Two Premier League Giants Withdraw from Poland Darts Open Due to Medical Reasons
The 2026 PDC European Tour has been dealt an immediate blow on its opening weekend, with Michael van Gerwen and Gerwyn Price both ruled out of the inaugural Poland Darts Open in Kraków due to medical reasons. The PDC confirmed both withdrawals on Friday morning, less than 24 hours after a dramatic Night Three of the Premier League at Glasgow’s OVO Hydro.
For Van Gerwen, it marks the second consecutive event missed. The seven-time Premier League champion had already withdrawn from Thursday’s Premier League night in Scotland and has not recovered sufficiently to make the trip to Poland. His compatriot Vincent van der Voort revealed on the Darts Draait Door podcast that Van Gerwen had “picked something up” and is currently on a course of antibiotics. For Price, the decision came in the immediate aftermath of a 6-3 quarter-final defeat to compatriot Jonny Clayton in Glasgow — an evening that ended with Clayton ultimately winning the night.
Because both withdrawals were confirmed after the tournament draw had already been made, their replacements inherit the same bracket positions. Former world champion Michael Smith takes Price’s spot and will enter Saturday’s second round directly. Two-time World Championship quarter-finalist Callan Rydz fills Van Gerwen’s position on the same terms. Smith’s route to the tournament involves a notable twist — he had been knocked out during European Tour qualifying in Germany earlier this month, losing 6-3 to Mickey Mansell. His presence in Poland is only possible because of Price’s late withdrawal.
The timing is particularly painful for Van Gerwen. He had made a superb start to the 2026 season before illness struck, winning Night One of the Premier League in Newcastle and reaching the final in Antwerp, where Price got the better of him. Missing two events in quick succession carries a real points cost, and the Premier League table will shift further in his absence.
Despite the high-profile absentees, the Poland Darts Open retains genuine star power. World number one Luke Littler headlines the event alongside former Premier League champion Luke Humphries and European champion Gian van Veen. Polish number one Krzysztof Ratajski competes as the home favourite at the EXPO Kraków — giving the inaugural event a compelling local storyline. The tournament is the first of fifteen European Tour events on the 2026 PDC calendar, with £230,000 in total prize money on offer across the three-day event running from Friday to Sunday.
All eyes now turn to Belfast, where Night Four of the BetMGM Premier League takes place next Thursday. The draw has set Van Gerwen and Price on a collision course in the quarter-finals — the very two players who have spent the past week absent from the oche. Price beat Van Gerwen in the Antwerp Night Two final; Mighty Mike will be primed for revenge in Northern Ireland, fitness permitting. If both recover as expected, Belfast could deliver one of the defining moments of the Premier League season so far.
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