Mark Webster
Former BDO world champion on Sky Sports

Michael van Gerwen has won those opening two legs in just shy of three minutes.

Michael van Gerwen is motoring here with a second 180 in as many legs.

He gets six darts at 108 for a 2-0 lead and Gian van Veen is really struggling here.

MVG gets two goes at double 16 and needs both, but lands attempt two to double his lead.

Against the throw, Michael van Gerwen takes the early upper hand.

A 180 buys him six darts at 128 for a break of throw. The first visit leaves him a full crack at double 16.

But MVG only needs one go to lead. Excellent stuff!

On his Premier League debut, Gian van Veen has quickly settled into life on the big stage and swept aside Luke Littler and Jonny Clayton with relative comfort.

The crowd are loving him and what would cap off a perfect debut night is a victory over the greatest player ever to come out of Dutch darts.

Michael van Gerwen has looked excellent tonight. Can he go again here?

Van Veen to throw first, game on!

The Dutch duo of Gian van Veen and Michael van Gerwen have already faced each other 10 times during their careers.

Van Gerwen leads 6-4 in meetings and won when the two met a few weeks ago in Bahrain.

But Van Veen is now the Dutch number one, which undoubtedly will have given Van Gerwen some extra motivation.

Michael van Gerwen is the most successful player in Premier League Darts history with seven titles.

Phil Taylor is the next most successful, taking six titles between 2005 and 2012.

Of this year's players besides Van Gerwen, Luke Littler, Luke Humphries and Jonny Clayton are all former champions with one title each.

• 2025: Luke Humphries
• 2024: Luke Littler
• 2023: Michael van Gerwen
• 2022: Michael van Gerwen
• 2021: Jonny Clayton
• 2020: Glen Durrant
• 2019: Michael van Gerwen
• 2018: Michael van Gerwen
• 2017: Michael van Gerwen
• 2016: Michael van Gerwen
• 2015: Gary Anderson
• 2014: Raymond van Barneveld
• 2013: Michael van Gerwen
• 2012: Phil Taylor
• 2011: Gary Anderson
• 2010: Phil Taylor
• 2009: James Wade
• 2008: Phil Taylor
• 2007: Phil Taylor
• 2006: Phil Taylor
• 2005: Phil Taylor

Mark Webster
Former BDO world champion on Sky Sports

A win tonight would settle Michael van Gerwen down for the Premier League season.

He's had some good performances tonight but he'll want to cap off the night with a win though.

A bit of breaking news from backstage...

Gian van Veen has won the nearest to the bull backstage, meaning he will throw first in tonight's final.

That could prove to be the difference if this match goes the distance.

Glen Durrant
Former Premier League champion on Sky Sports

We know Gian van Veen's skills are there but he's handled this with aplomb.

It sets up a mouth-watering final.

Ian Mitchelmore
BBC Sport Wales at Utilita Arena, Newcastle

It's that time of the night...

Angels by Robbie Williams is played out, and the fans sing in unison ahead of the final.

They've been treated to some top stuff tonight, and here's hoping the all-Dutch final delivers too.

Mark Webster
Former BDO world champion on Sky Sports

Image source, Getty Images

I was really impressed with Michael van Gerwen then. His finishing was really good.

It is a positive sign that he's dusted himself down from an early exit at the World Masters.

It is great to see him looking confident. It puts the sport in a better place.

Prize money earned from the 2026 Premier League Darts campaign does not count towards a player's ranking in the Professional Darts Corporation's Order of Merit.

While most players will earn north of £100,000 for their efforts in the season, they do not class as prize money which is used to determine world rankings.

The PDC Order of Merit is calculated via prize money earned at ranked events over a 24-month period.

That match was all about finishing. Luke Humphries did not take his chances, while Michael van Gerwen was outstanding.

Van Gerwen only averaged 97.88 to Humphries' 97.02, but on the doubles it was a very different story.

Van Gerwen only got seven darts at a double. He landed six of them which included two 100+ checkouts.

Humphries had 11 darts at a double, missing 11 of them.

Image source, Getty Images

A simple equation here. Luke Humphries needs four legs on the bounce for this match.

His first nine darts leave just 81 for a break of throw, but one dart at bull misses out.

At 114 for the match, Michael van Gerwen is clinical again. He takes the lot with a double 20 finish for a huge 6-2 win over the defending champion.

We are going double Dutch in tonight's final!

Dan Dawson
Commentator on Sky Sports

Michael van Gerwen has Luke Humphries where he wants them and it could be an all-Dutch final in week one in Newcastle.

Ian Mitchelmore
BBC Sport Wales at Utilita Arena, Newcastle

As Glen Durrant just mentioned, Van Gerwen looks very relaxed on that stage tonight.

He addressed his personal issues that impacted his 2025, and of course his Premier League campaign last year.

But it's good to see a happy Van Gerwen firing on all cylinders.

Luke Humphries takes command back on his throw when he needs it most, but 180 from Michael van Gerwen set up a 104 chance for a break of throw.

Treble 20, 12 and double 16. That is vintage MVG!

Dan Dawson
Commentator on Sky Sports

Luke Humphries has had twice the number of chances at doubles as Michael van Gerwen in this game but he's just not taking them.

A finely poised affair, but Michael van Gerwen is landing too many into various parts of the one and five segments.

On his throw, MVG piles in a 180 to set up a Shnghai out, but with Luke Humphries waiting on 116.

Van Gerwen gets 20 and again, a one to end those 120 hopes. He will come back as Humphries is too high going for tops.

Van Gerwen struggles on the 20s again missing tops for 80, but Humphries misses a hat-trick across the 20s and 10s.

Sloppy stuff, eventually ending with a sole dart at double 10 from MVG.

This feels like a big leg on Luke Humphries' throw, but a 140 from Michael van Gerwen keeps the pressure on.

Humphries gets six darts at 125 for a hold, but splits double 12 with the ending at the first attempt.

Dart four lands perfectly in the green segment from Cool Hand.