James Wade has admitted he is “struggling” to come to terms with being left out of the 2026 Premier League Darts line-up, claiming the PDC have “overlooked the previous 11 months” of his season.
The 42-year-old enjoyed a strong 2025 campaign, consistently going deep in major tournaments and reaching the finals of both the UK Open and the World Matchplay.
However, his hopes of strengthening his case were dented by an early exit at the World Championship, where he suffered a shock second-round defeat to Ricky Evans at Alexandra Palace.
Wade’s disappointment deepened on Monday when the Premier League field was confirmed, with Jonny Clayton, Stephen Bunting, Gerwyn Price and Josh Rock selected as wildcard entries. They will join Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen and Gian van Veen when the competition begins in Newcastle next month.
Speaking candidly, Wade admitted the snub has hit him hard and suggested his performances outside of the World Championship should have carried more weight.
He believes decision-makers have placed too much emphasis on results at Ally Pally when finalising the Premier League line-up, leaving his broader body of work undervalued.
“I’m struggling with the Premier League selection process,” Wade told The Star. “I feel lost, honestly.
“I reached the finals of big events like the UK Open and the World Matchplay, which are only really eclipsed by the World Championship. I thought that should have been enough.
“I’ve been consistently good, regularly reaching quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals. Unfortunately, the World Championship has been something of a curse for me, and it feels like the PDC focus solely on that and overlook the previous 11 months.
“I don’t want to criticise the players who were selected, but aside from Luke Littler and Luke Humphries, I believe I’ve been one of the most consistent players all season.
“I’m absolutely gutted. It feels like a real gut punch, but I’m determined to push through it and come back strong.”
