Why Michael van Gerwen must make unprecedented decision that can actually elevate his career
Michael van Gerwen has endured a challenging 2026, and for the first time in many years, his place in the Premier League is under threat.
Van Gerwen has been ever-present at one of the PDC's prestigious tournaments since 2013, but his abysmal performances have only created a discussion about whether he deserves a place in the eight-man field.
The 37-year-old has slipped down to ninth in the world rankings after winning just two titles this year, overcoming Gian van Veen in the Bahrain Darts Masters final in January and then defeating Luke Humphries at the Nordic Masters in June.
Why Michael van Gerwen should skip the Premier League
At the World Grand Prix, the Dutchman's woes continued after suffering a first-round exit at the hands of Ryan Joyce, only weeks after losing to Daryl Gurney in the World Series of Darts Finals.
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Van Gerwen felt "absolutely sick" following his defeat to Gurney, where he averaged just 87, and is now at risk of falling out of the world's top 16 altogether for the first time in 14 years.
The 'Green Machine' is defending £608,500 in prize money after the World Grand Prix, giving him a relatively comfortable advantage over 17th-placed Chris Dobey, who is on £537,250.
But poor performances at the Players Championship Finals and European Championship could see the three-time world champion looking nervously over his shoulder ahead of the 2027 World Darts Championship at Ally Pally.
After failing to reach a single major singles quarter-final during the first five events of the season, discourse has centred around his position in the Premier League in 2027.
Normally, Van Gerwen's place in the eight-man field is guaranteed, but with James Wade enjoying an incredible resurgence, many feel that 'The Machine' - who is currently fifth in the PDC Order of Merit - should take his place.
Van Gerwen has arguably been the face of the Premier League for the past 13 years, so seeing him miss out on the lineup would be interesting, but it's ultimately the outcome he deserves.
A break from the PDC's premier tournament can benefit him in the long run. Jonny Clayton, for instance, didn't make the cut in 2024 or 2025, but he returned in 2026 with a bang by finishing second in the league phase before losing on Finals Night to Luke Humphries.
Clayton has since firmly established himself as one of the best players in the world, and Van Gerwen can make a similar climb if he's given the reality check he needs by missing out on the Premier League.
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Vincent van der Voort backs Michael van Gerwen skipping Premier League
When asked about his fellow Dutchman, former PDC professional Vincent van der Voort argued that skipping the Premier League would benefit his career.
“Maybe for his career it would actually be better not to play it," Van der Voort told Online Darts. "Commercially and money-wise, of course, it is a lot of money. But for everything else, the best thing might be to skip it and fully focus on his ranking.”
“First round in the Masters, last 16 at the UK Open, early exit at the Matchplay, and then losing here in the first round. You can’t say he deserves to be in based on that," he added.
Van Gerwen will ultimately either recover from these setbacks and recapture his best form or continue to suffer and see his rank take a beating.
A telling end to the year awaits the former world number one, who can still somewhat recover a disastrous 10 months.
Topics: Michael van Gerwen, Darts, World Darts Championship
Thomas Griffin