Michael van Gerwen made a strong start to the 2026 Premier League of Darts on Thursday evening, claiming victory on the opening night of the competition. In the final, the Dutchman defeated debutant Gian van Veen 6–4 to secure the first nightly title of the new season.
Shortly after his triumph, however, Van Gerwen was involved in a striking moment, footage of which quickly began circulating, somewhat overshadowing his otherwise impressive performance.
Wayne Mardle: “It is quite heavy”
Michael van Gerwen: “What is it?”
Wayne Mardle: “The winners each week get something. You didn’t get any last year. How do you feel about this already?”
Michael van Gerwen: “It’s about f#cking time… Oh, oops, sorry. Sorry for my language, sorry!”
The three-time world champion began his evening in commanding fashion with a 6–2 win over Stephen Bunting, posting an average comfortably above the 100 mark. In the semi-finals, Van Gerwen continued his dominant form by overcoming world number one Luke Humphries, again by a convincing 6–2 scoreline.
Awaiting him in the final was Gian van Veen, who enjoyed a remarkable Premier League debut. For the young Dutchman, the opening night could hardly have gone better, as he announced himself on the big stage with a series of eye-catching performances.
Van Veen began his campaign with a win reminiscent of a World Championship final rematch, this time getting the better of Luke Littler. A 6–4 victory saw him progress to the semi-finals, where he faced Wales’ Jonny Clayton. Despite Clayton’s experience, Van Veen once again prevailed, edging the contest 6–4 to book his place in the final.
Although Van Gerwen ultimately proved too strong, Van Veen impressed by taking four legs in the final before the favourite sealed a 6–4 victory and claimed the nightly honours.
For Van Veen, this Premier League appearance marks his first participation in the prestigious competition. Where he once attended as a spectator, he now finds himself performing under the brightest lights on darts’ biggest weekly stage.
Thursday 16 April is already circled in his calendar, as that will mark his first visit to Rotterdam Ahoy as a Premier League participant rather than a fan. For the 23-year-old, the journey from singing along to Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld in the crowd to becoming part of the travelling Premier League circus represents a dream coming true later this year.