‘I was serious’ – Luke Humphries gives update on boycott of darts tournament he ‘struggles to get up for’

Former world champion reiterates plan to skip entire Players Championship calendar despite risks to his status

Luke Humphries has confirmed he was deadly serious about his controversial plan to boycott all 34 Players Championship events in 2026—admitting he “struggles to get up” for the non-televised floor tournaments that form the backbone of the PDC Pro Tour.

The former world champion and current world number two made waves in November 2025 when he first floated the idea of giving the entire Pro Tour season a miss, and he has now doubled down on the proposal despite the potential consequences for his career.

“It’s 34 Days of Darts”

“I’ve been thinking about not playing any Players Championships next year, to be honest,” Humphries said at the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton. “Like, giving the whole tour a miss because it’s so busy and you have to prioritise what you want to do”.

The reigning world champion at the time emphasized that his comments weren’t meant as complaints about the sport, but rather a realistic assessment of where his priorities lie.

“Obviously it’s a busy lifestyle – not too busy. I saw what Michael Smith said yesterday, and he’s right. You can’t moan and we’re kind of blessed to be involved in so much darts. It’s not like I’m moaning. It just might be my decision to spend those 34 days at home and miss one big tournament to sacrifice it”, Humphries explained.

The Motivation Problem

The crux of Humphries’ issue with the Players Championship events is simple—he can’t summon the same level of performance or enthusiasm for floor tournaments as he does for televised majors.

“I do enjoy playing the ProTour still, a little bit, but it’s hard. When you’re on the big stage I play my best. When I’m on the floor, I just don’t – so it’s harder for me,” Humphries admitted with brutal honesty.

The confession gets to the heart of a problem facing the PDC’s elite players—the 34 Players Championship events, held at venues like Leicester’s Mattioli Arena and Wigan’s Robin Park Leisure Centre, lack the atmosphere, television cameras, and crowd energy that bring out peak performances from star players.

The High-Stakes Gamble

If Humphries actually implements his plans, he risks exclusion from the Players Championship Finals in Minehead, for which only the 64 best players on the Players Championship Order of Merit are eligible, a ranking based entirely on those non-televised events.

The Players Championship Finals is itself a major televised tournament with significant prize money and ranking points at stake. Missing qualification would represent a serious blow to Humphries’ season and his Order of Merit standing.

Yet Humphries appears willing to make that sacrifice if it means conserving energy and motivation for the tournaments that truly matter to him—the majors, the Premier League, and the World Championship.

Precedent: Skipping After World Cup Heartbreak

Humphries has already demonstrated his willingness to sit out Players Championship events when circumstances warrant it.

Following England’s shock World Cup of Darts defeat to Germany in June 2025, neither Luke Littler nor Luke Humphries registered for the Players Championship triple header in Leicester. The unexpected loss appears to have taken its toll on the English pair, who struggled to find their rhythm against an inspired German team.

Their absence from the upcoming triple header suggests they need time to regroup following the disappointing World Cup campaign.

The week off didn’t hurt Humphries’ career—he bounced back to continue his dominant 2025 campaign, reaching multiple major finals and defending his Premier League title.

Elite Players, Different Priorities

Humphries isn’t alone among the sport’s elite in questioning the value of grinding through 34 Pro Tour events per year. Luke Littler has also been selective about which Players Championship events he enters, particularly after his October 2025 nightmare at Wigan when he was denied entry for arriving two minutes late due to M6 traffic.

Michael van Gerwen, too, has skipped stretches of the Pro Tour during his personal difficulties in 2025, choosing to focus on major tournaments where his appearance fees and prize money potential are significantly higher.

For players at Humphries’ level—commanding substantial appearance fees for exhibitions and earning six-figure sums from major tournament victories—the £15,000 first prize for winning a single Players Championship event represents diminishing returns for the time and energy invested.

The Commercial Reality

The mathematics of Humphries’ position become clearer when you consider his earning potential. He secured £500,000 for winning the 2024 World Championship, substantial sums for Premier League success, and lucrative sponsorship deals that dwarf anything the Pro Tour can offer.

Spending 34 days trudging between Leicester and Wigan to compete on floor boards in front of minimal crowds for modest prize money makes less commercial sense when you’re operating at Humphries’ level.

His time might genuinely be better spent practicing, fulfilling commercial obligations, or simply resting to ensure peak performance at the tournaments that truly move the needle—both for prize money and for legacy.

The Qualification Conundrum

Luke Humphries narrowly qualified for this year’s Players Championship Finals, suggesting he was already operating on the margins of the Pro Tour system even while selectively participating.

A complete boycott would obviously end any chance of qualifying, but Humphries appears willing to accept that trade-off in exchange for being fresher and more motivated for the Premier League, World Championship, and other major tournaments.

Balance and Prioritisation

The reigning world champion emphasized that he is not about complaining, but about balance. “I’ll see how it goes,” Humphries said, leaving the door open to changing his mind depending on how the season unfolds.

The comment suggests Humphries will take a wait-and-see approach—monitoring his form, his motivation levels, and his standing in various rankings before making a final decision on whether to commit to the boycott.

The Verdict

Luke Humphries’ threat to boycott all 34 Players Championship events in 2026 represents a significant moment in the evolution of professional darts. It highlights the growing gap between the sport’s elite tier—who can afford to be selective—and the rank-and-file professionals for whom Pro Tour events represent essential income and ranking points.

His admission that he “struggles to get up” for floor tournaments is refreshingly honest, even if it risks rubbing some fans and fellow players the wrong way. Not everyone has the luxury of picking and choosing their events based on motivation levels.

But for a player operating at Humphries’ level—former world number one, reigning Premier League champion, multiple major winner—the calculation is different. If skipping 34 days of Pro Tour darts means he arrives at Alexandra Palace, The O2, or other major venues in peak physical and mental condition, the trade-off might be worthwhile.

Whether he follows through remains to be seen. But the fact that he’s seriously considering it—and publicly stating “I was serious”—tells you everything about how the PDC’s top players view the value proposition of the Players Championship circuit in 2026.

For now, Humphries is keeping his options open. But don’t be surprised if Cool Hand Luke decides that 34 days at home represents better preparation for glory than 34 days on the floor in Leicester and Wigan.