QUICK ANSWER
Eight players. Seventeen nights. One million pounds. The Premier League is darts’ most elite competition.
The Premier League runs from February to May, visiting packed arenas across the UK, Ireland, and Europe. The same eight elite players face each other in a round-robin league. The top four advance to Finals Night at the O2 in London.
Below: the full format, how players are selected, prize money breakdown, and why the Premier League is the biggest stage in darts outside the World Championship.
The Premier League is unlike any other competition in darts. Where floor events can feature 250 players in an anonymous hall, and majors last a week with a fresh draw each time, the Premier League locks the same elite eight players into a season-long battle across some of the biggest arenas in Europe.
How the format works
League Phase
17 nights across different cities. Each night features four matches. Every player faces each other player at least once. Wins earn 2 points, draws earn 1 each.
Match format: best-of-10 legs. Fast-paced, punishing for slow starters — there is little margin for recovery in a short match at this level.
Finals Night
The top four players after 17 league nights advance to Finals Night at the O2 Arena in London. Semi-finals are best-of-18 legs. The final is best-of-18 legs.
Winner earns £275,000. The O2 holds over 20,000 for Finals Night — the biggest crowd in professional darts outside the World Championship.
How players are selected
Premier League selection is one of the most discussed decisions in darts every autumn. The PDC announces the eight players typically in November or December. The selection uses a blend of criteria rather than a single ranking cutoff.
1
Order of Merit
The PDC’s primary selection criterion. The highest-ranked players on the Order of Merit anchor the field.
2
Recent Form
Players in exceptional form — particularly those coming off major victories — receive priority consideration regardless of their exact ranking position.
3
Market Appeal
The Premier League is a commercial product. Dutch and German players are valued for European arena nights. Crowd favourites attract bigger ticket sales.
The 2026 order of merit shows which players are currently best positioned to receive Premier League selection when the PDC announces the next season’s field.
Premier League venues and atmosphere
| Venue | City | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| SSE Arena | Belfast | ~10,000 |
| 3Arena | Dublin | ~13,000 |
| OVO Hydro | Glasgow | ~13,000 |
| Utilita Arena | Newcastle | ~11,000 |
| Rotterdam Ahoy | Rotterdam | ~10,000 |
| Mercedes-Benz Arena | Berlin | ~14,000 |
| O2 Arena (Finals) | London | ~20,000 |
RECORDS
Phil Taylor won the Premier League 6 times — a record that may never be broken. Michael van Gerwen holds the record for most consecutive match wins in a single season. The highest average recorded in a Premier League match exceeds 114. The fastest nine-dart finish in a Premier League match took under 90 seconds.
