Wayne Mardle does not believe the biggest talking point heading into the start of the 2026 Premier League Darts season is Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, or even the rapid emergence of Gian van Veen.
As the Premier League roadshow gets underway once again, Mardle insists the real intrigue lies elsewhere — with two former dominant forces now carrying serious pressure and plenty to prove. Humphries may be the defending champion, but he has been pushed slightly out of the spotlight amid the relentless hype surrounding Littler. Meanwhile, Michael van Gerwen faces an unfamiliar challenge after missing out on Finals Night last year and failing to win a single league night.
According to Mardle, that weight of expectation could shape the early weeks far more than the familiar “Luke versus Luke” storyline.
“Luke Littler is the man. And Luke Humphries said that at the Grand Slam in November,” Mardle told Sky Sports. “Humphries will fight all the way. This could be good for him because we so quickly — and when I say we, I’m talking about the media — we so quickly made it Luke and Luke, and that’s it. Then it was Littler and the others.”
Mardle also highlighted the impact Van Veen has had on the sport’s balance at the top, particularly after his stunning World Championship win over Humphries.
“Gian van Veen’s come along and spoiled everything in terms of Humphries because the way he dismantled him in the quarter-finals [of the Worlds], he was incredible,” he said.
“No one will forget about Humphries in a hurry”
While Littler has claimed he enjoys staying under the radar, Mardle believes Humphries is motivated differently.
“I believe that he wants people to talk about him and he’s got a point to prove,” Mardle explained. “He and Michael van Gerwen are the ones with points to prove. I want to see them hit the ground running and basically give it, ‘don’t forget about me’.”
He added: “No one will forget about Humphries in a hurry because he’s going to be around for a long time.”
“I’m concerned about Michael van Gerwen”
Van Gerwen began 2026 brightly, winning the Bahrain Darts Masters and finishing runner-up at the inaugural Saudi Arabia Darts Masters. But last season’s Premier League campaign was a rare struggle, as he missed Finals Night for the first time in years and failed to claim a single nightly victory.
Mardle believes the Dutchman must now adjust to a new reality.
“I’m kind of concerned about, in a way, Michael van Gerwen. I’m not sure how he’s going to do,” he admitted. “He didn’t make the play-offs last year for the first time in a long time. He’s now not as much of a winner as he used to be.”
Even so, Mardle stressed that Van Gerwen remains one of the sport’s most dangerous figures.
“He’s still very much someone that needs to be in the forefront of everyone’s mind because he can win anything,” he said. “But there seems to be just a new breed, with Littler, Humphries and Van Veen.”
Clash of generations
For Mardle, this season’s Premier League represents a fascinating battle between the established stars and the new wave.
“You’ve got the old and the new, and Van Gerwen being the elder statesman now in terms of experience and everything,” he said. “He will want to hit the ground running.”
Mardle pointed to the contrast between Van Gerwen’s dominant 2024 campaign — where he won four league nights — and last year’s winless run.
“In 2024, he won four weeks of the Premier League. Last year he didn’t win any. He’s got to put that right. There’s pressure on him.”
A season defined by response
In Mardle’s view, the 2026 Premier League is less about the hype surrounding Littler and more about how the sport’s established champions respond.
Humphries wants to remind everyone he is still the defending champion. Van Gerwen needs to prove he can still dictate the terms rather than chase the next generation. And with Littler and Van Veen representing the sport’s new era, the opening weeks could be driven as much by pride and pressure as by pure scoring power.
That, according to Mardle, is where the real story of the 2026 Premier League truly begins.
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