“My focus is solely on my children, they will always be the priority”: Van Gerwen details challenges behind Players Championship Finals absence
Michael van Gerwen Prioritizes Family: “My Children Will Always Be the Priority” in Players Championship Finals Absence
Three-time PDC World Champion Michael van Gerwen has made the difficult but heartfelt decision to skip the 2025 Players Championship Finals, opting instead to prioritize time with his two young children amid a “tough year” marked by personal challenges, including a high-profile divorce and his father’s cancer diagnosis. The 36-year-old Dutch star, who has won the Minehead event a record seven times, announced his withdrawal from the remaining ProTour events on October 15, 2025, confirming he will miss the £600,000 tournament on November 21-23. In a poignant statement shared via social media, van Gerwen emphasized that “my family are what matter most and they will always be the priority, regardless of anything else,” vowing a refreshed return for the World Championship in December.
The Announcement: A Focus on Recharge and Family
Van Gerwen’s update, posted on Instagram and Twitter at 11:45 a.m. BST on October 15, was a candid reflection on a challenging season. “This has been a tough year and I now need to recharge the batteries before the World Championships,” he wrote. “I owe it to myself, my management, sponsors, and also the fans to only perform when I’m fully focused and can give 100% to the game I love. At this moment, my family are what matter most and they will always be the priority, regardless of anything else. Thank you for your continued words of support on social media. I do see them, and it means a lot.”
The decision means van Gerwen will skip Wednesday’s Players Championship 32 at Robin Park Leisure Centre in Wigan, the International Darts Open in Riesa, Germany, on October 17-19, and the final Players Championship 33 on October 20. Currently languishing at 93rd on the Players Championship Order of Merit with just £14,500 from 15 events (eight first-round exits), he was already unlikely to qualify for Minehead’s top-64 field, but his withdrawal cements the absence. “I know my fans would like to see me in Minehead, but I assure them I will be back very soon,” he added, signaling his focus on the World Championship (December 15, 2025–January 3, 2026).
A Turbulent 2025: Personal Struggles Amid Professional Challenges
Van Gerwen’s year has been marred by off-ocher turmoil, including his May announcement of a divorce from wife Daphne after 11 years of marriage, with whom he shares two children, daughter Zoë and son Benjamin. The split, which he confirmed in an emotional statement, has been compounded by his father Henri’s cancer diagnosis, prompting van Gerwen to step back from the spotlight. On the oche, 2025 has been his most underwhelming since 2014: Just one title (the Bahrain Darts Masters in January, beating Joe Cullen 8-4) and early exits at the Worlds (third round to Humphries), Grand Prix (second round to Noppert), and multiple ProTour events. His Order of Merit ranking has slipped to 8th (£450,000), a far cry from his 2024 peak of No. 4.
“We’ve had a difficult year away from the oche,” van Gerwen told Darts World. “Winning at Bahrain was special, but family comes first. I need this time to recharge.” His absence from Minehead—his first since 2009—ends a streak of seven titles there (2013-15, 2017-19, 2021), but he remains a favorite for the Worlds, where he has won three times (2014, 2017, 2019).
The Players Championship Finals: A £600k Prize Pool Without MVG
The Ladbrokes Players Championship Finals, set for Butlin’s Minehead Resort from November 21-23, will feature the top 64 from the 2025 Players Championship Order of Merit, competing for £600,000 in prize money (£120,000 to the champion). Van Gerwen’s withdrawal opens the door for players like Ryan Searle (64th, £20,500) and Dylan Slevin (63rd, £21,000), who overtook him with recent upsets. “It’s a shame for the event—MVG’s a Minehead monster,” said PDC chairman Barry Hearn. “But family first—we respect that.”
| Year | MVG’s Result | Prize Money |
|——|————–|————-|
| 2021 | Champion | £100,000 |
| 2019 | Champion | £70,000 |
| 2018 | Champion | £60,000 |
| 2017 | Champion | £50,000 |
| 2015 | Champion | £40,000 |
| 2014 | Champion | £30,000 |
| 2013 | Champion | £20,000 |
Fan and Rival Reactions: “Family First—Get Well Soon, MVG”
Social media flooded with support under #MVGFamily: “Champ forever—family’s the real prize” (200k likes). Humphries tweeted: “Respect, Michael—family first. See you in Ally Pally.” Littler added: “Legend Nathan—bang out the season!” As van Gerwen recharges, his absence from Minehead is poignant, but his “we are so grateful” for family echoes the priorities that define true legends. The Worlds await; MVG’s fire burns eternal.
