Wessel Nijman's meteoric rise in the PDC has reached new heights in 2026, with the Dutchman racking up five Players Championship titles and a Euro Tour triumph already this season. Competing in 14 of the 16 floor events so far, Nijman has reached the final in six of them, winning five, and sits over £30,000 clear of Chris Dobey at the top of the Players Championship Order of Merit with a staggering £104,500.
His big-stage credentials were cemented when he thrashed Gerwyn Price 8-3 to win the European Darts Trophy in Gottingen, silencing doubts about his ability to perform under TV cameras. Darts organiser Johan Sterk told De Telegraaf: 'He is very calm and exudes a lot of self-confidence. Wessel doesn't care much about what others think of him, and that is a very good quality. He is mainly focused on his own game and less on the opponent. And his talent naturally sets him apart from others. He has a very hard throwing style, with which you can go incredibly far if you are in good shape. He hits everything he needs to hit.'
Sterk added: 'Surely he has to be able to win a major tournament? When you have this kind of talent and are this good… The only obstacle is called Luke [Littler]. But all the players are struggling with that. I think Wessel can become a world top-5 player. On the other hand, I could also name nine other players who have the qualities to get there, so it certainly won’t be an easy task.'
Martijn Kleermaker praised Nijman for overcoming his past, including a two-and-a-half-year suspension for match-fixing in 2020. 'Wessel was always a good player, and this year’s results confirm that once again,' Kleermaker said. 'I’ve really watched him with amazement. He had the label of a cheat from the coronavirus period, and he has erased that by playing like this. That is incredibly impressive.' Kleermaker added: 'Winning five Players Championship tournaments and a Euro Tour title while the season is still far from over is very special. And there’s still a long list of tournaments to come. If he could consistently bring his floor game onto the stage, then a lot could happen. But we also need to be careful not to expect too much from Wessel. Still, if he continues like this, he will be in the world’s top 10 before long.'
