The latest Players Championship double header is upon us between June 2-3 at Arena MK, with some of the sport's biggest names playing for £15,000 at each event. Both tournaments see a field of 128 players compete, but the talking point once again is who is not involved. Michael van Gerwen is absent, having chosen to go on holiday with his children. It had already become clear that Van Gerwen had also withdrawn from the Baltic Sea Darts Open.
Other Tour Card holders not taking part include Matthias Ehlers, Luke Humphries, Luke Littler, Pero Ljubic, Gerwyn Price, Pascal Rupprecht, Niko Springer and Maximilian Czerwinski. The vacant spots will be filled by Joe Hunt, Derek Coulson, Tommy Lishman, Daniel Ayres, Tommy Morris, Aden Kirk, Christopher Wickenden, Nathan Potter and Jack Tweddell, the highest-ranked players on the Challenge Tour Order of Merit.
Gary Anderson, Nathan Aspinall, Stephen Bunting, Jonny Clayton, Chris Dobey and James Wade have entered the tournament though. Wessel Nijman has claimed five Players Championship titles in 2026 and will aim to extend that title tally as the leading light. Among the interesting new winners amid the big names deciding not to play and returning faces are Beau Greaves, Luke Woodhouse, Andrew Gilding and of course Nijman.
The full list of entrants includes 128 players, with names such as Gary Anderson, Nathan Aspinall, Stephen Bunting, Jonny Clayton, Chris Dobey, James Wade, Dave Chisnall, Rob Cross, Joe Cullen, Mike De Decker, Brendan Dolan, Daryl Gurney, Damon Heta, Kim Huybrechts, Mervyn King, Wessel Nijman, Danny Noppert, Ricardo Pietreczko, Josh Rock, Michael Smith, Ross Smith, Raymond van Barneveld, Dimitri Van den Bergh, Dirk van Duijvenbode, Gian van Veen, James Wade, Peter Wright and many more confirmed to compete.
