Michael van Gerwen 'leaks' Premier League Darts selection decision after dropping out of top 10

Michael van Gerwen is adamant he will be selected for the Premier League 2027 lineup, despite falling to his lowest ranking in 14 years.

The three-time world champion dropped out of the world's top 10 for the first time since 2012 after losing to Kevin Doets in the European Championship opening round.

Worryingly, the 37-year-old has now lost his first match at six of the last eight tournaments he has entered and hasn't claimed a major PDC title since winning the World Series of Darts Finals in September 2025.

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Michael van Gerwen is certain of his 2027 Premier League Darts inclusion

Van Gerwen was once the best player on the planet and still holds the record for the longest continuous single spell as world number one, spanning 2,559 days from January 1, 2014 to January 3, 2021.

When he was performing at the peak of his powers, the Dutchman was a guaranteed inclusion in the Premier League, the PDC's prestigious event where eight of the world's best players compete against each other every Thursday.

In the event's last two editions, though, the 'Green Machine' has failed to make Finals Night after finishing outside the top four, and many now believe his current woeful run of form should see him miss the 2027 tournament altogether.

While it wouldn't be a surprise to see him omitted from the eight-man lineup, he has since confirmed he will be included for the Premier League.

When asked by a fan on his Twitch livestream who will be selected for next year's tournament, Van Gerwen said: "I know I will be in the Premier League, that’s one thing for sure.”

The 48-time PDC major winner, who holds the record for most Premier League titles won (seven), hasn't missed the tournament since 2012, arguably becoming the most recognised player in the event.

But his declining form in the past 12 months has only raised eyebrows over whether his run should continue, with other players more deserving of a spot.

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Ross Smith and James Wade pushing for 2027 Premier League place

Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, Gian van Veen, Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton are all almost guaranteed a place in the PDC's prestigious event when the lineup is announced in January after the World Darts Championship.

Although Van Gerwen is confident he will be one of the eight, several of his rivals have had a far better 2026 than he has. Ross Smith, for instance, believes he "definitely" deserves to be selected after winning the World Series of Darts and the European Championship.

"Yes. At the moment, definitely," world number six Smith said when asked about his Premier League prospects. "At the end of the year, who knows? There's another three majors to come; it depends on what other players do. Right now, of course I do. I've won two majors.

“I've finished No. 1 on the Order of Merit in Europe, and I've won a couple of Euro Tours. I feel like I do, but again, I'm not the one who picks it!"

James Wade, meanwhile, was arguably unfortunate to miss out on the 2026 competition, and he's since proven why he deserves to return to the weekly tournament after establishing himself as world No. 7 in the PDC Order of Merit with £673,750 in prize money.

A deep run in the World Championship could cement his position in the eight-man field, leaving potentially just one other spot, with Van Gerwen, Josh Rock, Nathan Aspinall, and Stephen Bunting among the contenders to take it.