Premier League Darts format: PDC boss Matt Porter plans ‘fresh concepts’

PDC chief executive Matt Porter says the Premier League Darts format is “solid”, but has promised “fresh concepts” for the competition.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Porter also called Ross Smith “one of the best players in the world”. He backed seven-time champion Michael van Gerwen to “come again” after a difficult year.

The 2027 line-up will be named after the World Darts Championship, which runs from 11 December to 3 January at Alexandra Palace.

What Porter said about the Premier League Darts format

Porter did not announce any changes for next season. He said the current structure still works, but made clear the PDC is looking at new ideas for the event.

The league has eight players over 16 weeks, starting in February. Each night is a knockout of quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final, with points awarded by how far each player gets:

Finish on the night	Points
Winner	5
Runner-up	3
Losing semi-finalists	2

The top four at the end of the league stage go through to Finals Night at The O2 in London.

Has the Premier League Darts format changed before?

Porter has hinted at change before. In January he accepted that repeated match-ups were the biggest criticism of the current format and said it would change “at some point”. Ticket sales and TV audiences, he said, still supported it.

Before Finals Night in June, he went further and said the format had moved beyond its ascending stage. His latest comments suggest the PDC is now working on what comes next, though it has not said when.

The format has changed several times since the Premier League began in 2005. You can follow every season on our Premier League Darts hub.

Ross Smith’s Premier League case

Porter’s praise for Smith comes after the best year of the 37-year-old’s career. Smith beat Martin Schindler 11-8 to win his second European Championship in Dortmund on 25 October. That followed his World Series of Darts Finals win in September and took him to a career-high sixth in the world.

The top four in the rankings qualify automatically, and the PDC picks four more. Smith told ESPN he deserved a place but said the decision was not his. His recent form figures strengthen the Ross Smith Premier League case.

He still has three majors to make his case: the Grand Slam, the Players Championship Finals and the World Championship.

Van Gerwen backed to come again

Van Gerwen has won the Premier League seven times, more than anyone else. Porter backed the Dutchman, also 37, to return to his best after a season below his usual standard.

What happens next

The Grand Slam of Darts starts in Wolverhampton on Saturday 14 November. Our Grand Slam draw guide has every group. After that comes the World Championship, where the winner takes £1m. See our World Darts Championship prize money guide, and find more on our darts hub.

Premier League Darts FAQ

How does the Premier League Darts format work?
Eight players play 16 league nights. Each night is a knockout, and the winner earns five points, the runner-up three and the losing semi-finalists two. The top four reach Finals Night at The O2.

When is the 2027 Premier League Darts line-up announced?
After the World Championship final on 3 January. The top four in the rankings qualify automatically and the PDC picks the other four.

Will the Premier League Darts format change in 2027?
Porter has promised fresh concepts but has not confirmed any changes for 2027.

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