Luke Littler and Luke Humphries are still alive at Players Championship 28 in Leicester. The first big shift of the day is already clear: Michael van Gerwen is out, beaten 6-3 by Mike De Decker before the quarter-finals.
This is not the winner story yet, but it is already a useful marker. The Minehead cut remains tight, Littler still needs Players Championship prize money, and Humphries had to survive a serious scare to stay in the draw. After Jermaine Wattimena’s Players Championship 27 win, the second Leicester event is still moving the ProTour picture.
WE'RE DOWN TO EIGHT! 🙌
S1: Luke Littler v Krzysztof Ratajski
S2: Mike De Decker v Kim Huybrechts
S3: Luke Woodhouse v Brendan Dolan
S4: Owen Bates v Luke Humphries
📺 https://t.co/Dogi6ykEH5 #PC28 pic.twitter.com/QJB2pXVyVpPDC Darts (@OfficialPDC), 26 August 2026
The Players Championship 28 draw tightens before the quarter-finals
The quarter-final line-up confirmed by the PDC gives four very different match-ups. Littler faces Krzysztof Ratajski, with the added need to keep adding money on a tour where every round can matter for Players Championship Finals qualification. Humphries meets Owen Bates, one of the sharper names in this phase of the day.
| Quarter-final | Match |
|---|---|
| QF 1 | Luke Littler vs Krzysztof Ratajski |
| QF 2 | Mike De Decker vs Kim Huybrechts |
| QF 3 | Luke Woodhouse vs Brendan Dolan |
| QF 4 | Owen Bates vs Luke Humphries |
The tournament is being played at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester, with a top prize of £15,000. The PDC also frames this ProTour double-header around several live races: the World Grand Prix, the Players Championship Finals and the PDC World Championship. Put simply, this is not a neutral day on the calendar.
Van Gerwen falls, De Decker opens the draw
The result that changes the draw most is Van Gerwen’s defeat. The Dutchman lost 6-3 to De Decker, with the Belgian doing enough to stop the match turning into a late comeback story.
An early exit at a Players Championship can look routine from the outside. Here, it matters more. Van Gerwen was one of the headline names in Leicester, and his defeat creates a route for De Decker or Kim Huybrechts in that section. At this stage of a ProTour day, one flat spell is often enough.
Humphries has already been close to the edge
Humphries had to pass a real test against Danny Noppert. The PDC highlighted the key detail: Humphries survived six match darts before edging Noppert 6-5. That says more than the scoreline alone. He is still alive, but he has already had to dig deep.
On the other side of that quarter, Bates arrives with a clean 6-1 win over Justin Hood and an announced average of 103.57. He is not the loudest name in the draw, but that is exactly why these ProTour days are dangerous for the favourites.
Littler continues his Minehead mission
Littler has also moved into the last eight. His run matters after his quarter-final exit at Players Championship 27. The world champion has already collected major titles in 2026, but the road to Minehead runs through the Players Championship Order of Merit. Reputation does not replace ranking money.
His quarter-final against Ratajski is therefore more than a place in the semi-finals. A win would make his position healthier. A defeat would keep the story open for later in the season.
Sources used
Draw and score data checked via DartConnect, quarter-final announcement via the PDC on X, competition context via the official PDC live article.
