PDC chief executive Matt Porter has denied there will be any changes to the Premier League darts format and confirmed it will remain unchanged for the 2026 season.

Premier League – sky sports live – There have been many formats since its launch in 2005, with the latest change for 2022 being that it becomes an 8-player tournament with wins every night in weekly events.

Following the conclusion of the World Darts Championship, the top four on the PDC money list now join four wildcard players to form a 16-week regular season squad, with competition taking place across the UK and continental Europe, with the top four on the points table advancing to the finals night at London’s O2 Arena.

The PDC announced its 2026 Premier League schedule in September, which includes the opening game in Newcastle on February 5 and Belgium’s first match the following week, but did not confirm its proposed format at the time.

Given the increased number of entries for this year’s World Darts Championship and the large number of potential challengers to fill the wildcard spots, speculation is growing as to whether the PDC will opt for a change, but Porter has confirmed that the current format will continue next season.

“We’ve always said we do evaluate it and we’ll change it at some point, but we just feel like the data right now suggests it’s the right format,” Porter said exclusively. Tell Sky Sports.

“The crowd in the arena loved it, they loved seeing the winner on the night and it kept them entertained until the last dart and the TV numbers were great too.

“So when we feel the format is getting tired, we’ll make a decision.”

Luke Littler and Luke Humphreys occupy the first two places in the Order of Merit, having played against each other in the past two finals, and are expected to return to the Premier League in 2026, while Michael van Gerwen and Jonny Clayton occupy the other automatic promotion spots as of December 31.

Nathan Aspinall and Gerwyn Price both made final night last year but crashed out early at the World Darts Championship, while Stephen Bunting, Chris Dobey, Rob Cross and Van Gerwen were all in last year’s Premier League squad but also failed to reach the quarter-finals at Alexandra Palace.

Danny Norpert and James Wade are both in the top 10 on the money list, while Gian van Veen and Josh Lock are also among those vying for a Premier League spot, but Potter insists there is no confirmation yet on who will feature in the 2026 Premier League squad.

“We will not make a decision until the end, when all the facts are before us,” Porter added. “There’s no point talking about it now. You don’t make a decision until everything is in front of you.

“We always look for players who we think can perform consistently. That’s important. A lot of players perform once but you have to show you can play at the top level on a regular basis.

“You have to prove you have real star quality. The bottom line is we don’t want to rush it. We don’t want to bring someone in before they’re ready because that could be a real negative step for their career.

“The Premier League is a tough school. If you’re there for 16 weeks and you’re losing first-round games week in and week out, it’s difficult. You have to carry that into the European Tour and the Pro Tour. So, we’re going to make a well-thought-out decision.

“As always, it won’t be 100 percent popular, but it will be an honest decision.”

Humphreys: Eight is a headache!

World number two and reigning Premier League champion Humphries was asked about his thoughts on whether changes should be made and his understanding of why picking just eight players is becoming increasingly difficult.

“There were a lot of good players playing well – Josh (Locke), Gian (Van Veen), Gary (Anderson) all playing well,” Humphreys said after his last-16 win over Kevin Dodds at the World Darts Championship.

“There are a lot of good players and I think the Premier League is going to be a headache this year. Selecting those players is going to be a tough ask. It’s hard to know what the perfect scenario is for the Premier League.”

“The Eight always had a really elitist feel to it. I missed that – it’s good to upset people, it gives you a bit of a hunger, you don’t want to please everyone. Good ratings are a good argument for ‘should I be in, should I not be in’ – all those types of things.

“I think 12 is probably too many, and then it doesn’t feel elite. 10 is the biggest. It depends – if it’s 8 it’s a headache, if it’s 10 then it’s up to you to choose.”

Who will win the Paddy Power World Darts Championship? Until January 3, you can watch every match live exclusively on Sky Sports’ dedicated darts channel (Sky Channel 407). Live stream darts and more top sports with NOW.