Simon Whitlock now knows who his first opponent will be in the 2026 ANZ Premier League. The reigning champion will begin his title defence against Joe Comito on Saturday 26 September at the AIS Arena in Canberra, on the opening night of a season that will see the winner progress to Alexandra Palace and the Grand Slam of Darts.
Timing is everything: following the announcement of the return of the 2026 ANZ Premier League in June, the competition is now getting underway in earnest. The PDC has put Whitlock at the centre of the bill, but the draw in Canberra does not offer him an easy start.
Australian icon Simon Whitlock will begin his defence of the Dabble Darts ANZ Premier League against Joe Comito when the 2026 season kicks off in Canberra on Saturday!
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The draw for the opening night in Canberra
The first night will be played as a short draw, with four quarter-finals before the semi-finals and then the final later in the evening. The format is designed to create pressure straight away: a poor start, and you’ll already be trailing in the overall standings.
| Match | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Quarter-final 1 | Tim Pusey v Mal Cuming |
| Quarter-final 2 | Raymond Smith v Brody Klinge |
| Quarter-final 3 | Simon Whitlock v Joe Comito |
| Quarter-final 4 | Jonny Tata v Ben Robb |
The Whitlock versus Comito match-up is bound to catch the eye, as it pits the defending champion against a player who is already familiar with the Australian scene and doesn’t need much time to get into a short match. On a night like this, there’s no room for error: the quarter-finals are played like a sprint, not a long, drawn-out affair.
Why the Whitlock v Comito clash carries more weight than a mere first-round match
Whitlock remains the natural headliner of this edition. The PDC is presenting him as the face of the launch, given his status as the defending champion and his historic standing in Australian darts. This provides a clear narrative to follow: can the veteran still play the central role in a competition designed to showcase the top talents from Australia and New Zealand?
Comito, for his part, arrives with a different challenge. He doesn’t have the same international profile, but this draw offers him an immediate opportunity: beating Whitlock right in Canberra would instantly change the narrative of the evening. There’s no need to overplay the scenario. In a short tournament, with five nights to go before Finals Night, a big win right at the start can make a difference to both the standings and confidence.
A short circuit, but with two huge prizes at the end
The 2026 ANZ Premier League is contested over six rounds between 26 September and 31 October. After Canberra, the tour moves on to Adelaide, Melbourne, Auckland and Newcastle, before a Finals Night in Brisbane. The top four in the overall standings will progress to that final night.
The stakes go beyond a mere regional title. The winner secures a place at the 2026/27 World Darts Championship and a spot in the Grand Slam of Darts. This is precisely why this launch deserves a separate article: Canberra is not just a local event; it is the first step on a very direct route to two major PDC stages.
The broadcast coverage is also a significant milestone for the Oceania region: Foxtel and Kayo Sports in Australia, Sky in New Zealand, and PDCTV internationally. For the players, this changes the significance of a successful evening. A victory isn’t confined to the regional arena; it becomes visible to a much wider audience.
What to watch out for on Saturday
The first indication will come from Whitlock. If he gets past Comito comfortably, the title defence will be off to a solid start. If he goes out early, the 2026 tournament will immediately take on a different complexion, with a more open draw and added pressure from the second round onwards.
The quarter-final between Pusey and Cuming also deserves close attention. Cuming arrives as the reigning Trans-Tasman champion, whilst Pusey is one of the Australian players capable of setting the pace in this format. Raymond Smith versus Brody Klinge, followed by Jonny Tata versus Ben Robb, round off an evening that feels less like a warm-up and more like a proper shake-up right from the first Saturday.
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