Michael Smith and two other champions are still battling to avoid unwanted World Darts Championship scenario

Michael Smith is among three former champions still battling to avoid an unwanted scenario at the 2027 World Darts Championship - for what would be the first time in 14 years.

'Bully Boy' is currently competing at the Dutch Darts Championship, the final European Tour event of the year before the season-ending European Championship.

Smith revealed in January 2025 that he was struggling with arthritis in his throwing arm, and has had issues with his ankle. He has been working his way back to the form that saw him win the 2024 world title, but promised last month that he 'will be playing 100 per cent of the tournaments in 2027'. For now, Smith still has some work to do ahead of Alexandra Palace.

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What Michael Smith needs to do before World Darts Championship

The top 40 players on the Order of Merit qualify for the World Darts Championship automatically, and Smith is in position as things stand. He is in 38th place but with an advantage of £41,000 in prize money over Callan Rydz in 39th.

But a run in the European Championship, which has a total prize pot of £750,000, will help his cause even further. Just qualifying earns £7,500 in prize money; a second-round appearance nets £20,000, up to £35,000 for the quarter-final, £50,000 for the semi-finals, £80,000 for the runner-up and £150,000 for the winner.

He needs to reach the semi-finals of the Dutch Darts Championship to make it to the season-ending event - with results on Friday changing his objective from a minimum quarter-final berth. Smith takes on Stephen Burton in his first round clash on Friday evening.

He is also set to play in the Players Championship Finals as things stand, but needs to perform well in the final four Players Championship tournaments; he is ranked in 58th in the Order of Merit, with 64 players qualifying.

Should he ensure qualification for Ally Pally, meanwhile, Smith's ideal next step would be to climb into the top 32 of the Order of Merit.

Those top 32 players are seeded for the World Darts Championship, which means they cannot play another member of the top 32 in the first round. Luke Littler, for instance, will be barred from playing Luke Humphries and Michael van Gerwen, and so on, until at least round two.

Smith has been seeded at every World Championship since the 2013 edition, and former champions are not automatically seeded: Raymond van Barneveld was unseeded last year and avoided a big name, but still lost to Swiss qualifier Stefan Bellmont in round one.

Van Barneveld is looking increasingly likely to be unseeded again this year - if he makes it to Ally Pally first.

The five-time world champion, who won his only PDC title in 2007, currently sits in 45th place on the Order of Merit, but will not play in the European Championship final. And he is 85th in the Players Championship Order of Merit, meaning he needs to string a series of wins together across the final four tournaments to be in with a chance of making the Finals.

Then there is 2020 and 2022 world champion Peter Wright, who is below Van Barneveld in the Players Championship OoM in 87th. The Scot will also play no part in the European Championship.

Peter Wright pictured (Image: Getty)

Wright could still have a strong run in the PC events that remain, though his form has been patchy throughout 2026. 'Snakebite' does hold an advantage in that he is in 37th in the Order of Merit, ahead of Smith by £250 in prize money.

Should any of the three players fail to qualify for Ally Pally via the more traditional route, they can still compete in the Tour Card Holder qualifier.

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Michael Smith on the one thing he'll 'never' do during PDC form battle

Speaking to Online Darts earlier this year, Smith revealed that while he battles to return to the top of the PDC, he will 'never' ask for outside help from other people.

"I do it for myself," he said. "I don't want to go and speak to a mental person, whatever it is... in the back of my mind would be, and I know they wouldn't do it, if I won something they'd come back [and say], 'I helped do that'. I don't want anyone to have credit for what I'm doing.

"There's me and my family, that's it. I do all the hard work, and when I win something, it's just us, that's it. I don't want someone else in the background. It might help me, but I'm never going to do it. And I'll stick by that."

He said that, at that point, he was playing without pain: "Once I start moving and walking, then it [the ankle] unlocks itself. It unseizes, and I'm fine. It's just when I wake up and I'm not moving, that's when it's sore. But playing... there is no pain up there."