The Players Championship series comprises a total of 34 tournaments which take place over Hildesheim, Wigan, Leicester, Milton Keynes and new for 2026, a trip to Den Bosch.
It sees the top names including Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen and Gian van Veen in action over the course of the year with the PDC ProTour being seen as the so-called Bread and Butter tournaments that help towards qualifying for most majors including the PDC World Darts Championship.But the Players Championship Order of Merit is the one to watch for this series as it sees the top 64 players over the course of the season qualify for the Players Championship Finals which take place in Minehead at the end of November.It is determined based on total prize money won by each player in the Players Championship events throughout the year. The top 64 qualify and it also spells some issues as it did in 2025 for the likes of Luke Littler, Nathan Aspinall and Luke Humphries who had to qualify late. Michael van Gerwen for instance did not qualify at all.Luke Littler still has a big deficit to make up
Luke Littler made significant progress towards the top 64 of the Players Championship Order of Merit during the Pro Tour double-header in Leicester, despite missing out on a title. After reaching the quarter-finals at Players Championship 27, ‘The Nuke’ went one step further on Tuesday by reaching the semi-finals at Players Championship 28.
That semi-final appearance earned him £6,500 in prize money, taking his total to £10,500. Littler skipped all of the first 26 Players Championship events of the season, but with a chance to win all of the majors in a single year, he has decided to play some floor tournaments after all. This is the only route through which Littler can qualify for the Players Championship Finals at the end of November. With six Players Championship events still to come, Littler needs to make up at least £16,750 on his current deficit.
Luke Humphries made a huge move up the rankings thanks to his title at Players Championship 28. He climbed from 38th to 13th. There was also good news for Brendan Dolan and Mike De Decker, who were far from certain of qualifying for Minehead. Dolan moved from 59th to 38th after reaching the final. De Decker was even outside the top 64 heading into the tournament, but his semi-final appearance lifted him to 59th.
The standings are still led by Wessel Nijman, who has already won six Players Championship events this year. With £146,000 in prize money, Nijman has a substantial lead over his nearest challengers, including Kevin Doets (£96,750), Chris Dobey (£94,500) and Luke Woodhouse (£85,000).
Littler still needs to play more.
Players Championship Order of Merit after Event 28(as of dartsrankings.com)
Prize money in the tables is in units of £1,000.
RankNamePrize Money1Wessel Nijman1462Kevin Doets96.753Chris Dobey94.54Luke Woodhouse855Andrew Gilding77.56Jermaine Wattimena68.757Ross Smith65.58Beau Greaves60.259Sebastian Bialecki5810Rob Cross55.511Jonny Clayton54.512Ryan Searle53.2513Luke Humphries5214Danny Noppert5115Cristo Reyes5016Stephen Bunting5017Krzysztof Ratajski49.518Jeffrey de Graaf48.7519William O’Connor48.2520James Wade4821Joe Cullen4722Gabriel Clemens46.7523Dirk van Duijvenbode46.2524Max Hopp45.2525Karel Sedlacek4526Dave Chisnall4527Tom Bissell44.528Richard Veenstra4429Justin Hood43.530Maik Kuivenhoven43.2531Kim Huybrechts4332Joe Hunt42.7533Damon Heta42.2534Niko Springer41.535Cameron Menzies40.2536Michael van Gerwen39.7537Tom Sykes39.2538Brendan Dolan37.7539Mickey Mansell3740Rob Owen36.7541Callan Rydz36.2542Charlie Manby3643Daryl Gurney3544Christian Kist34.545Connor Scutt34.2546Mensur Suljovic34.2547Gerwyn Price3448Darryl Pilgrim3349Niels Zonneveld32.550James Hurrell32.551David Sharp31.2552Alexander Merkx30.553Alan Soutar30.2554Gian van Veen30.2555Madars Razma30.2556Darius Labanauskas3057Gary Anderson29.7558Martin Schindler29.559Mike De Decker29.2560Michael Smith29.2561Henry Coates2862Ritchie Edhouse27.7563Keane Barry27.564Shane McGuirk27.2565Andy Boulton2766Jim Long26.7567Martijn Dragt26.2568Bradley Brooks26.2569Wesley Plaisier26.2570Mario Vandenbogaerde26.2571Mervyn King25.7572Cam Crabtree25.2573Jimmy van Schie25.2574Ian White24.575Tommy Morris24.2576Jurjen van der Velde2477Owen Bates23.578Josh Rock2379Ryan Joyce22.580Nick Kenny21.7581Jeffrey Sparidaans21.7582Thibault Tricole21.7583Lukas Wenig21.7584Nathan Aspinall20.585Cor Dekker20.586Adam Gawlas20.2587Tommy Lishman2088Scott Waites2089Viktor Tingstrom19.7590Niall Culleton19.7591Ricardo Pietreczko19.2592Peter Wright19.2593Jack Tweddell19.2594Arno Merk1995Derek Coulson1996Adam Lipscombe18.2597Sietse Lap1898Raymond van Barneveld1899Marvin van Velzen18100Adam Paxton17.75101Thomas Lovely17.25102Scott Williams17.25103Benjamin Pratnemer17.25104Leon Weber17.25105Jeffrey De Zwaan17106Chris Landman16.75107Ryan Meikle16.75108Stephen Burton16.5109Tyler Thorpe16110Adam Leek16111Greg Ritchie14.5112Kai Gotthardt14.5113Harry Ward14.25114Steve Lennon13.75115Stephen Rosney13.75116Rhys Griffin13.75117Stefan Bellmont13.25118Dimitri Van den Bergh13.25119Nathan Potter13120Daniel Ayres12.75121Yorick Hofkens12.5122Carl Sneyd11.5123Tavis Dudeney11.5124Adam Warner11.25125Luke Littler10.5126Ricky Evans10.5127Samuel Price10128Pascal Rupprecht9.5129Lewis Pride7.75130Dennie Olde Kalter7.75131Dominik Gruellich7.75132Martin Lukeman7133Oskar Lukasiak6.5134Christopher Wickenden6.25135Maximilian Czerwinski6.25136Marvin Kraft6.25137Stefaan Henderyck5.75138Jack Aldridge5.25139Tytus Kanik4.5140Oliver Mitchell4.25141Daniel Klose4.25142Callum Goffin4143Aden Kirk3.75144Filip Bereza3.75145Ted Evetts2.5146Rusty-Jake Rodriguez2.5147Gilbert van der Meijden1.25148Pero Ljubic1.25149Danny Trueman1.25150Matthias Ehlers1.25