James Wade has released a forthright response after being left out of the 2026 Premier League Darts line-up.
The new Premier League field was confirmed on Monday afternoon, just two days after Luke Littler successfully defended his PDC World Darts Championship title. Littler will be joined in the 17-week competition by Luke Humphries, Gian van Veen, Michael van Gerwen, Jonny Clayton, Gerwyn Price, Stephen Bunting and Josh Rock.
Bunting’s inclusion raised eyebrows among some observers. Sky Sports pundit and former professional Wayne Mardle admitted he was surprised by the decision, suggesting the Liverpool ace may have been fortunate to make the cut.
“I’m slightly surprised at Stephen Bunting,” Mardle said. “He’s had a decent enough year, but not as good as some others in my opinion. He can consider himself a little fortunate.
“He played OK in the Premier League last year, but the results didn’t go well — especially in the first eight weeks when he didn’t win a game. You can’t argue with the ability of any of them, but Bunting will be the one breathing a huge sigh of relief.”
Wade was among several high-profile names linked with a potential call-up, alongside Danny Noppert, Ryan Searle, Rob Cross and Nathan Aspinall, but ultimately missed out.
The 41-year-old has now taken to social media to address the snub, striking a defiant but reflective tone.
Writing on X, Wade said:
“Hard work pays off… really? Disappointed, but proud of the work I put in this year chasing one goal — getting back to the Premier League. Missing out hurts, but that’s part of the journey.
“I trusted my performances in the big moments — two major finals and two major quarter-finals — and I’ll keep backing that process. Back to work now. 2026, I’ll be ready.”
Wade’s omission comes after a mixed World Championship campaign, where he suffered a surprise second-round exit at Alexandra Palace following a defeat to Ricky Evans.
