this tournament hasn’t gone in his favour. Not just the defeat, the shock defeat, but some of the stuff around it.

“Obviously he’s spoken out, he’s made a statement about the abhorrent abuse to his son and stuff like that which is terrible and obviously we’re all against that. 

“But I also do think it might make the PDC think, you know what, give him a year off, take him out of the line.”

However, Mason added: “I think they’ll put Bunting in no matter what happens. Do I think he should be in? No. But sometimes you’ve just got to hold your hands up and last year just wasn’t a good look for him and I think it would do him good just to have a break for a year.”

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Rob Cross

The 2018 World Champion lost to Luke Littler in the last 16 at Ally Pally and that defeat will see him drop to 20th in the world.

He finished seventh in the 2025 Premier League, but has struggled for results in the calendar year.

The caveat to that is his well documented problems away from the sport, including opening up about his ADHD diagnosis.

Nicholson said: “Rob Cross is not going to be in it this time. I think the right thing for Rob is to go back to basics. Play floor stuff. He may even have to go to European Tour qualifying for a vast majority of this year.

“So with that in mind, the PDC will know putting the Premier League on Rob’s plate right now is probably not the right thing to do.”

Watch the full video of the 2026 Premier League predictions on the talkSPORT Darts YouTube channel