Michael van Gerwen will miss the upcoming Players Championships 5 and 6 in Leicester as he continues to recover from a medical issue. The Dutch world number four, who last played in the Premier League Darts in Antwerp on 12/02/2026, is on antibiotics but his symptoms have not subsided, forcing him to withdraw from the Pro Tour events on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Mattioli Arena.
Van Gerwen had already skipped the third and fourth Players Championships, the Premier League night in Glasgow, and the first Euro Tour of the year in Poland due to this physical problem. His absence from Leicester means he misses valuable chances to earn ranking points, which is crucial for defending his fourth place in the world rankings after two difficult years.
Several other big names are also absent from the double-header, including Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, Gian van Veen, Stephen Bunting, Nathan Aspinall, Wessel Nijman, Rusty-Jake Rodriguez, and James Wade. This opens the door for reserves and provides a prime opportunity for the 128 players on site to contest the title and ranking points without a number of top stars.
Van Gerwen had started 2026 strongly with a World Series title, a floor semi-final, and a nightly win in the Premier League, but his current absence is receding his chances to maintain his elite spot. The withdrawals come at an unfortunate time as he deals with this ongoing medical situation.
