With no Luke Humphries or Michael van Gerwen, the Players Championship 18 in Leicester is shaping up to be a tournament open to all scenarios.
Wessel Nijman, undisputed leader of the Order of Merit ProTour 2026, enters the fray against Mario Vandenbogaerde with a real chance of extending his lead in the standings.
Beau Greaves continues to be one of the main attractions on the circuit.
Dimitri Van den Bergh is looking to build on his victory at PC17.
And a number of first-round clashes deserve all the attention they can get: Cullen v De Decker, Wattimena v Clemens, Rock v White. This article reviews the full draw, today's favourites and the matches not to be missed.
Nijman sole master on board without notable absentees
Luke Humphries won the Players Championship 17 by beating Jermaine Wattimena 8-4 in the final. He will not be there to defend his title at PC18. Michael van Gerwen, also absent, leaves a gap in the draw that the contenders from the new generation will be rushing to fill.
These two absences are not insignificant. Humphries and Van Gerwen are regularly among the favourites at every PDC event, whether on the ProTour or major TV fixtures such as the World Championship or Premier League Darts. Without them, the PC18 table opens up considerably.
Wessel Nijman is the big beneficiary of this configuration. The Dutchman sits at the top of the Order of Merit ProTour 2026 with remarkable consistency throughout the season. He starts against Mario Vandenbogaerde, a serious Belgian opponent but well within his reach if Nijman reproduces his usual level. A profound result in this tournament would further strengthen his position in the rankings, at a time of the season when every point counts towards qualifying for major events.
Nijman is the perfect embodiment of what the ProTour can produce: a player built over time, who accumulates results without necessarily making the headlines on TV tournaments. Yet his dominance in 2026 is a statistical fact that is hard to dispute. Can he turn this season on the floor into a record worthy of the greatest?
Today's headliners: Greaves, Clayton, Gilding, Van den Bergh
Beautiful Greaves facing Bradley Brooks
Beau Greaves remains one of the most closely followed stories on the ProTour circuit this season. Her consistent presence in the Players Championship draws illustrates the evolution of the women's level within the PDC Tour. She opens against Bradley Brooks, an opponent on the circuit who will offer her no gifts. Greaves needs to confirm on the floor what her recent results suggest.
Jonny Clayton v Cam Crabtree
Jonny Clayton had finished runner-up to Andrew Gilding in the Players Championship 16. The Welshman returns to action in the first round against Cam Crabtree. Clayton is a player capable of great series on the ProTour, as his run to the final of the PC16 showed. A first round to be managed quickly to hope for a deep run.
Andrew Gilding v Leon Weber
Andrew Gilding, precisely, enters the fray against Leon Weber. Winner of PC16, the Englishman is in good form and looking to build on it. Weber represents a classic first round hurdle for a player of his calibre, but in darts, no first round is a formality.
Dimitri Van den Bergh versus Wesley Plaisier
Dimitri Van den Bergh picked up his first Players Championship table win this season at PC17. The Belgian takes on Wesley Plaisier to build on that success. Van den Bergh is a player capable of producing a very high average on a good day, and this positive momentum is worth keeping an eye on.
First-round clashes not to be missed
Joe Cullen v Mike De Decker
This match is probably the most anticipated of the first round. Joe Cullen, a regular on the PDC Tour for several years, challenges Mike De Decker, the Belgian who has gradually imposed his powerful style on the ProTour. Two players capable of 100+ averages, two different styles, a confrontation that could be worth the diversions. The winner of this duel will immediately be among the serious contenders for today's title.
Jermaine Wattimena versus Gabriel Clemens
Wattimena is coming off a final at PC17 where he was beaten 8-4 by Humphries. The Dutchman returned the next day with momentum, but also the fatigue of a long day of competition. Gabriel Clemens, the solid and experienced German, is exactly the type of opponent capable of exploiting the slightest lapse in concentration. This match is a trap for Wattimena.
Josh Rock v Ian White
Josh Rock, the Northern Irishman with immense potential, starts against Ian White. White is a tour veteran who never travels without his chances. Rock must confirm his progress on the ProTour against a player who knows all the ropes. A generational match that has everything to be tight.The rest of the field: Smith, Cross, Wade, Wright and the rest
Despite the absences of Humphries and Van Gerwen, the PC18 line-up remains very strong. Here's a round-up of the other big names involved from the first round.
| Player | Adversary in 1st round |
|---|---|
| Michael Smith | Alexander Merkx |
| Rob Cross | Stephen Rosney |
| James Wade | Scott Williams |
| Stephen Bunting | Tom Bissell |
| Danny Noppert | Filip Bereza |
| Peter Wright | Adam Gawlas |
| Damon Heta | Marvin Kraft |
| Kim Huybrechts | Samuel Price |
| Dirk van Duijvenbode | Connor Scutt |
| Dave Chisnall | Jurjen van der Velde |
| Luke Woodhouse | Greg Ritchie |
| Martin Schindler | Cor Dekker |
| Niko Springer | Shane McGuirk |
Former PDC world champion Michael Smith is reunited with Alexander Merkx in this opening round. Smith is capable of the best and the worst on the ProTour, but a big day from him automatically puts him among the favourites. Rob Cross, 2018 world champion, takes on Stephen Rosney. Cross has the consistency of a very high-level player, even if his results on the ProTour sometimes fall short of his performances on major TV events.
James Wade, one of the most successful players on the British Tour with eight major titles to his name, starts against Scott Williams. At the age of 40, Wade continues to fight his way through every tournament with the same defensive rigour that has made his reputation. Stephen Bunting opens against Tom Bissell, Danny Noppert challenges Filip Bereza, Peter Wright meets Adam Gawlas.
Kim Huybrechts deserves a special mention: the Belgian had managed a 9-darter at PC16, the ultimate performance in darts. He starts at PC18 against Samuel Price in a configuration that invites him to confirm his new-found confidence.
Dirk van Duijvenbode takes on Connor Scutt in a match that could go either way.
Dave Chisnall, always dangerous on the ProTour, starts against Jurjen van der Velde.
Luke Woodhouse opens against Greg Ritchie in a match between British Tour players.
Martin Schindler, the current German benchmark, meets Cor Dekker.
Niko Springer takes on Shane McGuirk in a duel of potential underdogs.
Here's a draw that, despite two key absences, offers enough density of talent to produce some surprising results in the early rounds. This is precisely what makes the ProTour so lively: each day is a reset, with no fixed hierarchy.
The next step to follow will be Wessel Nijman's progress in this table. If the Dutchman reaches the semi-finals or final, his lead on the Order of Merit ProTour 2026 will become difficult to make up for the rest of the season. The next Players Championship, as well as the World Grand Prix qualifiers, are already looming in the background of this Leicester tournament.
