Michael van Gerwen has aimed a playful dig at Belgian darts players as the Premier League Darts makes its historic debut in Antwerp. Night 2 of the competition is being staged on Thursday, February 12, 2026, at the AFAS Dome—formerly the Sportpaleis—marking the first time the travelling roadshow has visited the city. This move rewards the sport's growing popularity in Belgium, which previously hosted the European Championship in Hasselt from 2015 to 2017 and Euro Tour events in 2022 and 2024, with the latter drawing packed crowds.
However, van Gerwen highlighted the current competitive struggles of Belgian darts. In quotes reported by HLN.be, the three-time world champion said, "I thought things were going badly for me. But here... It's not going so well either at the moment. A pity to see. [Mike] De Decker isn't in his best form. Dimitri [Van den Bergh] not at all. And Kim [Huybrechts] is struggling too." He suggested explanations, noting, "You've got that relentless schedule. Everyone has their issues. And there's so much pressure..." This comes after Mike De Decker's unexpected World Grand Prix win in 2024, which he failed to build on, and declines for Dimitri Van den Bergh and Kim Huybrechts in the world rankings.
In contrast, Gian van Veen, the second Dutchman in this Premier League Darts, expressed optimism about Belgian darts' future. He stated, "It will be fine, really. Darts in Belgium has exploded in recent years. It just needs a bit of time before we see another Belgian storm up the rankings. Maybe someone we don't even know yet? I'm fully confident that it will happen." The action kicks off on Thursday evening at 6:00 PM, with matches including Luke Littler facing Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen meeting Josh Rock, Jonny Clayton taking on Stephen Bunting, and Gerwyn Price battling Gian van Veen.
